All language subtitles for m.g.o.s05e13.1080p.hdtv.h264-cbfm_track3_[eng]

(THEME MUSIC)

PETER MANEAS: In the first four
series of My Greek Odyssey,

We visited islands
of the Saronic,

the Ionian, the Dodecanese,

the Western Cycladic
and the Northern Aegean.

In series five, we're seeing
the Southern and Central Cycladic.

Islands you've never heard of
like Levitha, Anafi, Donoussa,

and ones you know well,

like Santorini
and the big one, Crete.

In the final episode
of the series,

I'll be finishing my time
on Sikinos,

an island few tourists
have heard of.

Last stop is a visit

to one of the most remarkable
monasteries I've ever been to,

before upping anchor
and heading west to Folegandros.

It's a bit like a smaller,
quieter version of Santorini,

with epic sunsets,
beautiful architecture

and more remote parts of the island

that your average traveller
never explores.

We've saved some of the best bits
of Greece for last

and I can't wait to show you.

This is the peaceful island
of Sikinos.

If you missed last episode,
here's a quick recap.

It's a small landmass
between Folegandros and Ios.

Most people bypass it

and head for the bigger,
more populous places.

But it's definitely worth
making the detour

and spending a few days here.

It's a sleepy island
with a strong sense of community.

It's not a place you come to
for parties and shopping.

Instead, it's a destination
for people that like to relax

and find their own entertainment.

If you do come, you may end up
like some of the locals we met,

who visited on a holiday,
fell in love with Sikinos,

and now call it home.

Before leaving there was one
last landmark I had to see.

More importantly,
there was a person who lives there

that I just had to meet.

Now, we cheated
and drove in from the east.

Specifically, so that you could see
the different colours of the ensant,

or the fortress and the monastery.

But in the old days,

three or 400 years ago,

they would come from down there
at Chora and the Castro,

and they would walk up here,

or run up here
when they heard the bells.

Because the pirates were in the bay

and the nuns were saying,
"Come up, come up."

So, they would come up this path

and they would run up this path
and hide in the monastery.

But we've seen lots of monasteries.

What's so special about this one?

What's special about this one
is the nuns.

Religion would not allow them
to kill.

They had no guns, no knives.

So, they came up
with these ingenious ways

to defend themselves.

The monastery has been occupied
by a single nun for the last decade.

Romanian-born, she's preached
the Greek Orthodox gospel

for most of her life.

Coming to a remote island
as a young person

would take dedication
and courage.

I couldn't leave Sikinos

without visiting
this fortress-like monastery,

if only to experience some time
with this exceptional woman.

Actually, the nuns from up there,

they would notice
if a dangerous ship is coming.

And if so, they could ring the bells

so everyone on the island could hear
that the dangerous ship is coming.

So, the people would go
to the village,

the village was also a castle,
and close the doors.

And also the nuns would come here

and also the villagers,
they were here doing some works

and it'll be closer to come here.

They'll close the door and wait,
but not doing nothing,

but putting water and oil
to be heated.

So, they'd boil water
and olive oil... And oil?

Yes. Olive oil, yes.
Right.

And what were they using that for?

Well, when the pirates
would arrive here,

and would start to climb the walls
or break the door,

the nuns would throw hot water
or hot oil in their heads.

Right.

Not to kill them,
because they don't kill people.

Yes, yes.
But to scare them.

And just get them to go away.
Yes.

The first line of defence
was the hot water and oil.

But if the pirates managed
to get through,

the nuns had an escape route
which defies belief.

They would retreat
into the back of the monastery

to a tiny room
perched on the edge of the cliff,

beyond which, or should I say below,
was a hidden way out.

It was an ingenious design,

albeit requiring
some serious courage.

Mind you, if it was a matter
of life and death,

you'd take the getaway route,

even if it too,
had a decent chance of killing you.

The pirates will see the nuns
going in this room

and close the door.

And they said,
"OK, we will find them inside."

But when they opened the door,
nobody was inside

because there is a hole here...
Right.

..and the nuns could escape
with the rope.

Abseil down. Right.
Yes. Abseil down, yes.

Ah, so there was
a hidden floor there

where they go in,
the pirates would've...

