Day 14: Volax & Pyrgos Village Tour
Thursday, August 7th
We are fortunate to bring you two blog posts today. The first comes from Brennan in Ms. Amelio’s English class.
The steel cheetah of the sea cut through the water, leaving monstrous waves in its wake that came crashing to shore, chasing us down. We watched in pure ecstasy as the waves got closer. I felt the happiness of the ocean, and when the first wave finally bore down on us in all its mighty, inescapable force, I closed my eyes.
That time spent at the ocean was a far cry from the way the day had started, in the peaceful mountain town of Volax. The wind whistled through the quaint village, tunneling its way between the whitewashed buildings and cobbled pathways. There were no car horns or scooters; all was quiet, with only the morning songs of cheerful birds. All else was frozen in time. People were relaxed, and the local animals seemed undisturbed and comfortable. This was a village like no other: it was calm and still, as if it had been abandoned many years ago, left to be taken over by wildlife. Just like the town, our minds slowed, and we were left to do simple work, such as reading, as our worries vanished.
However, we had to move on. Once we took it all in, we boarded the bus and journeyed to the next destination of our adventure: the great marble village of Pyrgos. The long, winding road there was treacherous, scaling mountainsides that overlooked the vast, glistening Aegean Sea, an endless sheet of blue dotted with islands. Surrounding us were strange rocks that could have been found on Mars, monstrous, round, and smooth boulders. Our ancient civilization teacher explained that this wild terrain can only be found in two places in the world: in Mexico, where the speckled landscape is called Piedra Bola, and here, in Tinos, where locals call it Volakes, which inspired the name of the village. He told us that, according to myth, years ago the Olympians fought the Titans, and boulders rained down on this land. On the flip side, geologists theorized that the sea eroded these rocks over time. Obviously, I know which theory I like best, and that’s the one I chose to believe, as he let us have our pick.
Once we arrived in Pyrgos, we had time to ourselves, dedicated to our schoolwork and exploring the village. It was much more lively than the last, and we found ourselves wandering into the center square, scattered with small cafes and restaurants. All were arranged around a great ancient plane tree, as tall as a crane and as old as the Greek gods themselves, in all its glory. We enjoyed our lunch and then had some time to marvel at the marble statues and pathways, including the fountain in the square, which consisted of common Greek architecture with Doric pillars. Masters of the marble craft come from Tinos and are famous across the nation and around the world, with marble from Tinos in parts of the Louvre and even the Palace of Versailles.
Our time in Pyrgos came to an end, and so we boarded the bus and made our way back to the hotel. On the long journey across the island, we couldn’t wait for the next big thrill in store for the day. We took it upon ourselves to find the ferry arrival times heading from Mykonos to Tinos, specifically for the high-speed catamaran, also known as “The Vomit Comet.” We weren’t planning to get on this beautiful boat; our goal was a lot simpler but way crazier. We walked to the beach, filled with anticipation. I could feel the buzz of energy in my skin and in the air. I knew this was going to be awesome.
The five of us sat there in the water, shielding our faces from the whipping winds carrying little needles of sand into our skin, just waiting for a glimpse of the beast. As hope was dwindling and smiles were fading, that’s when we saw the signature red and blue designs coming over the horizon, and so it began. Although this time was short-lived, it was awesome to say the least. The waves eventually died down, and this part of the adventure ended naturally due to Mother Nature.
To wrap up the day, after a mouth-watering, savory dinner of pork and potatoes, we hit the town. As the streetlights came on and the sun’s glow faded away, the town came alive with shopping, eating, and playing. The hum of pure joy could be felt and heard in the air throughout, with children’s laughter and people’s cheerful banter. The delicious and familiar taste of a gyro was a welcoming touch to the night. This was what we had been looking for, the perfect balance between the fast and slow in life. The city of Tinos tied our day together and made me realize that to truly take advantage of our everyday lives, we need to enjoy the high-energy, joyful, and ecstatic vibes that come our way. On the flip side, we need to slow down, relax, and appreciate the peace and quiet. Especially on a program like this, where it’s just going and going, trying to soak in every moment of fun, we need to take a step back and just stay calm. It’s so important in life to take that time, and even though it may not seem as fun or you might fear you are missing out, it’s critical to slow down the pace of life, even just for a little bit, to recharge and avoid burnout. Our lives are a lot like the ocean, with hectic and raging tides, high tempo, and raised tensions. However, if you go to the right spot, find the right place where the water has calmed down, we can see just how peaceful it can be, given the time to relax and slow down. The pace of the ocean affects the world just as much as our pace of life affects our mental state. As the day ended, we lay in our beds, and the ultimate slowdown arrived, the time of day when we are so relaxed that the world seems to stop, and the onset of sleep overcame our weary minds.
