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(laid back music)
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- In the first series, I
began unravelling the story
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of this spectacular and historic nation
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by travelling from Athens,
around the Peloponnese,
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and up to the Ionian Islands.
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It took in parts of the country
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that lots of tourists know well,
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but in amongst the popular
places were hidden gems
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undiscovered by the holiday masses.
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So far this series,
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I've been back aboard my
beautiful boat, Mia Zoi,
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and travelled through a region of Greece
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I haven't spend much time in.
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We've skipped between the islands,
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taking in the sights
of the northern Aegean.
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It's been a journey of discovery
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where I've dug deeper into the fabric
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that makes Greece so
unique and immersed myself
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in a centuries-old culture
unlike anywhere else on Earth.
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I'm now heading into the
second leg of the journey.
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The next stretch sees me
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moving down to the Western Cyclades.
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It's a region of the Mediterranean
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that doesn't often have
a light shined on it
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which is all the more reason
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why I was so keen to check it out.
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The first port of call is Syros
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where my plan is to show
you a real mix of the things
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that makes this part of
the country so awesome.
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It's a place where there's
plenty of that old world charm
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and scenery to die for.
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However, before getting there,
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I had to make a short stopover
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to an island you've no
doubt heard of, Mykonos.
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We're in transit from Chios to Syros,
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and we had to stop off
here in Mykonos to refuel.
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Mykonos, the island
where the rich and famous
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come in their aircraft carriers
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and blend in amongst the beautiful people.
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Me, on the other hand, in my $10 outfit,
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I look like a dodo amongst the flamingos.
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But have a look at that thing.
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It's huge!
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It makes my little baby look like a dwarf.
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I gotta get outta here.
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Mykonos is, without a doubt,
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the cosmopolitan capital of Greece.
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So along with being a halfway
stop between Chios to Syros,
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it's just an awesome place
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for our hardworking crew to relax.
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When we're travelling, the days are long,
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so a bit of time in a
beautiful part of the world
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is just what the doctor ordered.
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Plus the next transit
was gonna be a bumpy one,
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so a well rested crew was essential.
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- Last year, we (mumbles) the Ionian Sea
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that the weather usually is good
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and it's flat and not too much wind.
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But here at Cyclades Islands,
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there is always too much wind,
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almost always.
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Very seldom you found
the weather calm here.
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For us, this weather is not
bad because we are a big boat.
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For a small boat, it's difficult,
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and people will get seasick
and many things can happen.
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But of course, here we have Kiryakos.
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And he worries about the
weather and nobody gets seasick.
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- Syros lies about 40 kilometres
directly west of Mykonos
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but it's certainly not smooth sailing.
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The winds hail through this
part of the Med during summer,
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which just so happens to be the time
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when most people plan their holidays here.
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We've just had a fairly rough voyage
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coming from Mykonos to here.
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It's windy this time of the year.
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They're called the meltemia.
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And I was feeling a big queasy,
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but thankfully, I had a (mumbles)
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and it's just rejuvenated me.
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I carry 'em all the time.
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Have a look at this, always in my bag.
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Anyway, we're here in Syros.
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This is Ermoupoli,
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which is the capital of the
Cycladic group of islands,
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probably the most popular
islands in Greece.
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And Syros has a lot of history,
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and I just can't wait to explore it all.
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See captain.
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He's hosing down there
because there's a lot of salt.
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So I'll go away while
he cleans up the boat
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and I'll be back soon.
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Thanks, captain. (speaks
in foreign language)
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- Yes.
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- First impressions are
that it's a busy city
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alive with heavy industry
in the form of shipbuilding.
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But don't let that fool you.
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The modern trappings
and maritime operations
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only add to the melting
pot of this busy hub.
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Tourism might play second
fiddle to industry here,
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but it's still a major
part of the area's economy.
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I keep coming to these islands
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expecting to see the same thing,
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but they all have their
individual personalities.
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Syros, the only place in Greece
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that has 50% of its
population being Catholic
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and 50% of the population
being Greek Orthodox.
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Up there is the Catholic church,
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and behind me is the
Greek Orthodox church.
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But there's so much
more, the rebetiko music,
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it was the commercial
hub of the 19th century.
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There's so much to see in
just such a short time,
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so I'm gonna get moving.
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Dominating the skyline of Ermoupoli
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is the Church of the Resurrection.
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It occupies the highest point,
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overlooking the city and harbour.
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So naturally, it's one of
the best spots for views.
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The blue dome commands attention,
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and even the most undevout of visitors
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are taken aback by its presence.
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About 12,000 people live here,
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mostly working in the shipyards,
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tourism sector and general commerce.
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Being the capital of the
Cycladic group of islands,
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there's quite a bit of
business and administration
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that goes on in Ermoupoli.
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At one point, it was the main port
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and commercial centre of the country.
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The time is mid to late 1800s,
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and the refugees from
Psara, Chios and Lesbos
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have been here for about 50 to 70 years.
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They've built up massive
trade and commerce,
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a lot of wealth.
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This was the time when they
invited Italian, German
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and even Greek architects
to create an architecture
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that would become the
neoclassical style of Syros.
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This town hall, 22 years to build,
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and it's absolutely magnificent.
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I've only seen it in photos,
and I'm really excited.
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I'm thinking marble was
pretty important material
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for this neoclassic architecture. (laughs)
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Greeks are well known
for their love of marble,
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but this place takes it to another level.
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The grand entrance sets the scene
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for the opulence of what's inside.
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Here, I met Miss Anna Marouli.
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She works for the local council
and is a wealth of knowledge
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about Ermoupoli and Syros in general.
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- The important thing is that Ermoupolis
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is a town of refugees,
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refugees that came here to find refuge.
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But these refugees were well educated
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and successful businessmen who worked hard
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and established this city
and dedicated to Hermes.
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- Hermes, Ermoupoli.
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- Hermes, Ermoupoli.
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- The god of trade.
- And it was named after him.
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- Fantastic.
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And it is a beautiful town.
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- It is, it is, and it still preserves
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the highlight of that era of 19th century.
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That's why everybody that
lives here and works here
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I think feel blessed and
lucky because (mumbles)
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to feel the energy (mumbles) of that era.
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- Yes, wonderful.
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Anna's passion for her
hometown is clearly evident.
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A short walk with her through
the galleries of the town hall
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gave me an insight into what
the capital is all about.
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From humble beginnings
through a migrant influx
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that led to development and wealth,
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to economic collapse and a recent rebirth,
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this town and its people
have been through a lot.
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The refugees that
arrived here in the 1800s
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came from war-torn countries,
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bringing with them their skills
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and a hunger to create a
future for their families.
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This drove them to
achieve remarkable things.
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They founded successful businesses
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and constructed magnificent buildings.
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But most importantly,
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these immigrants established
homes and a healthy community
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that was a world away from
their place of origin.
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The architecture around town
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is a testament to their success.
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The neoclassic mansions,
shops, churches and halls
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are glorious examples of this period.
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One of the highlights
is the Apollo theatre.
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The grand old building
was built in the 1860s
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and through the years has
seen the greatest names
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of Greek theatre on its stage.
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It too has had a tumultuous life
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with wars and economic downturn
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leading to the need for
renovation and restoration.
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Today though, just like
the city of Ermoupoli,
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it has a new lease of life.
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(laid back music)
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(women vocalising)
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There's a special sweet
that Syros is known for.
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You probably know them as Turkish delight.
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Here, they're known as loukoumia.
201
00:08:58,720 --> 00:09:01,160
And when it comes to making
this delicious treat,
202
00:09:01,160 --> 00:09:04,720
the master is Giannis Vamvakousis.
203
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Loukoumi came from Chios
in the 19th century
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and they brought it here.
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And they've been making
loukoumi here for how long?
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For many, many years.
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- A lot of years, yes.
- Yes.
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- About 130 years here in Syros.
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00:09:14,920 --> 00:09:18,160
- And how much loukoumi
do you make a year here?
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- Our firm?
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- Yeah.
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- About 60 tonnes a year.
213
00:09:23,160 --> 00:09:26,160
- 60 tonnes a year of loukoumi.
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And I love loukoumi.
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I'm looking forward to
tasting your loukoumi.
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It's something, I think,
that the Turkish people,
217
00:09:33,720 --> 00:09:36,760
the Ottomans brought to Greece,
and we've made it better.
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I think we make it better than the Turks.
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00:09:38,480 --> 00:09:39,560
- Yes. (chuckles)
220
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- But they are the original
people that made it.
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We thank them for that.
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Thank you very much all of Turkey.
223
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- [Giannis] We put the sugar.
224
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- [Peter] Okay.
225
00:09:47,000 --> 00:09:47,880
- About 35 kilos of sugar.
226
00:09:47,880 --> 00:09:49,800
- Okay, I'll give you hand with this too.
227
00:09:49,800 --> 00:09:50,880
- Ah, thank you.
228
00:09:53,760 --> 00:09:54,720
- I'm gonna make this loukoumi.
229
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Can I put this one in?
230
00:09:55,680 --> 00:09:56,480
- Thank you.
231
00:09:56,480 --> 00:09:57,800
- I'm gonna do some work today.
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00:10:06,880 --> 00:10:10,520
We pour in the starch
solution with the water,
233
00:10:10,520 --> 00:10:13,080
and that will basically thicken up
234
00:10:13,080 --> 00:10:16,360
the emulsion of the loukoumi
that's being made right now.
235
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Look at that.
236
00:10:17,200 --> 00:10:18,040
Ooh, look at that.
