We took a direct flight to Kos to do some volunteering in Greece. Despite the hordes of tourists, Kos has lots going for it. We woke up every day to this beautiful view of Turkey, just 3km away.We arrived during the Greek Orthodox Easter celebrations…the midnight service, beautifully sung throughout, was a warm and joyful family affair.We also found a synagogue. Kos has had a Jewish presence for 2,300 years but, like on other islands, the entire Jewish population was tragically sent to Auschwitz once Germany occupied Greece. Only a handful of the Kos community survived. Still standing in town is a Roman villa, completely intact with mosaics. Kos was once an important town…its most famous former resident is Hippocrates, the source of the Hippocratic Oath taken by physicians.Kos also has a pristine Roman Odeon amphitheatre and even a beach (below) with ancient relicsOur favourite day was spent feeding peacocks and peahens which roamed free in a forest……and in the same place dancing and laughing with some locals.
Volunteering
Things can go badly wrong on this nomadic journey of ours, but nothing so far has made us more uncomfortable than our experience of volunteering for a refugee charity on the islands.
With some of our own close family having been refugees, we were keen to help those suffering from famine in Sudan, tyranny in Syria and Iran, fear in Afghanistan etc. We found a refugee centre on a Greek island that was a small grassroots charity which we thought had admirable aims in helping all the refugees in a dignified way.
Our jobs were to help run the centre where refugees came for donated food, clothes, sanitary products, etc as well for a feeling of warmth and community. 95% of the refugees were delightful and we spent some heart-breaking moments talking about their journey. However, a small minority were filled with hatred, and we were subjected to poisonous screams in our faces about Jews, LGBT, women and liberal society. We felt both sick and very scared, so we resigned after just one week. A real shame but it reassures us to know that the 95% will continue to be supported by those with skins thicker than our own. The charity we volunteered for treated all the refugees as partners rather than beneficiaries, in a form of solidarity with their struggle and beliefs, but when the attitudes of some are so violent and sickening, and so removed from values held dear in Europe, we felt that true solidarity, if these refugees were to have any hope of peaceful insertion in a European society, should have consisted in education, showing them where their attitudes, prejudices and mis-information differed from European values. This view was not practiced by staff during our stay. We quickly felt suffocated by the unchecked hatred and, with opinions so divergent from the charity, we all felt (charity and us) that it was wise to part ways early.
However, we don’t regret this experience because it was a real eye-opener – we came away with stories we will never forget and insights so sensitive that they are best told in person on safer ground.
With a month before our flight back to the UK, we had to immediately replan our time. Thankfully, we were in the Greek islands, and there can be few places more beautiful in the world in which to be stranded . So, it was clearly a good time for us to unwind from our experience and go “island hopping” to explore a few of the 6,000+ Greek islands.
Tinos
Swinging on a deserted beach must be one of the best ways ever to unwind from stress. Our faith in humanity was also restored when, sitting down in cafe in a tiny village, the cafe worker offered us a jar of homemade bergamot jam she had made. Everyone we met in Greece was extraordinarily generous, hospitable and charming. Taken while perched at the peak of Tinos drinking Greek coffee and enjoying our freedom.Tinos is famous for its marble. In Pyrgos, every house is adorned with wonderfully carved marble fanlights.The town has a fascinating Museum of Marble Crafts.Tinos is also famed for its pilgrimage in August when pilgrims crawl on their knees for over a kilometre to pay homage to a sacred Icon in the Panagia Evangelistria.Hundreds of dovecotes have been built since the 17th Century and can be seen around the island…and many remain in constant use.
Andros
In Andros, we went on glorious 20km walks every day…stopping at ancient springs…and waterfalls.The island is lush…with lots of flora and fauna to admire.Each day, we returned to the charming, quaint little Andros Town, the capital of Andros.
Syros
The port of Ermoupoli, capital of the Cyclades and Dodecanese islands, is beautiful but with lots of steep climbs. Walking to the very top in the heat was challenging but worth it for the medieval alleyways winding their way through the old quarter.Once back at the bottom, we could have used this platform to dive into the sea (but we decided on a siesta!)
Sifnos
More steep treks on Sifnos, having walked from the port in the far distance.We rewarded our efforts with meals on the waterfront. The island is famous for its food, especially this chickpea stew called revithada, cooked overnight in Sifnos famous clay pots.As we approached the shore, the colours of the sea just took our breath away.The Chrissopigi Monastery is a big attraction on the island because of its legends and its position on a rock with a small bridge to the island.
Milos
Milos has a beach with this strange moon like terrain.In fact the whole island is fascinating geologically. We spent hours admiring all the obsidian…and visited a labyrinth of catacombs.The island’s sunsets were also stunning.
