Folegandros
We sailed today to the island of Folegandros, one of the lesser known islands of the Cyclades.
Folegandros is a rugged, mostly unpopulated 12sq mile, dot in the Aegean! Back in ancient times it was named the iron island, though Folegandros means the rocky island. As we drove up the one and only road on the island we understood why it was named this. Despite dry hard earth, beaten by salty winds, this island has proof of life dating back to the Bronze Age, and they even minted their own coins in the classical years!
We visited the old “Kastro” castle town. It was built during the period of the long Venetian rule in order to protect the islanders from pirates raiding the Aegean. A row of houses stood with no openings on the outside of the castle. As we walked inside, these houses presented the most beautiful spectacle. They had little whitewashed balconies and wonderful staircases that led up to the blue doors of the houses. They stood next to each other, almost gossiping, ready to present memories from the past; the way they were built reminded us of a stage in a theater!
The white and blue of the houses, the flowers giving such fanciful colors and shades, the abrupt rocky drop down to the sea and the views of endless terraces…how different can the world be! We now know that Santorini is for professional photographers, where as Folegandros for amateur lovers…Santorini has the spectacle and sunsets but here is the feeling, here we have the magic!
Folegandros was blessed because for so many years it was ignored; only a few know their way to this island! Starting from the Roman ages it became a place of exile and remained so until the 1970s, which was also when the first car was brought to the island!
A string of “island rocks” almost join Folegandros to other nearby island. Fantastic barren rocks, which sparkle in the sunshine accompanied us as we sailed away, some of them looked like Nereids that had come to enhance our voyage. At the top of these windblown rocks stood a small whitewashed chapel dedicated to Virgin Mary Kardian, or as the locals call her ”Virgin Mary of the Heart” . Folegandros has enriched our hearts and will accompany our souls forever!
The Greek Story Teller!