237
00:10:18,040 --> 00:10:18,840
Looks like milk.
238
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After an hour of mixing,
the colour is added.
239
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In this case, rose, but
it can be other hues
240
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depending on the desired flavour.
241
00:10:26,000 --> 00:10:28,400
The next step is the addition
of the secret solution.
242
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This is where the magic really happens.
243
00:10:31,360 --> 00:10:34,640
So we put the colour in and
the aroma's gonna go in next.
244
00:10:34,640 --> 00:10:36,440
And here it is, here's
the special solution.
245
00:10:36,440 --> 00:10:38,000
We don't want anyone to see this.
246
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You can't watch this.
247
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I'm sorry.
(Giannis chuckles)
248
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You can't watch this because
this is confidential.
249
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You can't even see how
much he put in there.
250
00:10:45,520 --> 00:10:47,800
Almonds are then stirred
through the mixture.
251
00:10:47,800 --> 00:10:50,080
And 20 minutes later,
it's time for the pour.
252
00:10:51,240 --> 00:10:52,600
Look at it just swirling around.
253
00:10:52,600 --> 00:10:53,960
Man, look at that stuff go!
254
00:10:56,600 --> 00:10:58,960
Have you ever seen
anything like that before?
255
00:11:01,320 --> 00:11:04,000
Wow, that looks fantastic.
256
00:11:07,400 --> 00:11:09,160
Man, that's a lotta loukoumi.
257
00:11:19,120 --> 00:11:20,840
You don't understand.
258
00:11:20,840 --> 00:11:21,880
I didn't have breakfast this morning
259
00:11:21,880 --> 00:11:23,560
and my mouth is watering.
260
00:11:23,560 --> 00:11:25,800
I'm salivating at the moment
just looking at this stuff
261
00:11:25,800 --> 00:11:27,040
and I've been dying to try.
262
00:11:27,040 --> 00:11:30,000
We've been here for an hour
and a half making this stuff.
263
00:11:30,000 --> 00:11:31,800
- So from the other side now.
- Okay.
264
00:11:31,800 --> 00:11:33,120
I'll get around you here.
- From the other side.
265
00:11:33,120 --> 00:11:35,240
- [Peter] Beautiful, beautiful.
266
00:11:35,240 --> 00:11:36,040
Look at them.
267
00:11:36,040 --> 00:11:37,200
They look fantastic.
268
00:11:37,200 --> 00:11:39,320
- [Giannis] So it's small cubes, yes.
269
00:11:39,320 --> 00:11:40,480
- Small cubes.
270
00:11:44,880 --> 00:11:46,400
Oh, man.
271
00:11:46,400 --> 00:11:47,440
It's so good.
272
00:11:48,440 --> 00:11:49,920
- So good.
273
00:11:49,920 --> 00:11:51,560
- Have a look at that.
274
00:11:51,560 --> 00:11:52,960
Ah, look at it.
275
00:11:55,480 --> 00:11:56,680
I can't leave you alone.
276
00:11:57,720 --> 00:11:58,600
Beautiful.
277
00:11:58,600 --> 00:11:59,440
I better try another one.
278
00:11:59,440 --> 00:12:00,280
- Another one.
279
00:12:00,280 --> 00:12:01,120
- The producer's over there.
280
00:12:01,120 --> 00:12:02,200
No, not yet.
281
00:12:02,200 --> 00:12:03,200
And the mic.
282
00:12:03,200 --> 00:12:05,040
No, you're not getting any yet, mate.
283
00:12:06,040 --> 00:12:06,880
I'll give some to the cameraman
284
00:12:06,880 --> 00:12:08,040
'cause he carries his camera.
285
00:12:08,040 --> 00:12:09,040
You guys do nothing.
286
00:12:10,880 --> 00:12:11,960
There you go, buddy.
287
00:12:11,960 --> 00:12:13,400
Sorry, mate.
288
00:12:13,400 --> 00:12:14,320
Awesome.
289
00:12:14,320 --> 00:12:15,600
You're gonna have to wait, okay?
290
00:12:15,600 --> 00:12:17,360
(Giannis chuckles)
Okay.
291
00:12:17,360 --> 00:12:20,520
We'll give one to you.
292
00:12:20,520 --> 00:12:23,400
Giannis has been making
loukoumia for over 30 years.
293
00:12:23,400 --> 00:12:25,480
And in that time, he's
clearly mastered it.
294
00:12:25,480 --> 00:12:29,200
For him, this isn't just a
means to generate an income.
295
00:12:29,200 --> 00:12:32,440
Giannis is truly passionate
about what he produces,
296
00:12:32,440 --> 00:12:35,200
and his sweets are famous
not just here in Ermoupoli
297
00:12:35,200 --> 00:12:37,920
and across Syros but
throughout all of Greece.
298
00:12:52,080 --> 00:12:54,160
I'm in the sacred Temple of the Assumption
299
00:12:55,080 --> 00:12:58,720
and the work and detail that's
gone into this church alone
300
00:12:58,720 --> 00:13:02,640
is worth visiting, but I've
come for something else.
301
00:13:02,640 --> 00:13:05,440
This is one of the most
important sites in Ermoupoli
302
00:13:05,440 --> 00:13:06,800
for a couple of reasons.
303
00:13:06,800 --> 00:13:09,560
Firstly, it's the second
oldest church on the island,
304
00:13:09,560 --> 00:13:10,880
built in 1828,
305
00:13:10,880 --> 00:13:14,160
its opulent, to say the
least, with vibrant paintings,
306
00:13:14,160 --> 00:13:16,840
green marble columns
and crystal chandeliers,
307
00:13:16,840 --> 00:13:19,280
but the craftsmanship
and contemporary frescoes
308
00:13:19,280 --> 00:13:22,200
are paled into relative insignificance
309
00:13:22,200 --> 00:13:24,520
by a small work of art
they've got on display
310
00:13:24,520 --> 00:13:26,040
for all to enjoy.
311
00:13:26,040 --> 00:13:26,920
The church is funded
312
00:13:26,920 --> 00:13:30,280
by this absolutely magnificent
piece of art from El Greco,
313
00:13:30,280 --> 00:13:32,440
the famous Renaissance artist.
314
00:13:32,440 --> 00:13:34,920
It was brought here by
the refugees of Psara,
315
00:13:34,920 --> 00:13:36,720
and they actually didn't realise
316
00:13:36,720 --> 00:13:39,800
that it was an El Greco until the 1980s.
317
00:13:39,800 --> 00:13:41,240
Just check it out.
318
00:13:41,240 --> 00:13:43,400
You could look at this all day.
319
00:13:45,200 --> 00:13:48,080
With a name like Domenikos Theotokopoulos,
320
00:13:48,080 --> 00:13:51,280
it's no wonder it was
shortened to El Greco.
321
00:13:51,280 --> 00:13:52,360
He rose to prominence
322
00:13:52,360 --> 00:13:55,040
during the Spanish Renaissance
in the 16th century.
323
00:13:55,040 --> 00:13:58,880
In that time, he was seen
as somewhat of an outlier.
324
00:13:58,880 --> 00:14:01,400
The dramatic expressions, vibrant colours
325
00:14:01,400 --> 00:14:03,000
and disregard of proportion
326
00:14:03,000 --> 00:14:05,320
were different to the style
of his contemporaries,
327
00:14:05,320 --> 00:14:08,560
but it gave his work a certain
grace and distinctiveness
328
00:14:08,560 --> 00:14:11,200
that centuries later
became widely appreciated.
329
00:14:15,440 --> 00:14:17,040
Visiting the Church of the Assumption
330
00:14:17,040 --> 00:14:18,000
was the beginning of me
331
00:14:18,000 --> 00:14:20,720
unravelling the story
of religion on Syros.
332
00:14:20,720 --> 00:14:22,160
Just like everywhere in Greece,
333
00:14:22,160 --> 00:14:24,200
the place has several churches.
334
00:14:24,200 --> 00:14:25,240
The fascinating thing here
335
00:14:25,240 --> 00:14:28,080
is in a country that some consider secular
336
00:14:28,080 --> 00:14:30,040
and heavily influenced by religion,
337
00:14:30,040 --> 00:14:32,640
there are two faiths living side by side.
338
00:14:32,640 --> 00:14:35,440
To find out more, I made
my way to Ano Syros,
339
00:14:35,440 --> 00:14:37,440
a town that's perched
on top of a mountain,
340
00:14:37,440 --> 00:14:38,640
overlooking the bay.
341
00:14:38,640 --> 00:14:41,760
Needless to say, it's a
beautiful part of the island.
342
00:14:45,520 --> 00:14:48,320
(laid back music)
343
00:14:49,520 --> 00:14:52,440
(women vocalising)
344
00:14:56,560 --> 00:15:00,480
(men sing in foreign language)
345
00:15:14,920 --> 00:15:17,360
Looking at the skyline of Ermoupoli,
346
00:15:17,360 --> 00:15:20,200
there are two churches
high above the port.
347
00:15:20,200 --> 00:15:23,200
One is the blue-domed Church
of the Resurrection of Christ
348
00:15:23,200 --> 00:15:25,640
and the other is St. George's Cathedral,
349
00:15:25,640 --> 00:15:29,480
the former being Greek Orthodox
and the latter Catholic.
350
00:15:29,480 --> 00:15:31,480
This is relatively unheard of in Greece.
351
00:15:31,480 --> 00:15:33,680
After all, Orthodoxy is by far
352
00:15:33,680 --> 00:15:35,440
the main dogma in the country.