"They've gone.
Where have they gone?"

Yes.
And they abseiled down the cliff?

Yes.
And where would they go from there?

They would go in some caves.
In some caves.

And they would hide in the caves?
They would have there,

because the pirates would not know
the way to reach there.

Yes.
And they would leave them alone.

Yeah.

And then after a few hours
or a few days, or a few weeks,

when the pirates would go away
from the monastery...

They'd come back again.
They come back again.

Amazing.

It was a period in history
when much of the Mediterranean

had some level of lawlessness,

where pirates sailed the seas

and the Ottoman Turks had desires
to conquer this part of the world.

To live in the heart of it,

with little protection
and an unwavering belief in peace,

meant the nuns had to be
incredibly brave.

Much of their strength
was drawn from their faith

and the bond they shared.

If you're an architect

that specialises in the design
of Greek Orthodox churches,

well, I'm afraid to say,

you're not going to get
much work in Greece,

'cause they've all been built.

However,
there is the occasional exception,

this being one of them,

and it's a beautiful modern
Greek church too.

It's been built to commemorate
Odysseas Elytis in 2011.

He was a famous poet

and he was just proud to be Greek

and be part of 25 centuries
of classical Greek literature.

He's got a great story.

I personally love his poetry.

When he received the Noble prize
for literature in 1979,

he said, "I'd like to think
I'm receiving this

"on behalf of all Greek poetry

"that's gone back
all the way to Homer."

He was a selfless man.

He loved the blue, the white
and the light

and the landscapes of the Aegean.

He wrote about it a lot
and he loved Sikinos.

I mean, seriously,

how could you not want to write
about this place?

It is just so beautiful.

Odysseas, may you rest in peace.

This was my last stop on Sikinos

and a beautiful place
to end my time here.

It gave me a moment of respite,

to reflect on what I'd seen

and ponder on what the next part
of my journey might hold.

During that time of contemplation,

I came to the conclusion

that what makes Sikinos
such a special island

and a place that everyone
should visit, is the people.

It's not the pretty beaches
and mountain scenery,

but something far deeper.

Those that call
this little paradise home

epitomise the Greek term,
philoxenia,

which means love of the foreign
or friend of the stranger.

It's far more
than just simple hospitality.

People like the Mayor, Vassilis,
welcomed me to their island.

Making me feel as though
I too was a local,

which is why before departing,

I just had to see him
and his family one last time.

It was this culture
of embracing outsiders

as though they were
long-time friends

that has seen travellers
from the corners of the world

come to Sikinos

and then decide that this would be
their new home.

For me, it will always hold
special memories

as a place that captures the essence
of Greece I knew as a child.

As you can see, we're arriving
at a relatively small port,

but don't let that
give you the impression

we're visiting an island
that's lacking things to see and do.

To be honest, Folegandros isn't
a tough place to find enjoyment in.

I like to think of it as being
the Santorini of 50 years ago.

It has similar architecture,
clifftop views, beautiful beaches,

and every day ends
with an incredible sunset.

But it doesn't have
that commercialisation or crowds

that can make Santorini feel
a bit excessive

or impersonal at times.

Right near the port,
there's a stunning pebble beach

with clear water
and plenty of shade.

It's a popular spot,
particularly for families,

as it's near the taverns
and accommodation.

But if you prefer something
a bit more peaceful,

then you just walk
to the other side of the village

and you'll find
another beautiful beach,

away from the crowds.

Folegandros is an island

made for those who like
an unstructured holiday,

where you don't necessarily plan
every minute of your time.

Instead, you just see
where the days take you.

You can laze around the beach
all day,

splitting your time between
the water and sitting at a cafe.

Or if you're feeling energised,
then there are plenty of hikes.

And for those times when you want
some mental stimulation,

then a visit to an historic site
will no doubt scratch your itch.

First off for me was up the hill,

as soon as we arrived,

I was drawn
to explore the clifftops.

(SIGHS)

Well, that's a 200m drop
directly down

and we are facing north,
which is the prevailing weather.

This coastline gets
absolutely hammered,

but at the same time,

those terraces where they plant
their crops are getting moist.

And that's why they're facing north.

