Booking it to Kalymnos Island

 'Charmian Clift!!' I exclaimed a bit too loudly when I saw the poster. 

My outburst managed to stop George Hatzismalis, head of the Kalymnos Municipal Tourist Office, in his tracks on a Saturday morning in June as he was setting up a poster announcing a special event honoring her.

'You know of Charmian Clift?' he asked in a somewhat skeptical tone, nodding to the poster he was putting up. 

'Yes,' I said, adding, 'you might say, she made me want to come here.' 

Here, being the island of Kalymnos, the Dodecanese Island off the coast of Turkey, known for its sponge diving history.

Dodecanese island group off Turkey's coastline

'Are you Greek or part Greek? he asked, still not quite believing I knew what I was talking about. 'No, not Greek, but we live here.' I answered, explaining we were American expats living in the Greek Peloponnese.

George, head of the island's tourism office

'But, yet, you know of Charmian Clift?' he responded, adding that many Greeks didn't even know of the Australian author who had lived on the island back in the mid-1950's. So, he seemed surprised that an American might have heard of her. Not only had I heard of her, but I had also sought out her books last year on learning they had been re-issued.

Her book, 'Mermaid Singing' is about the year she spent on Kalymnos with her author husband, George Johnston, and their two children.

I really had him when I said I was reading her book for the second time and had brought it with me on the trip. 

This was our second visit to the island this spring; our first had been to research for a piece I was writing for The Mediterranean Lifestyle magazine. It is in the August/September edition published a week ago. Her book sparked my interest in learning more about the sponge diving history of the island and of subsequently writing about it.

Opening page of my article on Kalymnos

It didn't take long for a combination of the island's ambiance and the warmth of welcome from its residents to make us vow to return after that first visit. So, when we found ourselves back in the Dodecanese islands a couple months later, we included another brief stop on Kalymnos. It was during that second visit we saw the posters for the upcoming event.

During both visits, we had based ourselves in the charming SpongkalyA apartments.  And as it turns out. . .

SpongkalyA apartments

. . .we were just around the corner from the place where Charmian and her family had lived on the harbor front in the 1950's.

Charmian's home, now a faded yellow, behind the tree

There's a gift shop on the street level of the rather faded building in which Charmian and her family lived during their year on the island. The harbor has been filled since their time here. Motorcycles in the photo are parked where the waves used to lap the shore. On our first visit we had to guess at the location of her former home, but this time George confirmed we'd found the place and noted that as part of the special event, an informational plaque was being placed on the building.

Clift's 1955 book was released in Greek

We had non-refundable hotel reservations on the next island so left the next morning, missing the event that evening - a gala affair to celebrate the launch the Greek edition of her 1955 book, 'Mermaid Singing'. Speakers included Nadia Wheatley, author and biographer of Charmian Clift as well as the Australian ambassador to Greece. The English language version of the book had been re-released in Sept. 2021.

Kalymnos Island

Her time on Kalymnos was brief, only a year. We sometimes find expat life challenging now even though we are surrounded by so many creature comforts - I can't imagine the challenges of living on an island in the mid-20th century. It was a place that didn't yet have roads; where you climbed foot paths to get to other areas.

Hyrdra - Charmian's home from 1955 - 1964

Following their Kalymnos stay, the family moved to the island of Hydra, where they lived from 1955 to 1964; a time when bohemian life reigned and they were the center of it. It was a gathering place for artists, writers, dreamers and other creative souls, the likes of which included Leonard Cohen.  Charmian wrote of that experience in her second memoir, 'Peel Me A Lotus'.

Life on Hydra Island

Charmian introduced me to Kalymnos and enhanced my view of Hydra. That is one of the best parts of reading about other people's real-life experiences.  I always say, Frances Mayes, planted the seeds for living an expat life in her book, 'Under the Tuscan Sun'. Of course, Peter Mayle added to that with his, 'Year in Provence'. David Mason is partially responsible for getting us to the Mani, where we now live, thanks to his book, 'News from the Village'.