353
00:15:35,440 --> 00:15:36,480
But Syros has been given the nickname
354
00:15:36,480 --> 00:15:38,920
the island of the Pope for a reason.
355
00:15:38,920 --> 00:15:42,840
(men sing in foreign language)
356
00:15:50,720 --> 00:15:53,280
The walk to the cathedral in Ano Syros
357
00:15:53,280 --> 00:15:54,880
is a bit of a workout,
358
00:15:54,880 --> 00:15:56,840
but what really takes your breath away
359
00:15:56,840 --> 00:15:58,800
is what you discover at the top.
360
00:15:58,800 --> 00:16:00,760
They reward is well worth the effort.
361
00:16:00,760 --> 00:16:03,320
Apart from the grand cathedral,
there's a quaint town
362
00:16:03,320 --> 00:16:06,360
with whitewashed homes
and a peaceful atmosphere.
363
00:16:06,360 --> 00:16:08,880
Completing the picture are stunning views.
364
00:16:08,880 --> 00:16:10,520
But first, a history lesson.
365
00:16:12,760 --> 00:16:15,120
The block of land that I'm standing on
366
00:16:15,120 --> 00:16:18,360
epitomises the history of Syros.
367
00:16:19,400 --> 00:16:24,400
In 1204 AD, the Venetians came to Syros
368
00:16:25,120 --> 00:16:29,240
and they built a church right here.
369
00:16:29,240 --> 00:16:32,360
As a result of a number of disasters,
370
00:16:32,360 --> 00:16:34,280
they've since built four or five churches.
371
00:16:34,280 --> 00:16:37,560
This is the fifth, and
it's a Catholic church,
372
00:16:37,560 --> 00:16:39,040
the Catholic church of St. George,
373
00:16:39,040 --> 00:16:41,040
and you can see St. George up there.
374
00:16:41,040 --> 00:16:43,320
Unlike the Greek Orthodox
church of St. George
375
00:16:43,320 --> 00:16:45,760
where he sits on a horse,
376
00:16:45,760 --> 00:16:49,280
he's standing there with
his sphere into the dragon.
377
00:16:49,280 --> 00:16:51,440
But what's significant is that
378
00:16:51,440 --> 00:16:55,040
the Ottomans held all of
the Aegean except for Syros
379
00:16:55,040 --> 00:16:57,080
because they had an
agreement with the Venetians.
380
00:16:57,080 --> 00:16:58,520
The Venetians withheld it.
381
00:16:58,520 --> 00:17:01,480
Following the revolution of 1821,
382
00:17:01,480 --> 00:17:05,760
refugees from Psara and Chios and Lesbos
383
00:17:05,760 --> 00:17:08,720
and other islands had nowhere to go,
384
00:17:08,720 --> 00:17:12,000
but they came here because they
knew it was a protectorate.
385
00:17:12,960 --> 00:17:16,480
And it's from that point
on these hungry refugees
386
00:17:16,480 --> 00:17:18,640
that wanted to create
a life for themselves
387
00:17:19,480 --> 00:17:22,360
built Syros and the trade in Syros,
388
00:17:22,360 --> 00:17:24,960
and it became a commercial behemoth
389
00:17:24,960 --> 00:17:27,440
of all of the Aegean right here.
390
00:17:28,480 --> 00:17:32,640
(woman sings in foreign language)
391
00:17:40,040 --> 00:17:41,920
Syros is a fantastic example
392
00:17:41,920 --> 00:17:45,560
of how those with very little
in the way of wealth or power
393
00:17:45,560 --> 00:17:48,440
can overcome adversity and
turn their lives around
394
00:17:48,440 --> 00:17:50,560
through passion and hard work.
395
00:17:50,560 --> 00:17:53,600
This was an island made
up largely of refugees.
396
00:17:53,600 --> 00:17:55,240
Yet, in a matter of decades,
397
00:17:55,240 --> 00:17:57,600
it became the economic
lifeblood of the region.
398
00:17:59,160 --> 00:18:02,120
Today, the lane ways of
Ano Syros seem deserted.
399
00:18:02,120 --> 00:18:04,560
It's a peaceful place
with whitewashed homes
400
00:18:04,560 --> 00:18:07,200
adorned with blue doors and windows.
401
00:18:07,200 --> 00:18:09,800
It's the cliched image
for this part of Greece.
402
00:18:09,800 --> 00:18:12,680
You could spend hours lost
in the cobblestone walkways
403
00:18:12,680 --> 00:18:15,840
that snake their way through
the maze of buildings.
404
00:18:15,840 --> 00:18:17,080
It's somewhat of a labyrinth
405
00:18:17,080 --> 00:18:19,920
with countless stairs and narrow paths.
406
00:18:19,920 --> 00:18:23,840
Some lead to beautiful views
while others are dead ends.
407
00:18:23,840 --> 00:18:24,760
One thing's for sure.
408
00:18:24,760 --> 00:18:27,920
A walk up here means
you've earned a big lunch.
409
00:18:31,240 --> 00:18:32,680
We're in the heart of Syros.
410
00:18:32,680 --> 00:18:35,920
I couldn't be any more of
a Syrioti, as they say.
411
00:18:35,920 --> 00:18:38,240
I'm wearing their glasses.
412
00:18:38,240 --> 00:18:41,520
I'm having a loukoumi, which
you know as a Turkish delight.
413
00:18:41,520 --> 00:18:43,240
And loukoumi is what they have in Syros.
414
00:18:43,240 --> 00:18:45,240
This is what they're known for.
415
00:18:46,480 --> 00:18:47,320
Awesome.
416
00:18:48,600 --> 00:18:53,200
And down below me is Ermoupoli,
the capital of Syros.
417
00:18:53,200 --> 00:18:56,800
And in actual fact,
it's the only real city
418
00:18:56,800 --> 00:19:00,200
in the whole of the Cycladic island group.
419
00:19:00,200 --> 00:19:01,760
It's pretty magnificent.
420
00:19:01,760 --> 00:19:03,800
You can see the shipping
in the background,
421
00:19:05,120 --> 00:19:07,040
absolutely awesome.
422
00:19:15,080 --> 00:19:17,640
The cafe culture here is alive and well.
423
00:19:17,640 --> 00:19:20,600
After all, it's a place
where you move slowly,
424
00:19:20,600 --> 00:19:24,120
take in the scenery, and
plan to do very little.
425
00:19:24,120 --> 00:19:26,320
And there's no better
way to do exactly that
426
00:19:26,320 --> 00:19:28,560
than by sitting at a caffenio,
427
00:19:28,560 --> 00:19:31,880
sipping on a coffee and
watching the world go by.
428
00:19:31,880 --> 00:19:35,240
The thing is when in Syros,
there's no need to rush.
429
00:19:35,240 --> 00:19:38,120
You'd probably be the only
person on the island doing so.
430
00:19:38,120 --> 00:19:40,400
If you're late for something, no stress.
431
00:19:40,400 --> 00:19:43,400
Whoever you're meeting
will probably be late too.
432
00:19:43,400 --> 00:19:45,160
One thing you'll quickly discover here
433
00:19:45,160 --> 00:19:47,640
is that it's a carefree lifestyle.
434
00:19:47,640 --> 00:19:49,000
The daylight hours are spent
435
00:19:49,000 --> 00:19:52,120
relaxing on the beach or
strolling around town.
436
00:19:52,120 --> 00:19:54,880
Then as night falls, people start rousing,
437
00:19:54,880 --> 00:19:57,280
emerging from their homes or offices
438
00:19:57,280 --> 00:19:59,000
and heading out for a bite to eat
439
00:19:59,000 --> 00:20:01,200
or to socialise over a drink.
440
00:20:01,200 --> 00:20:02,760
Many of the taverns liven up
441
00:20:02,760 --> 00:20:04,680
with their traditional rebetiko music,
442
00:20:04,680 --> 00:20:06,800
a star that Syros is famous for.
443
00:20:06,800 --> 00:20:09,800
It too has origins tied
in with the refugees.
444
00:20:09,800 --> 00:20:12,280
It came about as a result
of the mix of cultures
445
00:20:12,280 --> 00:20:14,520
from Asia Minor and the
Eastern Mediterranean
446
00:20:14,520 --> 00:20:16,640
that occurred early in the 20th century.
447
00:20:16,640 --> 00:20:17,840
It was the music of the poor
448
00:20:17,840 --> 00:20:20,040
with lyrics of passion and pain.
449
00:20:20,040 --> 00:20:21,960
It galvanised the lower classes
450
00:20:21,960 --> 00:20:24,160
and is the foundation
of modern Greek music.
451
00:20:25,120 --> 00:20:28,280
(group sings in foreign language)
452
00:20:28,280 --> 00:20:31,040
I have to admit, I have a bit
of a love-hate relationship
453
00:20:31,040 --> 00:20:33,680
with the Mediterranean way of life.
454
00:20:33,680 --> 00:20:36,480
I'm all for chilling out
and minimising stress,
455
00:20:36,480 --> 00:20:37,760
but that's after I've spent the day
456
00:20:37,760 --> 00:20:39,680
exploring and seeking adventure.
457
00:20:39,680 --> 00:20:41,320
The crew on my boat will tell you
458
00:20:41,320 --> 00:20:43,280
that I don't make the grade
when it comes to sitting around
459
00:20:43,280 --> 00:20:45,240
on a lounge in the middle of the day.
460
00:20:45,240 --> 00:20:47,880
I also don't mind an evening
out with a bit of live music.
461
00:20:47,880 --> 00:20:49,960
However, it's a once a week thing.
