Category: Feature

The Greek islands were a monolithic block. Little did I know or appreciate the vast diversity of these spectacular places. So when the opportunity was presented to join Magnum photographer Enri Canaj to join on a week long excursion to at least three of the islands, I jumped into it. There was no Santorini or Mykonos in the list – the two islands that seemed to be where every tourist goes to. But I trusted that where we were going would be gems in their own right. All of these islands have their own character, history, and landscapes. What is common is they all offer a breathtaking blend of picturesque landscapes, charming villages, and rich cultural heritage, that dates back centuries. While the past is evident, what is striking is the present. And the real treat is to step away from the touristy areas and get closer to the local way of life. Blending and charting places that are off the beaten track provides a unique perspective that is captivating and enticing at the same time. Tinos, Syros, and Naxos are three Cycladic gems.

I began our week in Tinos, the northernmost island in the Cyclades. I took a Ferry from the Rafina port in Athens early in the morning. After a 3.5 hour express ferry ride that took through the lovely Aegean Sea, I arrived around mid morning in Tinos. One of the attractions of this week was to stay in simple lodges and guest houses, that had all the basic amenities but kept us grounded in the place. The windows were left open to allow the fresh Aegean air. I started meeting my fellow workshop companions and very soon was out to explore the main attraction of Tinos, the renowned Panagia Evangelistria, a Greek Orthodox Church that draws pilgrims from across the country. The church is quite interesting. It is about kilometer from the port and straight uphill road leads to its gate. Many people who hold their vows are seen to crawl and go through the pain to reach the gates of the church. Depending on the pain want to take, some make it as difficult both in how long and how restricted they want their movement to be. I was told that there are many childless couple who have got their wish for their child fulfilled – and so it is a also a popular place for baptism – and I was lucky to see such a ceremony. The first encounter which has the commercial setups near the port is the the town of Chora. One cannot miss the typical Cycladic architecture with its narrow alleys, whitewashed houses, with blue doors and windows and charming squares. Our photo excursion began with driving through quaint towns and exploring the town of Pyros, which has a long standing marble sculpting culture. There a many marble quarries nearby and driving off-road to some of these quarries were a real treat of color and landscapes bordered with the distant shoreline and blue sea. Running through the full cycle of the marble from the quarry to the sculpting, including the school where young aspiring artists were trained was a spectacular experience. People were extremely friendly and welcomed with open hearts to be photographed and sharing their life. Tinos has lovely beaches Kolymbithra and Agios Fokas, but I stuck to exploring the villages such as, Votox and the old citadel on top of the hill. It is remarkable how over the centuries from Romans to Ottomans, that the stones along the hills were arranged. I am still in awe of the scale of work that has gone in. Tinos gave a perfect ensemble of Greek life that culminated in one of the most delicious meals that I had in company of my friends from the workshop, thanks to Enri, who took a few of us to Greek family run small restaurant for a home-cooked meal inside a small village – a meal to be remembered for a long long time. Tinos was clearly a hidden gem, an island that is still outside the radar of the usual tourist and maintains a true character.

After a couple of days in Tinos, we took the ferry to Syros, the capital of the Cyclades. Syros could not have been more different. Only half an hour from Tinos, it offers a unique blend of history, culture, and cosmopolitan ambiance. The town of Ermoupoli, known for its neoclassical architecture, stands as a vibrant cultural hub. It has a long heritage of shipbuilding and large yard stands majestic as the ferry pulls into the port. The alleys reminds me of old Roman towns – like villages in Tuscany – even the colors of the houses. There were may abandoned houses that I was told remains in dispute – so the dereliction was apparent. There are larger squares like the Miaouli Square and Freedom Square, with an impressive Town Hall. The Apollo Theater, a miniature replica of La Scala in Milan, hosts various performances throughout the year. There is some activity and many trendy bars and shops. The sharp contrast from Tinos took me by surprise that I was struggling to make good pictures. The first I was a bit lost photographically, but the experience of the place was quite stunning. The next day, I ventured to take a taxi to take me to Ano Syros. The lady driver refused saying there is no one there. How can there be no one there in a village? So she took me around to the other part of the island and after driving through some of stellar beaches like Galissas and Azolimnos and the area where the wealthy once had large mansions that still stand today, she dropped me at Kini beach for lunch. It was a delicious meal sitting right at the edge of the water. Later around 5 pm, she dropped me to Ano Syros. I have not seen anything like this. It is an old town, but it is all in narrow alleys and steps that take you down from the hill. I walked down taking a break in a bar, with breathtaking views of the the island. The village has so access other through donkeys. Even mail is delivered using donkeys.