Pretty special.

We're walking through the main town.

This is actually the Kastro,
the castle of the main town.

Chora is just next door.

What you see here

is a network of houses
that are next to each other

and they call that an ensant.

On the other side of these houses,

it's just a straight drop down,
335m.

This is a castle,

but it's a defensive castle
built in sort of 13th century AD.

And we're going to get a chance
to actually go in

and have a look at one of these

because, on the other side,
it's just an amazing view.

Bit scary.

Very similar to Kimolos and Sifnos,
same sort of structure.

This place is a bit of a maze.

And I really feel sorry
for the postman.

This Kastro and this ensant,
it's so close together,

you can feel the community here,

even today,
800 years after it's been built.

And I don't know,

I just feel like these people
are really enjoying living here.

Not like the first ones
that were here in fear of God.

Not too sure how much thought
there was in this

when they were building,

but I got to tell you,

got to watch your head,
I've already hit my head once.

I'm always interested in seeing
how people live

in these island villages.

The homes are centuries old

and built in amongst
the limited space

on hilltops with narrow lanes.

I was lucky enough
to be introduced to Tila,

who resides in a tiny house
that was recently renovated.

Finding it was the first test.

The next challenge

was dragging myself
away from the spectacular view.

It might be small, but man,
what an amazing place to call home.

Let's go out.
Shall we go outside? Yeah.

Straight out, straight out,
straight out.

So, how do you like it?
Tila.

I don't think I've seen
anything like this ever in my life.

This is amazing.

Breathtaking, isn't it?

It is just unbelievable.

There wouldn't be many of these.
How many of these are there?

Because when we're looking at it
from the water,

it's a small ensant, isn't it?

Yeah. I wouldn't say
there's more than like 15.

15.
Top. Maximum.

Because it wasn't a big Castro
from that width point of view.

No, no, no.

And these, they weren't white
at the time, were they?

No, of course not because otherwise
they would be seen from the sea.

From the sea.

So, they were the same stone
as the...

Yeah. Yeah.

The point was to be hidden
as much as they could.

You've refurbished this, right?

You've... Yeah.
Yeah, we've refurbished this.

This front part was in ruins
at some point,

but the inside part,
the kitchen and everything was...

Was OK.
Was OK.

So, you must have got all sorts
of permission from the ministries?

Yes. Yes.

It's very strictly controlled

by the archaeological service
of course,

because this settlement
is very, very old,

dates back...
800 years.

800 years.
Yeah.

Wow.

Let's go and have a look
at the rest of it,

it's fantastic.
OK.

Wow.

The renovation has turned
a centuries-old basic home

into a modern
and very comfortable place to live.

It's a fantastic makeover

that still retains much
of the character

of the original house.

However, I was keen to see
a more authentic residence.

So, Tila, took me across the ways
to look at her aunt's home,

which is still as it was
some 100 years ago.

And this is my aunt's house

and this is a really old place.

Right, it hasn't been renovated.
This has stayed the same?

Yes.
And this has been in her family for?

Forever. I think.
I mean for ages.

Wow.

This is traditional
Cycladic architecture,

with all the features you expect

from a turn-of-the-century
island home.

It's narrow,
has just a few rooms,

and makes use
of every inch of space.

This clifftop village
is a great example

of how people have been able
to adapt century-old buildings

to present-day living conditions.

They may not have all the luxuries
with five bedrooms, three bathrooms,

skylights
and ducted air conditioning.

But what they lack in extravagance,

they more than make up
for in character, old-world charm

and in some cases, incredible views.

Travelling to the central northwest
of the island,

you'll come across the town
of Ano Meria, meaning upper side.

This region is basically
the bread basket of Folegandros.

For generations across the Cycladic,

families have lived in small,
self-sustainable estates,

known as themonies.

They're essentially tiny communities

designed to cater
for all their needs

and are unique
to this part of Greece.

With the shifting of populations
to more urbanised areas,

themonies have all but disappeared.

But here in Ano Meria,
there are a few that still exist

in the same way they have
for centuries.

One lady that lives and works
her own traditional themonia,

is Flora,
who I was excited to meet.

(SPEAKS FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

(DISTANT VOICE) Yeah.