462
00:20:49,960 --> 00:20:52,400
And my idea of a night on
the town finishes early,
463
00:20:52,400 --> 00:20:54,760
and I'm generally in bed by nine p.m.
464
00:20:54,760 --> 00:20:56,960
Yes, that's what I said, nine p.m.
465
00:20:56,960 --> 00:20:59,840
Here, that's when people are
just sitting down for diner.
466
00:20:59,840 --> 00:21:03,000
Who knows, maybe if I lived
in Greece for a few years,
467
00:21:03,000 --> 00:21:04,160
it would rub off on me.
468
00:21:05,320 --> 00:21:07,920
(upbeat music)
469
00:21:11,520 --> 00:21:14,520
(audience applauds)
470
00:21:18,760 --> 00:21:21,600
(laid back music)
471
00:21:23,600 --> 00:21:26,320
(women vocalise)
472
00:21:33,640 --> 00:21:35,720
I'd heard about the
industrial might of Syros
473
00:21:35,720 --> 00:21:36,800
wherever I went.
474
00:21:36,800 --> 00:21:39,120
It's known as the Aegean's powerhouse.
475
00:21:39,120 --> 00:21:40,840
And coming here, there's no escaping
476
00:21:40,840 --> 00:21:42,600
the heavy industry of the island,
477
00:21:42,600 --> 00:21:44,800
so I had to learn a
little bit more about it.
478
00:21:44,800 --> 00:21:47,800
Some say that the industrial
revolution for Greece
479
00:21:47,800 --> 00:21:51,400
started right here in Syros,
and absolutely, it did.
480
00:21:51,400 --> 00:21:54,920
123 factories in 1863,
481
00:21:54,920 --> 00:21:57,680
it started with tanneries
right through to textiles,
482
00:21:57,680 --> 00:22:00,880
and they even made their
own stockings here.
483
00:22:00,880 --> 00:22:04,800
But more importantly, they built
internal combustion engines
484
00:22:04,800 --> 00:22:07,040
for the fishing boats of all of Greece.
485
00:22:07,040 --> 00:22:08,760
They built boats, ships (mumbles).
486
00:22:09,920 --> 00:22:14,160
They even built electric
cars, 200 of them,
487
00:22:14,160 --> 00:22:15,840
80 of them going to Sweden.
488
00:22:15,840 --> 00:22:17,160
Ha, amazing, eh!
489
00:22:20,800 --> 00:22:22,440
Like much of the world,
490
00:22:22,440 --> 00:22:25,360
the industrial revolution
arrived in Greece with a bang.
491
00:22:25,360 --> 00:22:28,440
Suddenly, fishing boats could
travel further and faster.
492
00:22:28,440 --> 00:22:31,360
Farming went from using
animal power to tractors
493
00:22:31,360 --> 00:22:33,640
meaning more land could be utilised.
494
00:22:33,640 --> 00:22:35,440
And many of the jobs that
have been done by hand
495
00:22:35,440 --> 00:22:38,240
for centuries were replaced by machines.
496
00:22:38,240 --> 00:22:41,120
It also led to huge
advancements in shipbuilding.
497
00:22:41,120 --> 00:22:44,240
Bigger, heavier vessels
capable of carrying huge loads
498
00:22:44,240 --> 00:22:45,560
were now in demand,
499
00:22:45,560 --> 00:22:48,080
and someone had to build
them and maintain them.
500
00:22:48,080 --> 00:22:49,880
That's where Syros came to the fore.
501
00:22:54,120 --> 00:22:56,120
For decades, Syros has housed
502
00:22:56,120 --> 00:22:58,800
the largest ship maintenance
yard in all of Greece.
503
00:22:58,800 --> 00:23:01,040
The global financial
crisis shut the yard down
504
00:23:01,040 --> 00:23:04,640
for over a year as the owner
was in financial strife.
505
00:23:04,640 --> 00:23:06,760
But what's important is the senior staff
506
00:23:06,760 --> 00:23:10,000
and the union delegate hung
around and tried all avenues
507
00:23:10,000 --> 00:23:13,400
to reinvigorate and
possibly find a new owner.
508
00:23:13,400 --> 00:23:15,600
They were caretakers and proud Syriots
509
00:23:15,600 --> 00:23:17,560
that didn't want to see
their pride and hard work
510
00:23:17,560 --> 00:23:19,160
go down the drain.
511
00:23:19,160 --> 00:23:21,560
Their persistence paid off
when a local industrialist
512
00:23:21,560 --> 00:23:24,360
purchased the yard and
brought it back to life.
513
00:23:24,360 --> 00:23:26,040
To show us around was
one of the key players
514
00:23:26,040 --> 00:23:28,520
in this turnaround, Antonis Chatzantonis,
515
00:23:28,520 --> 00:23:32,040
crane diver and president of
the shipyards labour union.
516
00:23:32,040 --> 00:23:33,400
- [Antonis] This is the main shop.
517
00:23:33,400 --> 00:23:35,040
- The main machine shop.
- The main machine shop.
518
00:23:35,040 --> 00:23:35,880
- Right.
519
00:23:35,880 --> 00:23:36,720
What's this thing?
520
00:23:36,720 --> 00:23:37,920
It's huge.
521
00:23:37,920 --> 00:23:38,760
What is it?
522
00:23:38,760 --> 00:23:42,320
- This is a shaft from
the propeller of the ship
523
00:23:42,320 --> 00:23:45,840
that hit a rock, and we
came here to repair it.
524
00:23:45,840 --> 00:23:47,600
- Right, so it's a drive shaft.
525
00:23:47,600 --> 00:23:48,560
The propeller goes on there.
- That's right.
526
00:23:48,560 --> 00:23:49,400
- That's massive.
527
00:23:50,480 --> 00:23:52,280
The propeller shaft is on a lathe,
528
00:23:52,280 --> 00:23:55,040
the largest lathe in all of Greece.
529
00:23:55,040 --> 00:23:56,840
The shaft comes from an Egyptian freighter
530
00:23:56,840 --> 00:23:59,440
that hit a rock and came in for repairs.
531
00:23:59,440 --> 00:24:01,080
It'll be back in the water in two weeks
532
00:24:01,080 --> 00:24:03,000
which considering the
size of everything to do
533
00:24:03,000 --> 00:24:05,600
with these ships, it's quite incredible.
534
00:24:05,600 --> 00:24:07,040
What's even more remarkable
535
00:24:07,040 --> 00:24:09,320
was seeing all these experienced tradesmen
536
00:24:09,320 --> 00:24:11,760
working in the machine shop so diligently
537
00:24:11,760 --> 00:24:13,280
and alongside the management.
538
00:24:13,280 --> 00:24:14,960
What's important to the local economy
539
00:24:14,960 --> 00:24:16,320
was that these skills weren't lost
540
00:24:16,320 --> 00:24:18,880
as a result of the
global financial crisis.
541
00:24:18,880 --> 00:24:21,160
It was a disaster that
really had nothing to do
542
00:24:21,160 --> 00:24:23,080
with these workers and this business.
543
00:24:23,080 --> 00:24:25,360
This disease we refer to as the GFC
544
00:24:25,360 --> 00:24:27,600
could have wiped out an
industry here forever.
545
00:24:27,600 --> 00:24:30,200
I can only imagine how much
industry and unique skills
546
00:24:30,200 --> 00:24:32,800
have been lost in not only
Greece but throughout the world
547
00:24:32,800 --> 00:24:34,720
as a result of those trying times.
548
00:24:43,320 --> 00:24:44,160
Now, I'm gonna tell you.
549
00:24:44,160 --> 00:24:45,040
I'm a little bit scared
because it's been a while
550
00:24:45,040 --> 00:24:46,280
since I've been up in a crane box.
551
00:24:46,280 --> 00:24:48,160
Now many people go up in crane boxes,
552
00:24:48,160 --> 00:24:51,280
but I was up in crane
boxes when I was in my 20s.
553
00:24:51,280 --> 00:24:53,280
Now in my 50s, I'm shaking a bit, right?
554
00:24:54,480 --> 00:24:58,880
Tell me, Antonis, behind
me, as we turn around here,
555
00:24:58,880 --> 00:25:01,400
I see three floating docks.
556
00:25:01,400 --> 00:25:02,600
This is the biggest one, isn't it?
557
00:25:02,600 --> 00:25:03,680
- This is the biggest one.
558
00:25:03,680 --> 00:25:06,720
It's our number one, as
we say, in the shipyard.
559
00:25:06,720 --> 00:25:09,080
It's the largest floating dock in Greece.
560
00:25:09,080 --> 00:25:09,920
- [Peter] In Greece?
561
00:25:09,920 --> 00:25:12,680
- [Antonis] Yes, it can
lift about 25,000-ton ships.
562
00:25:12,680 --> 00:25:14,080
- 25,000 tonnes.
563
00:25:14,080 --> 00:25:15,680
Now it's not working at the moment.
564
00:25:15,680 --> 00:25:16,520
You're repairing it, aren't you?
565
00:25:16,520 --> 00:25:18,640
- Yes, it needs repair.
566
00:25:18,640 --> 00:25:20,640
This is number two.
567
00:25:20,640 --> 00:25:21,440
They're loading it.
568
00:25:21,440 --> 00:25:23,160
It's about 15,000 tonnes.
569
00:25:23,160 --> 00:25:24,000
- Right.
570
00:25:24,000 --> 00:25:27,320
- And the small one, that is about 2,500.