Our second post is brought to you by Thomas in Ms. Hrvatin’s class.
The day began with a short bus ride to visit our first stop, Volax, which had a very unique landscape. As far as the eye could see, there were large boulders, called volakes – it truly looked like Mars on Earth. Volax, the very small town tucked behind the hills of Tinos, was definitely a highlight as we got to climb the massive boulders and take pictures with some of the other grade 12 students in photography class. I spoke with Simon who said his favourite part of the day was, “Getting to see this ancient town, and going with the fellas to take a bunch of nice photos and climb the boulders to sight see.” As we continued to explore, the boulders seemed to be whispering stories from ancient times as we climbed them. The odd shapes and sizes brought out a dreamlike landscape. It was amazing to experience a landscape like that because only Volax and Mexico have the boulder formation, which we learned was probably formed from volcanic explosions.
My next interview was with Calleigh, from the Ancient Civilizations class, and she said, “it was an experience you only get to see once in a lifetime, and it was cool to see how the locals can make a society in such a small town that’s isolated from everywhere else.” Volax is very tiny, just a handful of white houses and some cats, but no supermarket to buy all the necessities one needs. It seems like a tight-knit community, where everyone knows each other by name. This self-sufficiency was something I’d never witnessed before, and it showed me that we don’t need a large economy or sprawling city to live a meaningful life. It opened my eyes to show me isolation and a small community can bring peace to your soul and life.
In Pyrgos, we explored the town under the beaming sun with a morning breeze, after savoring a golden french toast drizzled with honey and topped with berries. Sitting under an umbrella while the rest of the guys enjoy the scenic area, we tasted local flavours that lingered on our tongues. The town, all white with many marble structures, mesmerised our cameras with pure beauty.
I’ve travelled to many countries in Europe such as Croatia, Italy, and Portugal, but none quite compare to the viewing spots and sightseeing in Greece. Adrenaline fills my body as we walk down the narrow alleyways looking at all the handcrafted souvenirs we consider buying. I get two very nice bracelets that will remind me of this program every time I look at my wrist.
Walking through these Venetian inspired streets, I couldn’t help but think what life would be like here in the 16th century. The beautiful church stands tall compared to the other buildings and intrigued us. The bells chiming and people walking toward the doors, it couldn’t be missed. As we step inside we are welcomed by an old woody scent that reminds me of my grandmother’s house. We take a seat right outside the church on a quiet bench where we take some time to do our class work and read our novels in peace. Though reading is not my favourite pastime, the scenery and wind made it easy to embrace.
I also had the opportunity to talk to a few people in the other classes and one of them said they found exploring the various towns such a cool cultural experience. To be specific Will said, “I enjoyed the old ladies who let me in the stores, touching all the cool treasures and petting the cats.”
Cats, as you’ve seen in previous blog posts, represent a huge part of the culture in Greece. You see them at almost every turn, and locals often leave bowls of food or water for them, demonstrating just how much they are part of the community. The cats are very laid back and are in harmony with the people, showing how integral they are to Greeks and tourists alike.
After visiting these small towns, we headed back toward Aeolos hotel to finish our night with the classic buffet dinner. The meal felt like a reward after journeying through the towns all day and completing school work. The room was filled with a smoky aroma of lamb and herbs, and lemon scented rice that complemented the meal perfectly. As I took my first bite the savory taste of garlic and lemon danced on my tongue, a perfect ending to our Greek cultural day. The overall experience was phenomenal and I’m most grateful my parents allowed me the opportunity to experience this country with the best people and awesome culture. It will always be a moment I remember where time slowed down, and I savoured every moment.
Tomorrow, we say goodbye to Tinos and take the ferry to our next stop, Crete!