After two days in Syros, we took a late night ferry to Naxos, the largest island in the Cyclades. Naxos again could not have been more different. On the way from the port to our small quaint hotel, there were bars and nightlife. There were more tourists – a lot of them were high school and college Americans. Perhaps, a cheaper option to Mykonos or Santorini. Naxos had a range of attractions. Right near the port, there is Portara, a massive marble gate, welcomes visitors to the island. We drove through Kinidaros, where a group of old men bantering and sharing colorful stories entertained us. The highlight was the picturesque villages of Apiranthos, which provides two contrasting aspects of life. Early in the morning, it is traditional and one can get a glimpse of Greek life, and then around mid day throngs of tourist pour in and the place changes to a busy affair. Naxos clearly shows that in a few years, will become more touristy as Mykonos and Santorini gets runover with tourism.

All these islands bring to life the character of Cycladic life. The local cuisine and the atmosphere is absolutely enchanting. Tinos captivates with its religious significance and traditional charm, while Syros combines history with a cosmopolitan atmosphere. Naxos, with its historical landmarks and stunning beaches, offers a well-rounded island experience. It was an unforgettable journey and Tinos, Syros, and Naxos encapsulates the magic of the Cyclades. I will long to visit again to relive this experience and seek out new ones.

South Africa is a very interesting country. It is complex. It is a sensory delight. It hits the stomach, the head and the heart at the same time. My first visit to this lovely country was in 2017-2018. During the first visit to a new place, the eye is drawn towards many things. Urban landscapes, art, architecture, the day to day theater of people carrying out their lives, the food, the color, the style, and the atmosphere. But rarely has natural beauty captivated me immediately in a way it did in South Africa. Perhaps it is because the pristine unspoilt beauty is hard to find these days in my itinerary. Here, in SA for the next few weeks – I would soak in the calm, quiet, and the joy of slow. My travels are always on the go – one thing after the other and the call to get to the next stop usually creates an urge to hurry. South Africa was indeed one of those places where I was forced to slow down. It also forced me to wonder how over the years I have lost this instinct to slow down and stretch the time. The constant push to use time efficiently and then cram as much as possible has become second nature that a break in this rhythm creates anxiety. But to bring in anxiety into a holiday can create all sorts of issues. While it may provide an illusion that a lot got covered during the holiday, what sticks in the mind after you have left that place may not be much to reflect upon. Sensory and and mental overload becomes easy come and easy go with things taken in and then forgotten in a hurry. Nothing registers, nothing remains to relive and savor the experience long after. Going deeper and taking the time to experientially internalize may sound banal in the moment but is quite rewarding later. And I was able to do a bit of that in South Africa. So even after a year when I write this – I can cherish the days I spent there.

With this backdrop it took a while for me to adjust to South Africa once I landed. My start of the visit was spent in a couple of excursions along the coast. I was still in a tour and done mood – so I was not ready for the what came and by the time I could appreciate the beauty that was thrown at me – the day was over. It was only later I looked at the pictures that I would appreciate the lovely coastline of Hout Bay, Cape Peninsula and colored beach houses in Muizenberg in a vicarious way. And I began to really like the place.

My experience shifted from as I moved from the spectacular landscapes to the lovely vineyards that tingled my tastebuds. The scenery across Constantia and Stellenbosch was stellar. The wineries themselves were quite unique and unlike the ones I have been in Napa, France, Italy and Chile. New world wines are interesting and are becoming more popular. South African wines (like the Pier 1642) are quite extraordinary. I was particularly taken into the South African popular grape called the Pinotage which is a bit between merlot and cabernet saughvion. The wineries themselves are set up with mini zoos, large gardens, and ponds that carry an enormous variety of flora and fauna – not to forget the ubiquitous Proteas, the national flower. The other thing that struck me was how friendly they were for the kids. There was grape juice served in wine glasses for the kiddies that gave them a momentary pride of an adult experience.