571
00:25:27,320 --> 00:25:29,160
- [Peter] The shipyard
was closed for how long?
572
00:25:29,160 --> 00:25:30,200
- [Antonis] For one year.
573
00:25:30,200 --> 00:25:31,040
- [Peter] For one year.
574
00:25:31,040 --> 00:25:31,840
And you were here.
575
00:25:31,840 --> 00:25:32,680
Were you being paid?
576
00:25:32,680 --> 00:25:33,520
- No, no, no.
577
00:25:33,520 --> 00:25:34,520
- Mate, that's fantastic.
578
00:25:34,520 --> 00:25:37,600
I mean, you stuck it out to make sure
579
00:25:37,600 --> 00:25:40,280
through the Greek crisis to see
if you could get it working,
580
00:25:40,280 --> 00:25:41,600
which is awesome, Antonis.
581
00:25:41,600 --> 00:25:44,320
And now, the new Greek
owners have taken over.
582
00:25:44,320 --> 00:25:45,840
That's being repaired, isn't it?
583
00:25:45,840 --> 00:25:46,680
- Yes.
584
00:25:46,680 --> 00:25:49,000
- And already, how many
people are working here now?
585
00:25:49,000 --> 00:25:50,960
- About 320 people.
586
00:25:50,960 --> 00:25:53,200
- And you're bringing
in another loading dock,
587
00:25:53,200 --> 00:25:54,360
another floating dock.
588
00:25:54,360 --> 00:25:56,680
- Yes, in a few months,
another floating dock
589
00:25:56,680 --> 00:25:58,800
bigger than the two of them.
590
00:25:58,800 --> 00:26:00,640
- So that means how many workers
591
00:26:00,640 --> 00:26:02,120
will you have here in a year's time?
592
00:26:02,120 --> 00:26:03,640
- About 1,000.
593
00:26:03,640 --> 00:26:07,320
The limit, the goal for us is 1,200.
594
00:26:07,320 --> 00:26:09,680
- And so this will be, without a doubt,
595
00:26:09,680 --> 00:26:12,720
the biggest ship maintenance
facility in all of Greece.
596
00:26:12,720 --> 00:26:14,000
- That's right.
597
00:26:14,000 --> 00:26:15,600
- It's a good thing.
598
00:26:15,600 --> 00:26:17,440
Greece is coming out of the crisis now,
599
00:26:17,440 --> 00:26:19,600
and I see all these guys working here.
600
00:26:19,600 --> 00:26:22,120
I see happy faces too,
which is impressive.
601
00:26:22,120 --> 00:26:24,040
I noticed that you were
talking to the management guy
602
00:26:24,040 --> 00:26:25,440
like there was, you've been together,
603
00:26:25,440 --> 00:26:26,880
you've known each other for a while.
604
00:26:26,880 --> 00:26:27,680
- For many years.
605
00:26:27,680 --> 00:26:28,880
- And the relationship is good.
606
00:26:28,880 --> 00:26:29,720
- Yes, very good.
607
00:26:29,720 --> 00:26:31,480
- Many people think it's
otherwise, but I see,
608
00:26:31,480 --> 00:26:33,600
I walk around here and I see hard workers
609
00:26:33,600 --> 00:26:34,680
working next to management.
610
00:26:34,680 --> 00:26:35,960
It's fantastic.
611
00:26:35,960 --> 00:26:37,320
And I see that you're efficient.
612
00:26:37,320 --> 00:26:40,360
How many ships in the last
month have you been working on?
613
00:26:40,360 --> 00:26:42,600
In the last five months, about 30 ships.
614
00:26:42,600 --> 00:26:43,640
- [Peter] 30 ships in and out.
615
00:26:43,640 --> 00:26:44,560
- [Antonis] In and out, yes.
616
00:26:44,560 --> 00:26:48,560
And we are expecting about
10 in the next 35 days.
617
00:26:48,560 --> 00:26:49,520
- [Peter] You should be proud.
618
00:26:49,520 --> 00:26:50,360
It's very good.
619
00:26:50,360 --> 00:26:51,280
This is fantastic, yes.
620
00:26:51,280 --> 00:26:52,120
- [Antonis] We are very much.
621
00:26:52,120 --> 00:26:54,240
- [Peter] I mean, it goes back to Greece's
622
00:26:54,240 --> 00:26:57,400
ship maintenance and building
history, doesn't it, you know.
623
00:26:57,400 --> 00:26:58,200
- [Antonis] Yes.
624
00:26:58,200 --> 00:27:00,120
- [Peter] I noticed there
was an Egyptian ship here.
625
00:27:00,120 --> 00:27:01,600
Where was that?
626
00:27:01,600 --> 00:27:03,960
- It had an accident outside of Egypt.
627
00:27:03,960 --> 00:27:04,760
- Yes.
628
00:27:04,760 --> 00:27:05,600
- In the Mediterranean.
- Yeah.
629
00:27:05,600 --> 00:27:07,120
- And with that boat,
they brought it here.
630
00:27:07,120 --> 00:27:08,040
- They brought it here from Egypt.
631
00:27:08,040 --> 00:27:09,040
- Yes.
632
00:27:09,040 --> 00:27:10,760
- So you're already
getting a reputation again
633
00:27:10,760 --> 00:27:12,760
for being a very good shipbuilding,
634
00:27:12,760 --> 00:27:13,960
ship maintenance facility.
635
00:27:13,960 --> 00:27:18,200
- Everybody knows that we
have the best workers here.
636
00:27:18,200 --> 00:27:20,160
That's why they bring their ships here.
637
00:27:20,160 --> 00:27:21,520
- Greeks.
- There's a lot of history.
638
00:27:21,520 --> 00:27:23,320
- Is there anything we're
not good at, Greeks?
639
00:27:23,320 --> 00:27:25,200
(Antonis and Peter laugh)
640
00:27:25,200 --> 00:27:27,600
(soft music)
641
00:27:55,160 --> 00:27:58,200
(Peter speaks in foreign language)
642
00:27:58,200 --> 00:28:03,200
- [Antonis] We're gonna replace
about five to 600 tonnes of--
643
00:28:04,760 --> 00:28:06,320
- [Peter] Of the steel platform.
644
00:28:06,320 --> 00:28:07,600
- [Antonis] Yes.
645
00:28:07,600 --> 00:28:09,680
- This is massive, huge.
646
00:28:13,040 --> 00:28:15,520
Syros might be an industrial powerhouse,
647
00:28:15,520 --> 00:28:18,600
but it has a population
of only 21,000 people.
648
00:28:18,600 --> 00:28:21,120
I think it's because it has
such a tight-knit community
649
00:28:21,120 --> 00:28:22,720
that they were able to
get through a crisis
650
00:28:22,720 --> 00:28:24,520
that others faltered in.
651
00:28:24,520 --> 00:28:27,040
Currently, there's 320
jobs here at the yards.
652
00:28:27,040 --> 00:28:28,640
However, with expansion plans,
653
00:28:28,640 --> 00:28:30,520
there's another 1,000-odd to come.
654
00:28:30,520 --> 00:28:33,040
But more importantly,
this business is a core
655
00:28:33,040 --> 00:28:35,320
from which other companies
and jobs are spawn.
656
00:28:37,720 --> 00:28:39,480
For every job at the shipyard,
657
00:28:39,480 --> 00:28:41,600
there's probably another few in town.
658
00:28:41,600 --> 00:28:43,520
This has rebuilt the island's economy
659
00:28:43,520 --> 00:28:46,320
which had been stuck in
a slump for many years.
660
00:28:46,320 --> 00:28:49,600
I can honestly say that if
these young and old Syriots
661
00:28:49,600 --> 00:28:52,280
hadn't banded together to
work through their problems,
662
00:28:52,280 --> 00:28:54,080
Syros probably wouldn't be as vibrant
663
00:28:54,080 --> 00:28:56,400
and commercially
progressive as it is today.
664
00:28:56,400 --> 00:28:58,040
It's a lesson for how common people
665
00:28:58,040 --> 00:29:00,000
from the community can get together
666
00:29:00,000 --> 00:29:02,720
and make significant
changes to local commerce.
667
00:29:10,480 --> 00:29:13,320
(laid back music)
668
00:29:15,360 --> 00:29:18,280
(women vocalising)
669
00:29:22,720 --> 00:29:24,440
I've visited Syros before,
670
00:29:24,440 --> 00:29:27,800
and on this occasion, I really
enjoyed seeing new things.
671
00:29:27,800 --> 00:29:30,160
Last time, the industry was
just a curious backdrop,
672
00:29:30,160 --> 00:29:32,400
but now it means a lot more to me.
673
00:29:32,400 --> 00:29:35,000
However, this journey isn't all about me.
674
00:29:35,000 --> 00:29:37,760
We can't visit an island
without pleasing my wife, Helen,
675
00:29:37,760 --> 00:29:40,080
and it had been a long time between swims.
676
00:29:40,080 --> 00:29:42,080
So I asked captain to pull out the map
677
00:29:42,080 --> 00:29:43,920
and save a marriage again.
678
00:29:44,840 --> 00:29:48,440
When we first looked at
Syros as part of our journey,
679
00:29:48,440 --> 00:29:49,800
we didn't think about the beaches
680
00:29:49,800 --> 00:29:51,080
'cause it's not known for its beaches.
681
00:29:51,080 --> 00:29:54,200
It's known for its commerce, its history
682
00:29:54,200 --> 00:29:56,200
and being the capital of the Cycladic.
