How much aromas can fit on a piece of paper ? In what magical way should I manage to transfer you directly to Kampos, even if mentally ?
We found ourselves there immediately after landing at the airport of Chios, since the airstrip is almost inside the settlement with the wonderful citrus trees !
Getting there, we were immediately overwhelmed by a feast of aromas.. mandarin, orange, citrus & lemon trees “intoxicated” us with every rustle of the wind, reminding us of the blessed country we live in !
A walk among the old, stone mansions that are “drowning” between clusters of fruit trees is the most refreshing thing we have experienced lately.. And the guest houses of the settlement prepare the most delicious breakfasts or brunches with the best that their fertile land has to offer !
As for our group, we were really lucky to be accompanied by Mr. Vangelis, a native of this wonderful place & founder of the Citrus Museum. With the valuable information he shared with us, we were “transferred” to the years when citrus fruit exports were the Birthday or Christmas gifts from the parents to their children ! Handmade wooden boxes were carrying those “little treasures”, which were individually and very carefully wrapped in silkscreens ! And if this was not already enough.. the famous Chiot mandarins, for example, were considered such “noble fruits” that it was a big offence to turn them into spoon sweets, much more into jams !
Saying “goodbye” (with difficulty, I admit!) to Kampos, we moved further south towards the famous Mastic villages and this “artwork” called the Mastic Museum!
Then, Roula, the sweetest mastic producer, was there to introduce us to the charm of the small “transparent tears” that she so carefully collects along with her family !
The mastic of Chios, another treasure of this island & the process of collecting it is so “delicate”, but at the same time so exciting ! How much patience, attention & love for just a few precious drops ! The Mastic Museum (under the auspices of the Piraeus Bank Group) was built exclusively from natural materials of the Chios land. Undoubtedly, satisfies the visitor by offering him a complete picture about mastic & its use in the fields of Medicine, Cosmetology, Pharmacy and Gastronomy ! Special mention is made of the impact the mastic trade had and has on the local society & economy, but also in national level.
I left its beautiful villages for last.. what a rich hinterland this is ! Mesta, Pyrgi, Olympoi, Vessa, Anavatos, Pittyos, Avgonima, Vrontado and so many others.. Personally, I loved Mesta & let myself get lost in their labyrinthine narrows, while at the same time I admired the magnificence of the church of Taxiarches, in a baroque rhythm.. simply unique ! However, Pyrgi monopolizes most of the “sights” with its geometric, illusionary “scratches”, as the locals call them. A real “outdoor art park”, unique in Greece!
My most special mention… goes to the Monastery of Nea Moni (a UNESCO cultural heritage site) ! We felt like we entered a time capsule & were transferred somewhere between Byzantium & the Turkish occupation..
Ah, we spell Chios and we “mellow”.. as if we just ate the sweetest orange of our life and wiped ourselves with our hands, just like in the old times !
See the gallery
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