Have any such books influenced you to travel or to take a step into expat life? Or where have such books taken you on your armchair travels? Send us an email or tell us about it in the comments below.  As always thanks for stopping by and spending a bit of time with us.  Hope to see you back again soon. . .and a big welcome to our new subscribers!!

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 Through My Lens

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Hydra's Drifters and Dreamers

They came to the island because they were dreamers and drifters; artists who set up residences more than a half century ago on this small island in the Aegean Sea. They came because they wanted to 'live differently' - far from the conventional lives they'd left behind. 

An island getaway in the Aegean Sea

"Living differently" is a phrase I often use when trying to explain why the expat life appeals to so many of us.  It is a life that has drawn those who want more life and cultural experiences than that which our former lives afforded us. 

The fishing boats are in!

But this post isn't about our expat world. It is about a group of writers and artists who made up a Bohemian expat world back in the mid-20th Century; those who lived and whose creative spirits were inspired on the island of Hydra, one of the Saronic islands, just off the coast of the Peloponnese. Back then it offered an escape to the 'exotic' at prices that could be paid by struggling artists. 

Hydra scenes

Regulars at Travelnwrite know that we are among the present day dreamers and drifters who are drawn back time and time again to Hydra, only 25 minutes from the mainland by water taxi.  I'd like to say it was the spirits of those long ago Bohemians that call out and inspire us to return, but in fact, I knew little of these free spirits until I began writing an article about the island for The Mediterranean Lifestyle magazine.

Hydra Town - and harbor

So interesting were the lives of these creative souls -- some who would become quite famous in the  visual arts, musical and literary worlds - that I found myself enjoying the researching them as much as I did writing their story. Their presence is an important piece of the island's history. And I am purposely not naming them in this piece so that you'll be tempted to follow the link below and read the article I wrote.

Nightime Magic on Hydra

When we return (hopefully this year after lockdown ends) I will be seeing the island differently, thanks to the stories of these adventurers and early day expats in Greece.  For those who aren't only a road trip away as we are, I hope you will follow this link and take a quick armchair getaway to a Greek island in the sun: Hydra, A Bohemian Escape

From The Mediterranean Lifestyle magazine

And for those who want even more of a getaway, both in time and place, I highly recommend the book written by one of those Bohemians about life on the island of Hydra in the 1950's. It has just been re-released and makes for a great summer read.

That's it for this week. I am keeping this post short as I hope you'll take a few minutes to read the article I wrote about this special island.

Kalo Pascha! Happy Easter!

It is Holy (Easter) Week in Greece, the week between Palm Sunday and Pascha (Easter). Because it is such a celebrated holiday here, the country will remain in lockdown until Easter Monday, May 3, in hopes that large gatherings of celebrants won't become super spreaders of Covid. On Monday restaurants will finally be able to reopen for outdoor dining and drinking. It will be a few days short of six months - we are all eagerly awaiting the gradual steps which will reopen our world. 

As always, thanks for the time you spend with us ~ Stay safe.

Linking sometime soon with:

Through My Lens
Travel Tuesday
Our World Tuesday
My Corner of the World Wednesday
Wordless Wednesday

Greece. . .Now, as it was back then. . .

The slow, steady clomp of the hooves against the ages-old stone paved passage ways of Hydra town announced the pack's approach.  Now, as it was done 'back then', we stepped aside and let these beasts of burden carry on the island's tradition of transportation. 

A common sight on Hydra and island keeping equine traditions

Equines - horses, donkeys and burros - have always transported both goods and people on this small island in the Saronic Gulf.  Even in this age of technology, they continue to do so. There are no privately-owned cars, trucks or bikes here. One of the island's endearing charms for us, is its nod to history by continuing its reliance on animals. 

This island, with only one harbor town and a few smaller villages scattered about, has only three motorized vehicles: a small garbage truck, a small truck for hauling and an ambulance. For that matter it has only one or two short stretches of  roads  wide enough to accommodate the small vehicles.  Even taxis are in the form of boats . . .or horses!