683
00:29:57,120 --> 00:29:59,280
But Captain Yianni who has
been travelling the Aegean
684
00:29:59,280 --> 00:30:02,040
for 20 years said to me, "Pete,
there's plenty of beaches."
685
00:30:02,040 --> 00:30:03,880
How many beaches are here, Yianni?
686
00:30:03,880 --> 00:30:06,040
- About 10 under the island.
687
00:30:06,040 --> 00:30:08,400
- Under the island, from the
south coast going forward
688
00:30:08,400 --> 00:30:09,720
up to the north coast.
689
00:30:09,720 --> 00:30:10,560
And we're going to,
690
00:30:10,560 --> 00:30:11,440
which beach is this?
691
00:30:11,440 --> 00:30:12,680
- This, they call it Vari.
692
00:30:12,680 --> 00:30:13,480
- Vari.
693
00:30:13,480 --> 00:30:15,960
So this is one of the first
beaches as you leave Ermoupoli.
694
00:30:15,960 --> 00:30:18,880
It looks like it's hidden from everywhere.
695
00:30:18,880 --> 00:30:20,520
You gotta go into a bay.
696
00:30:20,520 --> 00:30:21,360
Is that right?
697
00:30:21,360 --> 00:30:22,200
- Yeah, correct.
698
00:30:22,200 --> 00:30:24,160
- So we're just coming into it right now.
699
00:30:24,160 --> 00:30:26,000
And you can see a bit of a
settlement over there as well.
700
00:30:26,000 --> 00:30:30,400
So it appears like it's a coastal retreat.
701
00:30:30,400 --> 00:30:32,240
Let's go and have a close look at it.
702
00:30:36,720 --> 00:30:38,120
- Our port side now at the moment,
703
00:30:38,120 --> 00:30:42,160
there is one very nice taverna
that when you're eating,
704
00:30:42,160 --> 00:30:44,400
your feet is inside the water.
705
00:30:44,400 --> 00:30:45,240
- Wow.
706
00:30:48,680 --> 00:30:50,680
See those people in the water
in the beach over there?
707
00:30:50,680 --> 00:30:52,360
I guarantee you they're all Greek
708
00:30:52,360 --> 00:30:54,600
'cause nobody knows about this beach.
709
00:31:07,680 --> 00:31:12,320
Hidden beaches, lost alcoves
and little known towns,
710
00:31:12,320 --> 00:31:14,880
this is what a Greek island
holiday is all about.
711
00:31:15,920 --> 00:31:17,880
This is where local knowledge
can make the difference
712
00:31:17,880 --> 00:31:22,240
between an ordinary experience
and something really special.
713
00:31:22,240 --> 00:31:24,400
We could have easily just cruised on by,
714
00:31:24,400 --> 00:31:26,480
totally unaware of the fantastic coastline
715
00:31:26,480 --> 00:31:28,480
that was begging to be explored.
716
00:31:28,480 --> 00:31:31,320
Man, I've got the best
captain in the Mediterranean.
717
00:31:32,320 --> 00:31:33,760
- There are many beaches.
718
00:31:33,760 --> 00:31:35,040
Komito is inside there.
719
00:31:35,040 --> 00:31:37,080
Kutelo is this one.
720
00:31:37,080 --> 00:31:39,680
Possidonia is this one,
and Finikas is that one.
721
00:31:39,680 --> 00:31:42,200
Now this one, very nice villas.
722
00:31:42,200 --> 00:31:43,240
- Right, okay.
723
00:31:43,240 --> 00:31:44,200
Well, let's head into Finikas.
724
00:31:44,200 --> 00:31:45,840
I mean, we can't see all the beaches.
725
00:31:45,840 --> 00:31:48,600
The problem we've got is
there's a weather front
726
00:31:48,600 --> 00:31:51,440
coming through tonight, and
we need to move to Kythnos.
727
00:31:51,440 --> 00:31:53,440
So we're gonna head
straight up to Grammata
728
00:31:53,440 --> 00:31:55,200
where there's something special to see,
729
00:31:55,200 --> 00:31:56,880
and we're just gonna
have a quick look here
730
00:31:56,880 --> 00:31:58,280
and at the next beach.
731
00:31:58,280 --> 00:31:59,240
But you know, you could see
732
00:31:59,240 --> 00:32:02,560
there's 10, 15 beaches along here.
733
00:32:02,560 --> 00:32:04,760
It reminds me of what the Mykonoses
734
00:32:04,760 --> 00:32:06,240
and the Paroses of the world
735
00:32:06,240 --> 00:32:08,840
would have been like 30 or 40 years ago.
736
00:32:08,840 --> 00:32:10,200
And it's reasonably priced.
737
00:32:10,200 --> 00:32:11,280
You don't need a boat
like this to come here.
738
00:32:11,280 --> 00:32:12,600
Put it that way, you know.
739
00:32:14,280 --> 00:32:16,160
Let's go and have a closer look, captain.
740
00:32:23,360 --> 00:32:26,040
Yianni, I really like this part of Syros.
741
00:32:26,040 --> 00:32:27,760
The road is so close to the beaches.
742
00:32:27,760 --> 00:32:31,200
I think you can come here by
big boat or by sailing boat
743
00:32:31,200 --> 00:32:34,240
as you see behind me, but you
could also go and hire a car
744
00:32:34,240 --> 00:32:38,480
in Ermoupolis south and
drive along the south,
745
00:32:38,480 --> 00:32:41,680
along the west coast, all the way north
746
00:32:41,680 --> 00:32:44,280
and just stop at these
villages all the way along,
747
00:32:44,280 --> 00:32:46,000
and stay at a hotel for the night
748
00:32:46,000 --> 00:32:48,000
and then move on and see all the beaches.
749
00:32:48,000 --> 00:32:49,360
It's pretty impressive.
750
00:32:49,360 --> 00:32:52,040
And this area, this part of
it is obviously protected
751
00:32:52,040 --> 00:32:54,040
from the meltemia, the northerly winds.
752
00:32:54,040 --> 00:32:54,840
- Yes, it is.
753
00:32:54,840 --> 00:32:57,520
- All the way up, the way
that Syros is slanted.
754
00:32:57,520 --> 00:33:00,640
So it's pretty much made for beaches.
755
00:33:00,640 --> 00:33:02,400
So we're gonna head up to Galissas now
756
00:33:02,400 --> 00:33:05,440
and have a look at a
nice church in a cave,
757
00:33:05,440 --> 00:33:07,600
have some lunch and relax a bit.
758
00:33:22,680 --> 00:33:23,800
Well, I've done my job.
759
00:33:23,800 --> 00:33:25,160
I scout the beaches,
760
00:33:25,160 --> 00:33:27,560
and now Helen was off
for her two-hour swim.
761
00:33:27,560 --> 00:33:29,800
That gave me a chance
to investigate a story
762
00:33:29,800 --> 00:33:31,200
I'd read about earlier.
763
00:33:31,200 --> 00:33:34,720
Now, Greece is known for
its theology and myths.
764
00:33:34,720 --> 00:33:38,320
And I shouldn't say this, but
the two often come together.
765
00:33:38,320 --> 00:33:41,080
And here, there's a local
legend that I had to chase.
766
00:33:41,080 --> 00:33:43,320
It reminded me of the
famous Jules Verne classic,
767
00:33:43,320 --> 00:33:44,960
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.
768
00:33:48,520 --> 00:33:50,160
So we've come out,
what, about five minutes
769
00:33:50,160 --> 00:33:52,040
from Galissas beach, about five minutes.
770
00:33:52,040 --> 00:33:52,880
- [Boat Driver] Yup.
771
00:33:52,880 --> 00:33:55,040
- And just around the corner here,
772
00:33:55,040 --> 00:33:57,560
a fisherman got thrown off his boat
773
00:33:58,800 --> 00:34:00,840
and was attacked by an octopus, mate,
774
00:34:00,840 --> 00:34:02,680
a giant octopus, buddy.
775
00:34:02,680 --> 00:34:04,280
Yeah, it's a giant octopus.
776
00:34:04,280 --> 00:34:07,240
Now, as it had the tentacles around him,
777
00:34:07,240 --> 00:34:10,400
he prayed to Saint Stefanos, Saint Steven.
778
00:34:10,400 --> 00:34:11,320
He was saved, mate.
779
00:34:11,320 --> 00:34:12,800
He got out of the tentacles,
780
00:34:12,800 --> 00:34:15,800
and as a result, he built this church,
781
00:34:15,800 --> 00:34:16,840
this church in this cave.
782
00:34:16,840 --> 00:34:18,080
It's got no ceiling.
783
00:34:18,080 --> 00:34:19,280
It's got no floor.
784
00:34:20,320 --> 00:34:23,720
That prayer saved his life, mate.
785
00:34:23,720 --> 00:34:25,400
Now, I don't know if it's
an urban myth or not,
786
00:34:25,400 --> 00:34:26,960
but it looks pretty cool.
787
00:34:32,280 --> 00:34:35,240
I'll go and have a look
and say a quick prayer.
788
00:34:35,240 --> 00:34:36,160
- [Boat Driver] Say one for me.
789
00:34:36,160 --> 00:34:38,080
- [Peter] I'll say one for you, buddy.
790
00:34:38,080 --> 00:34:40,000
Ooh, yeah, awesome.
791
00:34:40,000 --> 00:34:40,840
Thanks, buddy.
792
00:34:40,840 --> 00:34:41,880
- [Boat Driver] No worries.
793
00:34:53,800 --> 00:34:54,640
- Amazing.
