"Love is a temporary madness, it erupts like volcanoes and then subsides. And when it subsides, you have to make a decision. You have to work out whether your roots have so entwined together that it is inconceivable that you should ever part. Because this is what love is. Love is not breathlessness, it is not excitement, it is not the promulgation of promises of eternal passion, it is not the desire to mate every second minute of the day, it is not lying awake at night imagining that he is kissing every cranny of your body. No, don’t blush, I am telling you some truths. That is just being “in love”, which any fool can do. Love itself is what is left over when being in love has burned away, and this is both an art and a fortunate accident."
— Dr. Iannis, Corelli’s Mandolini by Louis de Bernieres
"Greece is a home of the gods; they may have died but their presence still makes itself felt."
— The Colossus of Maroussi, Henry Miller
Every time I am asked to describe about my experience over here, I have to search through a tiny cabinet file in my brain for a new adjective to portray all of its charm — the honest and sweet locals, the most clear blue water and the whole atmosphere of it all that makes me feel like I am in paradise. Frankly, the journey to Hydra was not the most pleasant. Instead of resting, I had to take care of my friend who was dealing with some sort of complicated emotional turmoil as we were waiting for our boat to arrive, but the boat ride wasn’t too bad since I just slept through most of it. From the moment we landed, I was awestruck at its timeless beauty.
Protected from bribes to modernize the island, all of the antique charms still live to this day; the roads are made of shiny cobblestones, the little houses are painted with certain colors, their windows a certain size, mysterious and curvy alleyways make for a perfect adventure without feeling too lost, and donkeys and mules carry your luggage up the hills. It seemed as though time has just passed by this quaint island and it stuck in its ancient ways instead of adopting America’s efficient model like the rest of Athens. Here, people do things a certain way, although that may not always be efficient, for the sake of experiment.
Hydra is definitely a stark contrast to Glyfada. Glyfada is more of a suburban neighborhood with its own residential area, strip malls, restaurants (including America’s fine dining, such as KFC and McDonald’s), beaches, hotels, and even clubs. Hydra, on the other hand, is pure from all of the pseudo-places, places that are man made purely for enjoyment and attractions with the exceptions of souvenir shops and boutiques, and I could not be happier. Everywhere I turn, I feel like I am alive in a painting and no matter where I point and shoot with my camera, it’s always picture perfect. This island will always have a special place in my heart, and I think it’s safe to say, yes, there’s a chance that I’ve fallen quite hard over you.