Flora's been living on her own here
the past few years,

after her husband sadly passed away.

I arrived as she was
in the middle of cooking

and didn't want to disturb her.

But as soon as we talked,
she made me feel at home.

This is the Greek philoxenia
that I love about the islands.

While she was busy in the kitchen,

I had a look around the garden,

which has the key features
that make these themonies

such efficient little communities.

At one stage, this terraced hill

would've been full
of barley and vineyards.

And you can see
some of the grape vines down here.

Just behind me is the threshing
floor for the barley,

below me is the grape press.

You can see the hole

where the grape juice
would come out.

In front of me,
there's all sorts of things.

We've got two cisterns.

One that was fed
from the pathway here,

another from the roof
of the house.

There's a pig pen in front of me.

There's another little garden

for something special,
might be herbs.

In front of that
is the famous lemon tree house.

Every single themonia
had a lemon tree house

because the lemons
were very, very important

in all our cooking

and they needed to protect it
from the wind.

In front of me here, is the house,

and they would live above

and some of the animals
would live below.

It hasn't changed in all that time.

And Flora still lives the same way.

(SPEAKS FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

Life for people
in these rural hamlets was tough,

but they knew little else.

Many of the things that we perceive
as being challenges

were considered normal,
everyday living.

It's a simple way of life
where the rewards are intrinsic

and come in the form
of a sense of community

and strong family bonds.

So, while some may look at Flora
and feel for her,

having to be isolated
and leading a basic existence.

I, on the other hand,
see a strong, independent woman,

an octogenarian,
living as she chooses.

Heading back to Mia Zoi,
I had mixed emotions.

On one hand,
I was even more grateful

for living a life
that has so much choice.

But on the other,

I felt that perhaps
I was missing out

on the independence and tranquillity
of a simple life,

by leading such an intense
and complicated existence.

However,
these feelings quickly faded,

not because they're trivial
and worth little consideration,

but because in an instant,

after seeing
who was on the back of my boat,

I became a little nervous,

because my next adventure was going
to really test my claustrophobia.

So, today we will visit
the cave of Georgitsi.

Right.

It's a really amazing spot
for diving.

It's really unique
because it's very safe

and very easy to enter

because of the saddles
inside the cave.

So, let's have a look at this map
that you've drawn.

The cave is 12m wide.
Yes, it is.

And...

And it goes straight inside
the rock...

For 25m.
For 25m. Yes.

And this is the important thing,

because it goes straight inside
and we have natural sunlight.

So, Dimitri,
you've dived before, haven't you?

Yes, 100s of time.
This one here?

100 times.
Yes, yes.

But every time it's fantastic.

It's safe? It's fully safe?
Yeah, yeah , yeah.

It's fully safe.
Are you an instructor?

Yes, I am.
Good.

'Cause, you know, we've got
to make sure everything's OK.

I want to come back
from this dive, right?

Of course.

You've had no problems
on this dive before?

We'll return to enjoy
the nice Folegandros.

Fantastic, man.

My director Alexander Begetis,

is an expert at convincing me
to do things I don't want to do.

Pushing my boundaries of fear.

And over the years,
Alex has become a good mate as well.

So, I feel like I'm letting him down

if we don't attempt
these regular challenges.

For some, confined diving
is like a walk in the park.

For me, it's like swimming
into your future burial chamber.

It's an alien environment
for a human to be in.

We have limited control over things.

And anyone that knows me,

will tell you that
I'm a bit of a control freak.

Even though I've completed
plenty of dives over the years

and several in caves,
I'm always a bit nervous.

But one positive about this dive

is that there's a gradual
progression from being in the open,

then going into the above-water
part of the cave,

where you still have plenty
of fresh air and sunlight,

before taking the plunge.

Once in the water,

I usually take a brief moment
to settle the nerves

and make sure the dive gear
is all in order.

Then, it's time for business.

When you're down there,
the mood starts to change.

The fear is still tangible.

Although it progressively moves
to the back of your mind.

As the sheer beauty starts
to fill your head,

the nightmare drifts to a daydream

and you become totally absorbed
in the moment.