794
00:35:11,480 --> 00:35:13,920
(bell rings)
795
00:35:17,640 --> 00:35:18,480
wow.
796
00:35:19,320 --> 00:35:21,000
So a nice little balcony here.
797
00:35:23,120 --> 00:35:24,760
Someone's been having a barbecue.
798
00:35:26,160 --> 00:35:28,440
But have a look at it, will you?
799
00:35:30,000 --> 00:35:35,000
Who in their right mind
would build a church here?
800
00:35:37,080 --> 00:35:38,520
Well, if I was a fisherman
801
00:35:39,480 --> 00:35:41,720
in the tentacles of a giant octopus
802
00:35:41,720 --> 00:35:45,960
and I prayed to Saint Stefanos
to save me and I was saved,
803
00:35:45,960 --> 00:35:48,520
I'd probably build a church as well.
804
00:35:48,520 --> 00:35:51,560
Well, mister fisherman, rest in peace.
805
00:35:51,560 --> 00:35:53,720
This is an awesome view.
806
00:35:53,720 --> 00:35:54,760
It's an awesome spot.
807
00:36:02,200 --> 00:36:03,040
I think this fisherman
808
00:36:03,040 --> 00:36:04,520
wasn't the tallest bloke in the world.
809
00:36:10,320 --> 00:36:11,960
How this so-called fisherman,
810
00:36:11,960 --> 00:36:14,560
who most probably worked
six to seven days a week
811
00:36:14,560 --> 00:36:18,080
to keep his family fed, found
the time to build this church,
812
00:36:18,080 --> 00:36:20,040
now, that's commitment to your beliefs.
813
00:36:20,040 --> 00:36:21,520
Would you see that happening today?
814
00:36:21,520 --> 00:36:22,560
Nah.
815
00:36:22,560 --> 00:36:23,400
People would prefer
816
00:36:23,400 --> 00:36:26,040
just to put a few coins
in the collection bag.
817
00:36:26,040 --> 00:36:27,880
Regardless of the truth to the legend,
818
00:36:27,880 --> 00:36:30,240
this tiny church hidden in a cave
819
00:36:30,240 --> 00:36:33,320
is a testament to the faith
of the people that built it.
820
00:36:33,320 --> 00:36:34,840
That said, I can't imagine
821
00:36:34,840 --> 00:36:37,000
they get too many people
at the Sunday service.
822
00:36:37,000 --> 00:36:38,680
It's not the easiest to get to.
823
00:36:44,120 --> 00:36:46,640
(Peter sighs)
824
00:36:50,680 --> 00:36:53,080
(bell rings)
825
00:36:56,120 --> 00:36:58,840
These little side trips are
often the most rewarding.
826
00:36:58,840 --> 00:37:01,120
You see places few get to explore,
827
00:37:01,120 --> 00:37:03,600
away from the major
sites where crowds gather
828
00:37:03,600 --> 00:37:06,600
to simply tick a box
and post a photo online.
829
00:37:06,600 --> 00:37:08,840
I'm all for checking
out the major landmarks,
830
00:37:08,840 --> 00:37:10,560
but it's the small and quirky things
831
00:37:10,560 --> 00:37:12,560
that I remember most fondly.
832
00:37:12,560 --> 00:37:15,640
For now, it was time to
head back to Mia Zoi.
833
00:37:15,640 --> 00:37:17,360
No doubt, Helen would
have finished her swim,
834
00:37:17,360 --> 00:37:20,120
and I have a feeling lunch is on its way.
835
00:37:20,120 --> 00:37:22,680
The last thing I want is
a hungry crew on my hands,
836
00:37:22,680 --> 00:37:24,240
plus we had another special spot
837
00:37:24,240 --> 00:37:26,320
I wanted to show you before leaving Syros.
838
00:37:35,160 --> 00:37:38,000
(laid back music)
839
00:37:39,920 --> 00:37:42,840
(women vocalising)
840
00:37:47,360 --> 00:37:49,360
Travelling along the south coast of Syros,
841
00:37:49,360 --> 00:37:51,400
we've seen beaches I never knew existed.
842
00:37:51,400 --> 00:37:53,240
And normally, most stretches of sand
843
00:37:53,240 --> 00:37:55,000
are pretty much one dimensional.
844
00:37:55,000 --> 00:37:57,280
You go there for a swim and to relax.
845
00:37:57,280 --> 00:37:58,720
But our last group of beaches
846
00:37:58,720 --> 00:38:00,760
are amongst a trilogy of bays
847
00:38:00,760 --> 00:38:03,200
that have a lot more
to them than just that.
848
00:38:03,200 --> 00:38:06,000
These protected coves have
fascinating stories to tell
849
00:38:06,000 --> 00:38:08,120
gathered over many years.
850
00:38:08,120 --> 00:38:10,760
The bays of Grammata on
the northwestern peninsula
851
00:38:10,760 --> 00:38:13,440
have been a sailors'
safe haven for centuries.
852
00:38:13,440 --> 00:38:15,800
The name itself in English means writing.
853
00:38:15,800 --> 00:38:16,640
It's earned this title
854
00:38:16,640 --> 00:38:18,840
because during long periods
of inclement weather,
855
00:38:18,840 --> 00:38:20,080
sailors would come ashore
856
00:38:20,080 --> 00:38:22,520
and carve inscriptions in the rock faces.
857
00:38:22,520 --> 00:38:24,680
It became common practise from antiquity
858
00:38:24,680 --> 00:38:26,760
all the way to the present day.
859
00:38:26,760 --> 00:38:28,800
Yianni, I can see one here from 1859.
860
00:38:28,800 --> 00:38:29,680
- [Yianni] Oh, yeah.
861
00:38:29,680 --> 00:38:32,280
- From the 19th century, 1859.
862
00:38:33,240 --> 00:38:34,200
- [Yianni] Yeah, yeah.
863
00:38:34,200 --> 00:38:38,520
- Look at that, 1859, 1874.
864
00:38:38,520 --> 00:38:39,560
- [Yianni] Yeah.
865
00:38:39,560 --> 00:38:41,040
- So this is modern history.
866
00:38:41,920 --> 00:38:44,680
I had a little read about it too, Yianni,
867
00:38:44,680 --> 00:38:49,080
and there's stuff that's
here from ancient times
868
00:38:49,080 --> 00:38:51,000
that's been taken up by the museums.
869
00:38:51,000 --> 00:38:51,840
Is that right?
870
00:38:51,840 --> 00:38:52,640
- Yeah, yeah, yeah.
871
00:38:52,640 --> 00:38:54,720
- [Peter] But look at that, 1859.
872
00:38:54,720 --> 00:38:55,680
What does that say, Yianni?
873
00:38:55,680 --> 00:38:56,680
What does that say?
874
00:38:56,680 --> 00:38:58,000
- [Peter And Yianni] Georgos, Georgos.
875
00:38:58,000 --> 00:38:58,840
- George.
876
00:38:59,880 --> 00:39:01,080
There's more up there up on the--
877
00:39:01,080 --> 00:39:02,120
- Yeah, there's more.
878
00:39:02,120 --> 00:39:02,960
- There's stuff here.
879
00:39:02,960 --> 00:39:04,720
There's stuff everywhere, mate.
880
00:39:04,720 --> 00:39:05,560
Amazing.
881
00:39:08,400 --> 00:39:09,360
There's more.
882
00:39:11,480 --> 00:39:13,520
I could see an archaeological
sign over there
883
00:39:13,520 --> 00:39:15,800
that says don't touch. (chuckles)
884
00:39:15,800 --> 00:39:17,440
There's stuff here from recently.
885
00:39:17,440 --> 00:39:20,640
I can see stuff here from the
1950s and the 1960s as well.
886
00:39:20,640 --> 00:39:22,560
My suggestion is that if you come up here
887
00:39:22,560 --> 00:39:25,600
and you wanna emboss the
rock, do it somewhere else.
888
00:39:25,600 --> 00:39:26,560
Don't do it around here
889
00:39:26,560 --> 00:39:30,520
because we need to protect
our history, you know.
890
00:39:30,520 --> 00:39:31,640
Let's get going, Yianni.
891
00:39:31,640 --> 00:39:32,960
- [Yianni] Yeah.
892
00:39:37,840 --> 00:39:39,480
- The more you look at the rock faces,
893
00:39:39,480 --> 00:39:41,880
the more the graffiti becomes apparent.
894
00:39:41,880 --> 00:39:44,480
The sailors that have etched
their name onto these stones
895
00:39:44,480 --> 00:39:47,280
have achieved a certain
amount of immortality.
896
00:39:47,280 --> 00:39:48,600
It'll take thousands of years
897
00:39:48,600 --> 00:39:51,000
for erosion to completely
remove their marks.
898
00:39:51,000 --> 00:39:54,400
And no doubt, in that time,
others will add their carvings.
899
00:39:54,400 --> 00:39:56,000
It's an ever evolving palette
900
00:39:56,000 --> 00:39:58,040
that tells the story of those that visit.
901
00:40:04,520 --> 00:40:06,000
Here's one.
902
00:40:06,000 --> 00:40:06,920
1908.
903
00:40:08,120 --> 00:40:08,960
What does that say?
904
00:40:08,960 --> 00:40:10,040
An--
905
00:40:10,040 --> 00:40:10,880
- Andreas.
906
00:40:10,880 --> 00:40:13,200
- Andreas, 1908, eh.
907
00:40:14,880 --> 00:40:16,120
And what's that say?
908
00:40:16,120 --> 00:40:16,960
Arcapo.
909
00:40:16,960 --> 00:40:18,280
- Arcapo.