What makes South Africa really interesting is not just the natural view that presents to the visible but also whats invisible; complex web of things and abstractions that are created by the people who live there. There is an undercurrent of tension wherever you go. On the very first day, I was warned against walking alone in streets that are deserted; from pickpockets to car-jackers are quite common. In fact, the stories of crime in Johannesburg (and more recently in Cape Town) travel farther and fast, and they do keep a chill in the back of the mind wherever you go. So no surprise that in the first 24 hours – all you do is to scout the place. How people are walking, where the nicely dressed go, how they withdraw money from the ATMs, etc. Jo’berg was a league of its own and I would be very careful to venture out by myself. When people don’t stop at red lights for safety reasons, you know there is a problem. But beyond the lingering exercise of caution – the foreground of the warmth, friendliness and hospitality overshadows almost all the other shortcomings. So despite all the oddities – South Africa gave me a wonderful experience.

My visit also coincided with the pivotal moment in South African politics. Zuma who has been the president has been mired in corruption charges and during the ANC conference that coincided with my stay – was replaced by Ramaphosa. Also there was a development on laws related confiscation of property held by former whites – in a Zimbabwe-esque fashion. The cafes and pubs had lots of discussion around that which was quite intriguing. On one case listening to a group of classy and educated black folks – it was interesting to hear them discuss how damaging that might be to fabric of the nation. When I carefully examined the group – I did find there were all shades of black from brown to black in that group. After that revelaton – it almost came naturally to me to appreciate how mixed the people are. The words of Mandela and “rainbow nation” started to really make sense.

The way land has historically been distributed or confiscated and controlled is quite appalling. I grew up in India where land reforms were already underway and no one person had such enormous horizon to horizon control of owned land – more so, at the cost of the peasants who tilled and lived in perpetual servitude. Yet that problem is still imminent in a place like Cape Town and the history of the area around Rhodes drive and the University is quite extraordinary. Cape Town is a laid back town. If the word “idle rich” has any meaning in the 21st century this is where it is. On a weekday – people are playing golf, strolling the book stores or spending time in the apiary. I tried to slow down as well – and tried to spend my time with two books – Apartheid, Guns and Money by Hennie van Vuuren and much anticipated – Mandela’s “The long walk to freedom”. Both are excellent and worth re-reading.

Learning about South Africa through these books also served me the context to go and visit the Robben Island. Visiting a place like Robben island is greatly short-changed if it is taken just like another visit to a historical place. The moment you arrive at the island and get off the ferry and look back at the mainland – you wonder what the prisoners felt like. The mainland is faded in the clouds and fog that envelops the table mountain. You know that you are an outcast, a pariah – severed from the main body. The bus takes you along the roads and the guide provides a rundown of how the island once a leper colony and afterwards was used for criminals and finally political prisoners. The history is not that old. It is in my lifetime that the photographs the are exhibited on the walls were taken. The 80s and 90s, when I was a school boy trying to find my place in the world, people here were imprisoned for their beliefs and convictions in pretty hard conditions. The spirit of sacrifice and tolerance for physical hardship in light of the pseudo-activists today is unfathomable. As you walk through the cells, listen to the narrative that the guide provides, and imagine what it was like here, I can’t help but feel humbled and awed by the resilience, single-mindedness and discipline of the human spirit. To come close to the environment that pushed those boundaries and knowing that the human spirit endeavored and finally conquered – is uplifting in many ways. Whether such a spirit stems from ego or pride or even a higher calling, it is extraordinary to witness how people here went against their grain of impulse, immediate gratification, and even practical well-being in pursuit of abstract notions of freedom and human dignity. Reading Mandela’s book explains a lot – at some level how pragmatic his stand on forgiveness and unity was. Something which is fading day by day in today’s South Africa.

As I headed back to the mainland and to the freshness of Cape Town, the wine, the people, the color and on my way to the raw beauty of Johannesburg, it all left me with the same curiosity and more questions. What if this country could live upto its potential? What it would be like if it followed the Mandela doctrine and worked beyond nepotism, corruption, and fractious politics. For me, this was the first real colony I visited after India. South Africa has its own culture and just like any other colony has a complex relationship with the colonizers. I wait until my next visit in earnest to find out how this country evolves. Will it spiral towards to chaos like many other former colonies or will emerge as a country of hope and prosperity. I wish to see the latter.