Thor and I tiptoed around the mountain village of Komiaki on Naxos, encountering not a soul and wondering if it was inhabited only by gardening ghosts.
NOTE: Since our recent trip to Greece to research more settings for my novel-in-progress, THE ARIADNE DISCONNECT, Thor and I knew we had to return to this magical region. My first entry in this new blog series posted here on Saturday, 10/20/2018. It gives an overview of our rambles from Athens to seven islands in the Dodecanese and Cyclades groups, ending our ferry-hopping pilgrimage on the anciently sacred island of Delos.
If you’re following our weekly reports, you’ll recall that last week we drove many hairpin turns from the fishing village of Apollon on the “Sea of Icarus” to the highest village on the island. Komiaki (sometimes called Koronida) was literally in the clouds on that cool, blustery day.
The ancient village of Komi, inhabited for thousands of years, evolved into Komiaki, the name mentioned in a Medieval manuscript from 1537. It’s home to a Mycenaean domed tomb of a ruler from around 1300 BC.
After crawling into the musty rock chamber, Thor and I began to wonder if we had passed through some kind of bewitching chamber. As we wandered the narrow, cobbled labyrinth of the village, we encountered not a single soul.
Hackles rising, we wondered if we or the inhabitants had been whisked away to another realm, leaving only ghosts who clearly loved to tend the many potted flowers and vines.
The central church was clearly well-tended and attended.
The bronze visage of a priest from around 1800 was the only one watching over the church that day.
I especially admired this venerable plane tree in one of the cobbled courtyards.
If not ghosts, then someone was taking great care with the potted gardens.
Rounding a corner, we thought we caught a glimpse of a man’s back, leading a laden mule. (No room for roads here.) But by the time we caught up, the only creature stirring was the waiting mule.
In the mist-shrouded hush, we made our way back through the labyrinth. Still no sign of anyone.
We were relieved not to be trapped forever in the eerie spell — and to find our way back to our car still waiting for us! We were a bit disappointed that we didn’t find a taverna where we could sample the Kitro liqueur first made here 200 years ago from citrus leaves…. But, perhaps like Persephone’s pomegranate seeds, a sip might have trapped us here with the ghosts.
As we emerged onto the road, the sun broke out to light the way toward the next steep village with its terraces of olive and citrus trees. We decided to follow the light.
Next week: We’ll finish our tour of the Naxos museum.
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You will find The Rambling Writer’s blog posts here every Saturday. Sara’s latest novel from Book View Cafe is available in print and ebook: The Ariadne Connection. It’s a near-future thriller set in the Greek islands. “Technology triggers a deadly new plague. Can a healer find the cure?” The novel has received the Chanticleer Global Thriller Grand Prize and the Cygnus Award for Speculative Fiction. Sara has recently returned from another research trip in Greece and is back at work on the sequel, The Ariadne Disconnect. Sign up for her quarterly email newsletter at www.sarastamey.com
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