The visibility was so clear

that I felt like an astronaut,
hovering weightless in space,

with only the bubbles
from Dimitri's regulator

bringing me back to reality.

It's times like this,
that you realise

a little push,
although uncomfortable at first,

can bring so much joy.

So, don't let fear hold you back.

Take a few calculated risks in life
and you won't regret it.

(INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC)

(SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
(SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

We got some goat milk here
from Folegandros

and we thought,
let's make some dessert.

So, we're gonna make
rizogalo.

Rizogalo.
Rice pudding,

Greek rice pudding.

Let's do it.
Let's do it.

We got some rice.

We put the rice in there.

We're gonna boil it.

Put it on the boil

while I talk
about what's happening here.

We got a bit of sugar,
which is unusual for Kyriako,

to have sugar in something.
We've got one litre of milk.

We have some vanilla essence.

We have some, a little pinch of salt
and some cinnamon for the finish.

And this is cornflour.

15 minutes on the boil.

And then we leave it
for another 15 minutes.

So it can...

..OK.

You can go to translate,
Google translate for that.

Now, I love my rice pudding.

My mother, God rest her soul,

used to make the best rice pudding,
it's so good.

Helen, it's so easy to make.

You got to start making it for me.

I love this stuff.
You're gonna see it at the end.

I'm gonna
just engulf the whole bowl.

I probably won't even use a spoon.

This recipe is so simple.

Maybe I'll even make it for Helen
when I'm home.

So, we pour the rest of the milk in.

We put the sugar in now?

OK.
We put the sugar in, here it goes.

Sugar goes in.

The corn flour.

And a little bit of salt.

That's not a little bit of salt,
but anyway.

And the vanilla essence.

Oh, yeah.

Now, the actual...

..keep going,
you want me to do that?

Oh, OK.
We're just gonna put it on the boil.

Now, the actual recipe itself,
you can go to our website,

mygreekodyssey.com, to see it.

We're not gonna tell you
the exact measures right now,

just takes too long.

And I can't remember them,
to be honest with you.

Oh, that looks good.

So, how long are we putting it
on here for, Kyriako?

As soon as it's boiled, it's done.

That's it, it's finished.
So, that's all we're gonna do.

It's that simple.

Even the camera man can do that.

This is all about patience,

which is not something
I'm known for.

You have to keep stirring
until you see it start to boil.

If you stop too soon,
the milk will burn

and you'll have
to start all over again.

You'll notice
that it starts to thicken up

as it gets closer to boiling point.

The exact translation of rizogalo
is rice milk.

That's what it is.

But the Anglo Saxon way of saying it
is rice pudding.

Don't look like pudding to me
at all.

But anyway, someone translated it
to rice pudding.

Then maybe we should change that
we should call it milky rice.

I don't, it looks good though.

I can't stick my finger in there.
It's too hot.

So, how will you be sure it's ready?

Well, as it starts to boil,

you'll notice it's become
a thick bubbling emulsion.

Ooh, that looks good.
Righto.

Bowls.

It will.
It will stiffen up.

OK.

That's enough for the cameraman.

Not too much.
Only a little bit for the cameraman.

Only a little bit.
Fill the other bowls.

OK.

He's been a naughty boy.

Can we put the cinnamon on now, no?
No.

We're gonna let it cool down
a little bit. A little bit.

So, what we've got to do now

is we're gonna let it cool down
for about an hour or so

before it's ready.

And then you can actually
put it in the fridge

and eat it any time.

But a lot of people
like it while it's warm.

You can't eat it straight away,
obviously,

'cause it's gonna burn you.

So, I've just got to keep
sticking my finger in it,

sticking a spoon in it
until it's ready to go.

And the top layer creates a crust,
like a meniscus on top.

So, you got to penetrate
that meniscus

so that you know

that when you're penetrating
that layer,

it's basically ready to go.

The final step
is sprinkling the cinnamon on top.

Every Greek knows that this dusting
means only one thing,

rizogalo.

As simple as this dish is,
it's always a favourite.

Now's the big taste test.

We're gonna take the cameraman's
and have half his right now.

Alright.

You try to put your...

..see, see,
see the crust on the top.

Beautiful.

Oh, man.