Meteora, Delphi and Athens
We didn’t want to leave Greece without visiting the majestic Meteora rocks with their medieval monasteries built to escape Ottoman aggression.Each view was more spectacular than the next.The monasteries themselves are constantly full, with thousands of tourists…but we escaped the busloads when they returned to Athens before sunset.Our next stop was to visit the impressive ancient ruins of Delphi (of the oracle fame), overlooked by Mount Parnassus ( where Apollo and the muses reside)…The museum there was excellent……although the Acropolis museum in Athens was even better and we understood better the pros and cons of relocating Elgin’s marbles from the British Museum.We loved Athens not just for its museums and ruins, but also for its food markets and culture. We’ll be back.
Next
We’ll be spending a couple of months seeing family in London, Paris and Glasgow before heading to an animal sanctuary in Croatia. Hopefully, our volunteering there will be a happier experience.
Hi Sylvie & Jeff
Fascinating but sad that you had a frightening experience even though you were there to do good.
Then there is so much anti Semitism every where out of ignorance and stupidity
encore une belle expérience.
Dommage que la haine se poursuive même dans le pays d’accueil et que sans discrimination elle s’adresse aveuglément même à ceux qui cherchent à les aider.
Grosses bises à vous deux.
Ralph.
Jeff, tes photos sont superbes. Gros upgrade ❤️ Pour les valeurs de l’Europe, on peut en reparler, c’est devenu une utopie malheureusement. La réalité est plus proche de ce que vous avez expérimenté.
I’m so sorry that you had this experience of blind hatred. It is good to hold onto our own ideals but it must be crushing to come up against deeply-entrenched prejudice which seems so irrational and frightening to our own view of innate goodness and how the world can be. You are both people who are making a positive difference to those you have been living amongst. You are both living proof that whatever our life experiences and cultural backgrounds, that given an openness to other life styles, intelligent curiosity and a capacity for kindness we can connect with and support each other .
Kol haKavod. Keep going! And sharing with us less adventurous folk. xxx
Dear Jeff and Sylvia,
Thank you as ever for such a balanced and nuanced blog of your adventures. It’s shocking to experience blind hatred and I’m glad you took steps to distance yourself when it was clear that change /education was not going to be forthcoming. I loved hearing about your island hopping, so that is a true bonus that we wouldn’t have had had you stayed – thank you! Phil and I were in Turkey a few weeks back hiking park of the Lycian way, so you may have seen us looking back at you across the sea! We to were humbled by the true hospitality of those we met and stayed with en route; can’t wait to explore more. Stay safe and stay positive – there is more good than not out there xx
Loved hearing from you and following your adventures! Unfortunately, reality came knocking this time around. This appears to be the state of the world we currently live in. What a shame! Hope your next gig will be more suitable, enjoyable and appreciated. Stay safe.
Hi Sylvie & Jeff
Fascinating but sad that you had a frightening experience even though you were there to do good.
Then there is so much anti Semitism every where out of ignorance and stupidity
encore une belle expérience.
Dommage que la haine se poursuive même dans le pays d’accueil et que sans discrimination elle s’adresse aveuglément même à ceux qui cherchent à les aider.
Grosses bises à vous deux.
Ralph.
Sounds like you had a few very bad experiences, but hopefully the good ones that followed made up for the bad ones.
Great to read your posts xx
Jeff, tes photos sont superbes. Gros upgrade ❤️ Pour les valeurs de l’Europe, on peut en reparler, c’est devenu une utopie malheureusement. La réalité est plus proche de ce que vous avez expérimenté.
I’m so sorry that you had this experience of blind hatred. It is good to hold onto our own ideals but it must be crushing to come up against deeply-entrenched prejudice which seems so irrational and frightening to our own view of innate goodness and how the world can be. You are both people who are making a positive difference to those you have been living amongst. You are both living proof that whatever our life experiences and cultural backgrounds, that given an openness to other life styles, intelligent curiosity and a capacity for kindness we can connect with and support each other .
Kol haKavod. Keep going! And sharing with us less adventurous folk. xxx
Dear Jeff and Sylvia,
Thank you as ever for such a balanced and nuanced blog of your adventures. It’s shocking to experience blind hatred and I’m glad you took steps to distance yourself when it was clear that change /education was not going to be forthcoming. I loved hearing about your island hopping, so that is a true bonus that we wouldn’t have had had you stayed – thank you! Phil and I were in Turkey a few weeks back hiking park of the Lycian way, so you may have seen us looking back at you across the sea! We to were humbled by the true hospitality of those we met and stayed with en route; can’t wait to explore more. Stay safe and stay positive – there is more good than not out there xx
Loved hearing from you and following your adventures! Unfortunately, reality came knocking this time around. This appears to be the state of the world we currently live in. What a shame! Hope your next gig will be more suitable, enjoyable and appreciated. Stay safe.