November 2018
The story begins in 2018, when the pipe dream of an Aegean home began to assume a bit of form as a late autumn trip to Tunisia and Israel offered the opportunity to spend a few days in Greece at a time of year when it wasn’t seething with tourists and heat. The nexus of the idea was to find an island which looked out on the Aegean yet was as close as possible to Athens, perhaps to be able to straddle the feelings of remoteness of both time and space with the energy of an ancient/reviving city. It seemed necessary to overlook the Aegean and be disconnected from the mainland, for that feeling of looking across the Mediterranean to the rest of the world and also back through millennia of time. At the same time, we wanted Athens to feel nearby, both because we have always known it and enjoyed it but also, it has been undergoing a renaissance of a sort, straddling history as well as the west and the east, as it always has been. The creative and youthful energy in Athens of recent years is palpable, while also seeing a revival in remembering its history and culture. Not to mention, the shopping and entertainment is great.
Thus the trip became an opportunity to visit the Aegean island closest to Athens, Kea, or Tzia. In searching for a rental, we came across a traditional stone farmhouse that had been modestly and authentically restored….far too modestly and authentically as some of us eventually commented. Undeniably beautifully designed and restored by the architect, though admittedly perhaps a tad too authentic a restoration of a 200 year old remote island farmhouse to suit all tastes. However, happening upon the owner’s website brought us to the architect who, after we reached out to him in Athens, offered us the keys to the house, which belonged to his friends. The excursion to visit the house crystallized several ideas and aspirations in our minds. Firstly, though the drive was adventurous and scenic, perhaps such a lumpy road would wane in attractiveness over time? The remoteness was appealing and the views lovely, but perhaps the inconvenience of the location would also become tedious? On the other hand, there were a couple of neighbours on adjacent plots and little chapel that added charm. The house itself was indeed beautifully restored, with clever subtly modern interpretations of authentic details; but the rooms were low (shorter ancestors?) and the windows were tiny and the overall effect was cave-like and cozy. Or, as one of us described it, a bit too Hobbit-like. Fair point, we could not see large clan gatherings of the kind we hoped for, not unless we sat two people in each room. The success of this trip was finding and connecting with the architect, who we eventually continued with on our Paleopolis house journey.
We met a few folks, made some connections and learned quite a bit. Kea in general seems to be a mix of quiet rural hamlets, with scattered holiday homes and one built up holiday area we knew we would avoid (Koundouros). Koundouros is very popular with Athenians and Europeans alike, above average in poshness, nice beaches, villas close together, a resort-like feeling and, least appealing of all perhaps, views of Athens skyline. The loveliest areas were on the east side, gazing toward the Aegean and into the centre of the Cycladic group, scattered on decidedly un-Cycladic green slopes, all rather remote which is a mixed blessing perhaps. We tracked down a local engineer/builder, who had been building houses on Kea for decades, above average quality and good taste (not to be taken for granted in Greece.) We met a friendly Albanian builder and his family, who connected us with a couple of home owners and visited a couple of houses. All the folks we met, from varying walks of life, were friendly, welcoming, down to earth. Good signs, good start.
The few short days on Kea left a positive impression, the scenery was green and beautiful, the people were friendly, the Aeagen views from the south and east sides of the island were awe-inspiring. For a small island, there was much to explore and it was reasonably well connected to others. We were amply warned of, and almost experienced, the threat of ferry shut downs due to the high Aegean winds. We found a few places open, a handful of cafes and tavernas, borderline too quiet, but not dead. The connection to Lavrio port on the mainland avoided the congestion of Pireaus and the town offered a staging site for shopping and spending a night if need be. We liked the wintery feel, burning firewood in the fireplace, walking country side without sweltering heat. Was it too quiet? Maybe? Kea had promise, and we decided we’d have to return with more of the family in tow.