You know.

But it brings back...

..you know, the taste,

it brings back
memories of my mother.

You know, I'm about to cry.

Mm.

Oh, it's so good.

Kyriako.

Listen, you started speaking English
five episodes ago.

Now you're going straight
into Greek.

I want English from you, OK.

OK, sorry.

They don't understand
what's going on.

Mm.

Mm. That's so good.

Kyriako, it's fantastic.
Such an easy recipe.

And the captain
looks like he's happy

because it's traditional.

Because it's traditional.
That's right.

But you can put mango in it
at the end.

But if I start to put Saffron

because sometimes you use or mango
or something.

That's right.
He doesn't like it.

Start to go crazy
and the shouting again.

Captain is a traditionalist...

..mm...

..and we need tradition too.

But you're a modern chef.

You going...

..it's fantastic.

You're gonna have some more?
Yeah, come on.

We'll leave a bit
for the camera man. OK?

So, when it cools down,
it's even better.

But I like it cold.

I'm sorry, cameraman.
Sorry buddy.

Sorry, mate.

Mm. Beautiful.

That's a hug.
Come on.

That's a hug because it's easy.

Yeah!

That's what...

..oh, you're a legend.

I've been fighting the weight battle
all my life

and Kyriako
doesn't make it easy for me

to keep the kilos off.

So, like all beautiful,
sweet things,

I try to limit my exposure to him
to a maximum of four weeks,

with intensive exercise

and a strict diet in between visits.

(INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC)

ZOJA: To prayer,
exhale, diving down.

Inhale, long spine,
lift your head.

Step back, jump back,
plank.

Turn around.

Upward dog,

exhale, downward facing dog.

Whoo!

Walk or jump towards your feet.

Inhale, long spine.

Lift your head.

Exhale.

Inhale, lets come all the way up.

Hands to prayer.

Exhale, hands to heart.

(EXHALING)

OK, Peter, are you ready
for the rest of the day?

You bet.

OK. Well, thank you so much
for practising with me.

Namaste.

Namaste.

(AMBIENT MUSIC)

Thank you.

There are few better ways
to start the day.

The stillness of the dawn,

with the coast softly lit
by the gold of the rising sun.

Wow!

In Greece, I try my best

to follow this type of routine
as much as I can.

If not a yoga session,
it's a walk

or some other form of exercise
and a bit of stretching.

It opens my mind
and makes me feel energised.

The days I don't manage
to stick to this routine,

I generally feel lethargic

and of all the days to be tired,
this wasn't the one.

Ahead was a long walk
through the hinterland,

followed by a swim.

Along the way
with some fantastic conversation

about the why
of choosing to live in Folegandros.

Zoja, there's over a 100 islands
you could pick from,

why do you do your retreats
and your yoga here in Folegandros?

Yeah, it's a really good question.

I've been to many islands.

I've spent many Summers
on different islands,

but this island, for some reason,
stole my heart.

I came here in 2005

and I didn't start doing yoga then.

I was actually
working with a visual artists then.

And we were making dance films here.

She has a house here, Athena.

And then I decided,

"Oh, I wanna share
not only this beauty,

"but this incredible capacity
of transformation

"that this island has."
Right.

When you walk the rock
and swim in the seas.

There are no other beaches

that I've discovered in Greece
like this, I have to say...

Right.
..that are this raw.

And you know, you're not allowed
to build anything on these beaches.

Right.
Which is very rare.

So, yeah,
Folegandros stole my heart.

Zoja, that all sounds good, but...

..there's no meat
in the sandwich there.

I mean, is there something else
about the island, in detail,

that keeps you here
or brought you here?

Well, yeah,
my grandfather was an exile here.

He was a journalist
during World War II.

Yeah. And, but honestly,
I didn't even find that out

until I got to the island.

You know, like,
I've known my grandfather,

I've known many stories
about him,

but I didn't know
that he was an exile

on the rock in Folegandros.

So, was he a good guy?

I mean, he was amazing guy.

I would say
he was a revolutionary man.

Right.
He helped a lot of people

and he spoke his truth.

Well, journalists, I mean,
they write the truth

and that's what governments
don't like most of the time.

