Masticha

Masticha is the sap, or resin.  It is refreshing and vaguely piney.

Three days on Chios.  the first day reminded me of why it is much more pleasant to travel with students than on our own... making our own reservations for the boat on a website that doesn't work, getting ourselves down to Pireaus by public transport, getting tickets from gate E8 and then walking to gate E2 which is across (or around if you aren't a bird) the harbor... at least we had to buy a cabin for a daytime trip and ended up using it for a 3 hour nap.

Our cabin

As the boat opens, we get our first view of Chios

The second day reminded me of why I love Greece.  We are part of a "parea" that included my dear friend and her two boys, another family who are her friends, plus a brother with a car who was willing to take the day off to show us around when we couldn't rent a second car on our own.  We also got to see an island we've never visited, and with a fascinating history, including a 200 year occupation by the Genoese. Two beaches, two medieval (Genoese) walled villages, and some lovely company.  Chios is known for its Masticha, a tree sap that was used as chewing gum, and now has various culinary, medical, and cosmetic uses.  The trees grow only here, on the southern part of this island, and nowhere else in the world, though many have tried.  The architecture is unique because of the value of the masticha, and because of the 200 years of occupation by the Genoese.  The first village was Pirgi, famous for the incised decoration on the stucco.

It is everywhere, even on the undersides of balconies

Sun-dried tomatoes are also a big deal

Next to the central square

One of the many decorated churches

 The second village was Mesta, a medieval (Genoese) walled Masticha village.

The walls of the village are now used as houses.

The central square

Narrow winding stone streets

A hidden sitting yard

Chian tomatoes drying in the sun.