A common sight in Hydra town

The island's main commercial area wraps around its picturesque harbor.  Most tourist accommodations and private homes are housed in centuries-old buildings snuggled side-by-side on the steep hillsides that frame the harbor. Many of them are accessed by narrow passageways and stairs; just the right size for a pedestrian or an equine. 

 

Supply barge arrives and it's time to distribute the goods

One of our favorite times here is in the early morning when the supply barge laden with everything from pallets of bottled water to construction materials arrives. The muleteers, or as they are called in Greek, the agogiatis or kyratzis, and their animals are ready. The distribution begins.  During our recent visit it took two days to get all the supplies offloaded.

Might be hauling his own dinner off the barge

Since back in the time when pirates plied the waters and the town was centered on the hilltop, these steadfast steeds  have carried people and parcels to those upmost reaches of the island. Many continue to be outfitted with the same style wooden saddles as those used decades ago for goods transportation .

Loaded and headed to the construction site

I was a bit surprised when researching this post, to learn that there was a time when 40 percent of Greece's donkeys were found in the southern Peloponnese; as that is the same area where we make our home these days. There, like on Hydra and elsewhere in Greece, the animals hauled goods and people over the kalderimi's, those narrow stone roads that linked villages in early times. They were used to plow the fields and as the power source in grain mills and olive oil presses.

The supply barge is met by teams of pack animals in Hydra

With the advent of motorized vehicles and construction of wider asphalt and concrete roads, the use of animals has, since the mid 20th century, been diminishing.  What was startling -- and dismaying -- was learning while researching this post was that the numbers of animals themselves has also severely diminished.  

In an on-line article about equine in Greece, Giorgos Arsenos, assistant professor at the Aristotle University of Veterinary Medicine says that the numbers of donkeys had fallen from a half million in the mid 1950's to just over 18,000 in 1996. I was unable to find more current figures.

Step aside the pack train is coming through

Luckily, the Municipal Council of Hydra and the residents there see the value of this time honored  animal tradition and are continuing to foster it in a manner that is both humane and practical.  

Yes, even the kitchen sink!

As animal lovers, we are always concerned about the treatment of animals and in the case of the equines on Hydra, I can assure you that the animals waiting at harbor's edge to transport tourists and luggage have sunshades provided and plenty of water.  As you make your way through the passageways back from the harbor it is always a delight to happen upon a few bales of hay, one of their many feeding stations.  

Since what goes in must come out, we can also vouch for the fact that at the first dropping from an animal the entire pack is stopped, the manure is scooped up by the muleteer and carried away in leather packs attached to the animals backs- we suspect - to later be used as fertilizer.  

Morning coffee floor show on Hydra Island

The welfare of the animals is also monitored by the combined efforts of HydraArk, an animal lovers group on the island, The Municipality of Hydra, The Greek Animal Welfare Fund and Animal Action Greece. These four entities provide annual visits to the island of a team made up of a dentist, veterinarian and a farrier who provide free of charge exams for all the animals.

Too cute for words in Hydra - old style saddle

If visitors to the island is concerned about a particular animal's welfare they are encouraged to contact the local police who are in charge of investigating any abuse reports. I suspect few reports are made  as the equines and the island's cats are among some of the most pampered animals we've encountered in our travels in Greece.  But the tale of the cats is yet another story for another time. . .

Sunshades for the horses waiting for the ferry

That is it for this week from very hot Greece. Summer has arrived.  The country continues to monitor COVID19 numbers and face masks continue to be a required part of  this 'new normal' world in which we find ourselves.  We hope where ever this reaches you, that you are safe and well and at least doing some armchair traveling! Hope you'll be back with us next week  and as always, thanks for your time!

Linking soon with:

Mosaic Monday
Through My Lens
Travel Tuesday
Our World Tuesday
My Corner of the World Wednesday
Wordless Wednesday