That's true.
Yeah, yeah.

That's true.
Shall we keep going?

Let's go.
Shall I take you to the beach?

(INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC)

I reckon, good start to the day,
yoga and a hike.

Yoga and a hike is the secret.

It is.
It's a secret to longevity.

To keeping fit, but also yeah,

vibrant, vital energy.

I start yoga...

..in a day a lot
and I do a lot of hiking.

You wouldn't believe it,
but I'm 80 years old.

Wow. Wow.

You definitely fooled me.

Are you OK, old man?
I'm OK.

80-year-old, what do you expect?

(INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC)

Every beach in Greece
has its own personality.

Some are popular for their soft,
white sand and gentle sea.

Others for their ease of access

or for having a multitude
of deckchairs and bars.

This one, on the other hand,
is special

because of the raw beauty
and remoteness.

It's surrounded
by a rugged landscape

far from the crowds,
almost hidden from the world.

It makes you feel like
you're in a wild corner of Greece,

where few have been before.

I love that there are hidden
little coves like this

throughout the Greek islands,

allowing you to escape
to your own private paradise.

The day was still only young,

but I was feeling like
I had achieved so much.

Some yoga, a hike,

a meaningful conversation
and a swim,

all before breakfast.

Cruising along the coast,

we were blessed
with ideal conditions.

The scenery was typical
of this part of the world,

with scorched, rocky hills,

giving the impression it's an arid,
weather beaten place.

But with the rain
in the cooler months,

the dry, brown hills
quickly turn green.

Though one thing
that remains the same

throughout the seasons,

is the depth of experiences
you can have here.

Many of the islands can provide you

with just as good a time
in the off season.

Oh, that didn't sound too good.
Thanks, Giorgios.

Folegandros
is not known for its beaches,

but Agali is pretty cool
and there's plenty of others,

but this is the most protected beach
in all of Folegandros.

Being a sheltered bay
means yachts and cruise boats

often come here
to escape rough seas.

Tourists,
looking for a quiet patch of sand

also make their way over.

But it's not this beach
that brings me here.

I was keen to go for a bit of a walk

to see the sleepier side
of Folegandros

and check out a place

that I've been told about
by a friend.

It's a secluded area
that attracts the type of traveller

that likes to get away
from not only the crowds,

but the all encompassing technology
that clutters our lives.

I occasionally yearn for the same.

Which to an extent,
I get while I'm in Greece,

but it's only when I actively
make the decision

to switch off my phone and laptop,

disconnecting from the world,
that I truly get some respite.

But most of the time
that only lasts half a day at best.

The walk,
winds it way along the coast,

slowly taking you away
from the noise

and movement of the town

and gradually
to increasingly quiet alcoves

and tiny pebbled beaches.

If you didn't do your research,

you'd probably
never come across this place.

If you did stumble on it,

you might be a little shocked

by the free spirited nature
of the people here.

I think it's a nudist beach.

Not for me.

Not that there's anything
wrong with that.

Might have a look
at these eco-friendly houses,

no power.

If you're after a digital detox,
then this is the place for you.

There's no power, phone or internet.

Just a gas stove, lamp,
a small bathroom

and quite a minimalist interior.

It's all very basic,
but you don't come here for luxury.

This is a place

for those longing
for the simple life

and attracts young business people,

who need a break
from the constant barrage

of emails and calls.

I can only imagine
that after a few days here,

you'd be totally refreshed

and ready to get back
to the grindstone.

Or maybe it would leave you
longing for a sea change

and ready to walk away
from your old life.

Personally, a day or two away
from the computer

usually stresses me out
more than it relaxes me.

(INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC)

Walking through town
in the late afternoon

and early evening
is a Greek tradition.

You grab a bite to eat,

mingle with the locals
and share some gossip.

All while you
watch the sunset.

This is the Greek island life.

You move with the pace
the weather allows.

When it's hot and sunny,
you relax at the beach,

sit in the shade or have a siesta.

As the shadows grow longer
and the temperature drops,

you head out for a stroll
and some time in a taverna or cafe.

The reason
why the day starts so late here,

is because most of the activity
happens in the evening

and long into the night.

