The Sunday Getaway - 23 06 2023 - Happy Places

I remember the days of summer when I was a child and this old white truck that would pass by every morning and honk , so that patrons from the nearby residences would come out. It stacked bread, cheese and all sorts of breakfast goodies in its tiny makeshift compartments. We would queue up patiently outside its sliding door, ready to collect our Sunday cheese pie and a bottle of chocolate milk to go with it. No phones, no noise and certainly none of the angst of the busy city.

And then at times there were other merchants passing through the pathways of the settlement we lived in. The old man, with a sunburnt face and wrinkles in his face, would make an appearance in his white apron every now and then, carrying sugar coated donuts on a big tray. I still remember him shouting “loukoumas” from the top of his lungs, as all of the children would burst out in the streets at once.?

Today marks the first official summer Sunday of the year with everyone flocking to the islands for a long weekend getaway. And while there’s certainly enough visitors in Tinos, it’s soothing to know that you can still avoid the crowds with little effort in this blessed island.?

It’s Sunday morning as I walk through Arnados village for a quick coffee at the main square. There’s a tall tree by the church with a few tables outside and a view to the sea, east towards Mykonos. It’s still early in the day but I’m sure later on it won’t be much different. You see with more than 50 villages around the island, it’s a blessing not to stumble upon familiar faces when you most need to.

On an impromptu drink at a friend's gallery, we start chatting about how investments and a 5-star crowd change the vibe of the island. And it's true that in most cases, wherever you amp volume, the quality drops. So amidst the flocking of tourists and the outlets?serving?ceviche that pop-up like mushrooms, it's comforting to find solace in the more traditional places. The ones that still tend to local cuisine, customs?and memories of the past. Memories that ring loud and clear to your heart when met again.

If you're also in Tinos (or anywhere on the Aegean) this weekend and are also trying to find solace in those happy places, give us a shout.

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