910
00:40:18,280 --> 00:40:19,120
- Yeah.
911
00:40:20,200 --> 00:40:21,880
Well, interesting visit,
912
00:40:21,880 --> 00:40:24,560
and the good thing is you
can have a swim afterwards.
913
00:40:25,680 --> 00:40:28,560
So there's a couple of sailing boats here.
914
00:40:28,560 --> 00:40:32,880
And it seems to me that sailors
have been seeking sanctuary
915
00:40:32,880 --> 00:40:36,800
from the weather here for over 2,000 years
916
00:40:36,800 --> 00:40:38,760
and leaving their mark.
917
00:40:38,760 --> 00:40:43,760
So if you wanna have a day
with a read and a swim,
918
00:40:44,520 --> 00:40:47,240
come to the northwest coast of Syros.
919
00:40:47,240 --> 00:40:48,800
Come to Grammata.
920
00:40:48,800 --> 00:40:49,640
Beautiful.
921
00:40:52,600 --> 00:40:53,880
(speaks in foreign language)
922
00:40:53,880 --> 00:40:54,720
(Yianni speaks in foreign language)
923
00:40:54,720 --> 00:40:55,560
Let's go.
924
00:40:56,800 --> 00:40:59,320
Beyond the carvings, it's a beautiful spot
925
00:40:59,320 --> 00:41:01,920
and well worth stopping as
you travel around the island.
926
00:41:01,920 --> 00:41:04,080
Personally, I would avoid the temptation
927
00:41:04,080 --> 00:41:05,480
to add your own mark.
928
00:41:05,480 --> 00:41:08,400
It's a historical site
and should be left as is.
929
00:41:08,400 --> 00:41:11,120
If you do feel the need to
etch your name in history,
930
00:41:11,120 --> 00:41:12,880
at least do it away from the old carvings
931
00:41:12,880 --> 00:41:13,840
and make it subtle.
932
00:41:16,880 --> 00:41:18,240
After circumnavigating on,
933
00:41:18,240 --> 00:41:20,680
we docked in Ermoupoli for one last time.
934
00:41:20,680 --> 00:41:21,840
Ahead was a long cruise,
935
00:41:21,840 --> 00:41:24,640
so we took on provisions,
refuelled, and of course,
936
00:41:24,640 --> 00:41:27,040
I wanted to bid my new friends farewell.
937
00:41:27,040 --> 00:41:29,200
I really enjoyed my time in Syros.
938
00:41:29,200 --> 00:41:32,040
It's a beautiful island
that's full of surprises,
939
00:41:32,040 --> 00:41:33,800
from the heavy industry of the shipyards
940
00:41:33,800 --> 00:41:35,160
and mixing of religions,
941
00:41:35,160 --> 00:41:37,720
to the stunning architecture
and old world charm.
942
00:41:37,720 --> 00:41:40,640
It's a unique destination that
has something for everyone.
943
00:41:41,880 --> 00:41:44,040
I didn't think they'd let
the ugly boats next to mine,
944
00:41:44,040 --> 00:41:46,080
but they have, the little plastic ones.
945
00:41:46,080 --> 00:41:46,960
Mine's aluminium.
946
00:41:46,960 --> 00:41:48,280
I've got an awesome boat.
947
00:41:48,280 --> 00:41:51,960
These things, they're like runabouts.
948
00:41:51,960 --> 00:41:53,400
Most shots you see around the islands
949
00:41:53,400 --> 00:41:55,120
are used mainly for weekends.
950
00:41:55,120 --> 00:41:57,120
Tourists do two- or
three-day island hopping
951
00:41:57,120 --> 00:41:58,640
and then return to Athens.
952
00:41:58,640 --> 00:42:01,400
Mia Zoi, on the other
hand, really gets worked.
953
00:42:01,400 --> 00:42:03,080
We're out for months at a time.
954
00:42:03,080 --> 00:42:04,640
It's the only way I'm gonna see
955
00:42:04,640 --> 00:42:07,200
all 227 inhabited Greek islands.
956
00:42:07,200 --> 00:42:09,680
And at last count, I'm at 87.
957
00:42:09,680 --> 00:42:11,160
Or is it 88?
958
00:42:11,160 --> 00:42:12,360
You see, they're clapping.
959
00:42:12,360 --> 00:42:13,680
They're clapping 'cause they got in.
960
00:42:15,800 --> 00:42:17,680
Like a lot of Greece, during summer,
961
00:42:17,680 --> 00:42:19,760
this port is extremely busy.
962
00:42:19,760 --> 00:42:23,200
So to avoid chaos and accidents,
there's a harbour manager.
963
00:42:23,200 --> 00:42:25,400
Having been to plenty of
islands over the years,
964
00:42:25,400 --> 00:42:26,560
I've met my fair share of them,
965
00:42:26,560 --> 00:42:29,160
and there's one trait
they all have in common.
966
00:42:29,160 --> 00:42:30,400
They're characters.
967
00:42:30,400 --> 00:42:31,800
I guess you have to be to deal with
968
00:42:31,800 --> 00:42:34,440
all the different personalities
coming in the port.
969
00:42:34,440 --> 00:42:35,960
Here, the larger than life person
970
00:42:35,960 --> 00:42:38,120
controlling the madness is Thanasi.
971
00:42:38,120 --> 00:42:39,640
His quirks are many,
972
00:42:39,640 --> 00:42:42,880
but the one that stands
out is his fashion.
973
00:42:42,880 --> 00:42:45,440
He somehow manages to colour
coordinate his wardrobe
974
00:42:45,440 --> 00:42:47,440
from shoes to sunglasses.
975
00:42:47,440 --> 00:42:49,800
He even matches his folder to this theme.
976
00:42:49,800 --> 00:42:51,920
Apparently, he has a different outfit
977
00:42:51,920 --> 00:42:53,680
for every day of the month.
978
00:42:53,680 --> 00:42:55,520
Now, that's dedication.
979
00:42:55,520 --> 00:42:57,040
Our crew are dedicated too.
980
00:42:57,040 --> 00:42:59,040
Captain Yianni had been watching Thanasi
981
00:42:59,040 --> 00:42:59,880
and was begging on a day
982
00:42:59,880 --> 00:43:02,840
where they would both
be fully synchronised.
983
00:43:02,840 --> 00:43:04,960
Sure enough, that day arrived.
984
00:43:05,800 --> 00:43:08,080
Another great character I met was Andonis.
985
00:43:08,080 --> 00:43:10,040
He's a retired barber who spends his days
986
00:43:10,040 --> 00:43:13,560
giving free haircuts to the
elderly up on Ano Syros.
987
00:43:13,560 --> 00:43:16,320
Many of them are too frail to
walk down the hill to the city
988
00:43:16,320 --> 00:43:18,040
so he gladly lends a hand.
989
00:43:18,040 --> 00:43:19,640
He asks for nothing in return
990
00:43:19,640 --> 00:43:22,040
other than a bit of friendly conversation.
991
00:43:22,040 --> 00:43:24,640
It's the folks like Andonis, Thanasi
992
00:43:24,640 --> 00:43:26,360
and the workers at the shipyard
993
00:43:26,360 --> 00:43:28,840
that give a destination colour and charm.
994
00:43:28,840 --> 00:43:31,280
They're the people who
tie a community together
995
00:43:31,280 --> 00:43:33,560
be it through their
infectious personalities
996
00:43:33,560 --> 00:43:35,880
or their contribution to society.
997
00:43:35,880 --> 00:43:37,480
I'd go as far to say
998
00:43:37,480 --> 00:43:39,920
that they're the lifeblood
of islands like Syros.
999
00:43:39,920 --> 00:43:42,600
The scenery might be
stunning and history rich,
1000
00:43:42,600 --> 00:43:44,880
but it's the people that
complete the picture.
1001
00:43:45,800 --> 00:43:47,680
In the next episode of My Greek Odyssey,
1002
00:43:47,680 --> 00:43:49,520
I'm heading west to Kythnos.
1003
00:43:49,520 --> 00:43:51,440
It's only 100 kilometres from Athens,
1004
00:43:51,440 --> 00:43:54,640
which makes it a popular
destination for mainland Greeks.
1005
00:43:54,640 --> 00:43:57,040
Go there in summer and it's really busy.
1006
00:43:57,040 --> 00:43:58,240
But late in the season,
1007
00:43:58,240 --> 00:44:01,520
you'll discover a peaceful
and ruggedly beautiful island
1008
00:44:01,520 --> 00:44:03,560
dotted with secluded beaches.
1009
00:44:03,560 --> 00:44:07,000
It's the kind of place you go
to relax away from the crowds
1010
00:44:07,000 --> 00:44:09,320
where little has changed
throughout the centuries.
1011
00:44:09,320 --> 00:44:10,160
I'll show you what makes
1012
00:44:10,160 --> 00:44:12,000
a favourite weekend escape for locals,
1013
00:44:12,000 --> 00:44:13,560
but also dig a little deeper
1014
00:44:13,560 --> 00:44:16,160
to unearth a few lesser known highlights,
1015
00:44:16,160 --> 00:44:18,640
from thermal bars and ancient ruins,
1016
00:44:18,640 --> 00:44:20,880
to hidden coves and sunken treasures.
1017
00:44:20,880 --> 00:44:23,880
It's an episode that will take
you above and below the water
1018
00:44:23,880 --> 00:44:26,400
to discover yet another
fantastic piece of Greece.
1019
00:44:27,480 --> 00:44:30,320
(laid back music)
77797
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