It's not uncommon for families
to be having dinner at 10:00pm.

This is awesome.

It's families everywhere.

It's that time of the day,
the heat's gone,

everybody comes out.

I'm always one
to embrace the local customs,

which in this case
is a favourite pastime of mine,

eating the food
typical of the place I'm in.

And there were a couple of things

I was particularly
interested in tracking down.

This is just so good.

I mean, they're coals,
it's a local lamb.

It's the family's lamb
from the shop.

We can't get anything
more organic than that.

Family business.

Some of his own cheese
that he makes here.

He makes it himself.

You are a gem, mate.
Thank you.

There are plenty of great places
to eat in town.

But before digging into dinner,
I was starting with dessert,

because this island
is known for its watermelon pie.

And as I'd never tried it before,
I just had to give it a go.

(SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
WOMAN: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

This is apparently awesome.

It's watermelon pie.

And this is what the island
is known for, watermelon pie.

But they don't have
their own watermelons.

I don't get it, but anyway.

It's the big test.

It doesn't taste anything
like watermelon,

but it's really nice.

Oh!

So, this is watermelon ice cream.

I'm really getting looked after.
(SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

Now, that is...

..that is good.

Mm.

Mm.

Mm.

Look how creamy it is.

Mm.

Wow, wow.

For an island
that doesn't have watermelons

and they make watermelon pie
and the ice cream

and they're known for it.

They're known for their pies,
but it's...

..the watermelon pie is the key.

Mm.

By now you've most probably
realised I love my food.

Hence why I've got the best chef
in Greece, Kyriako, on Mia Zoi.

So, on every island I visit,
I search for its local cuisine

or have the great Kyriako
prepare it for me.

Next up was a dish called matsata,
a hearty staple.

(SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
MAN: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

Now, one of the local dishes here
in Folegandros is matsata

and it's like tagliatelle,
but it's not,

because it doesn't have any egg
in it.

It's just flour and water.

And they all make it locally.

And this restaurant here at Spitiko,
it's freshly made.

Looks awesome.

Now...

..I'm just carbing up on the flour
and water

because I've had too much meat,

but you can get this with rooster,
rabbit, goat, chicken.

There's so many ways
you can have it.

Anyway, I'm ready for exercise
in the morning,

let me tell you that right now.

Mm, mm.

Awesome.

And this is Arsi's
father's local wine.

We ate here last night.

(SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

Mm.

Awesome.

(INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC)

Local food and wine,
you can't get any better.

I needed to have an early meal
and get it down fast

because the rest of the afternoon
was gonna be spent on a hill,

just above the town,

at the best spot on the island
to watch a sunset.

Every afternoon,

there is a swarm of people
walking up the hill

to the church of Panagia,

it's almost like a pilgrimage
to the sunset.

In my life,
I've enjoyed countless sunsets

and every one of them
has their own unique appeal.

Just like each of the islands
in Greece

has its individual personality
and charm

that sets it apart from the rest.

No two are ever the same.

Yet,
there's certain characteristics

that many of them share,

like the beaches, seaside taverns
and pretty scenery.

But it's the many layers beneath
that give each location its essence.

Folegandros
has proven to be rich in substance.

Yet, I've only seen just a tiny part
of what it has to offer.

Wow.
That's Polyaigos in the foreground.

Kimolos behind it

and on Polyaigos is our mate,
Petro the shepherd.

On his own,
watching that sunset right now.

To the left is Milos,

in about five minutes,
we're gonna get the afterglow.

All these people are gathered here
just for that.

I've spent decades
travelling around Greece

and the last five years

has seen me
stepping on dozens of islands

I hadn't seen before.

However, despite all this time

visiting this part
of the world,

all I've come to realise
is that one lifetime

isn't enough
to peel back all the layers

and truly reveal every detail
of this remarkable place.

This series has seen me explore
the Southern and central Cycladic.

From the massive land mass of Crete
and its many surrounding islands,

to the white walls of Santorini
and sands of Levitha.

It has been a memorable time

that's only served
to galvanise my belief

that
there is no other place

on the planet

that I could ever love more

than these beautiful Greek islands.

Captioned by Ai-Media
ai-media.tv