Today was another great day to experience the Ikarian way of life. After enjoying breakfast that included eggs, yogurt and homemade preserves, we headed to the House of Honey to learn more about beekeeping in Ikaria. While on the way there we stopped at a village to try some of the local tea. The coffee shop was is a gathering place for some of the local men to have some coffee, socialize, and play board games. At the House of Honey, the beekeeper taught us about the history of beekeeping on the island and the honey making process. We tasted two varieties of honey. Each had a distinct flavor since it was collected during different seasons on the island. The honey was very good but tasted much different than honey that you would buy from a store in the United States.
After visiting the House of Honey, we headed further up the mountain to the village of Rahes, where we enjoyed some free time to look around their shops and eat. Many of the stores appeared to sell mostly locally produced products, though there were certain types of clothing and magazines that were very similar those in America (but in Greek). For lunch we had Greek pizza, which is similar to American, and included tomato sauce, cheese, peppers, bacon, and ham. There was no menu—just one type of pizza. This also appeared to be a popular gathering location for the young people in the area.
Next, we went further up the mountain to Afianes Winery, which is in the village of Profitis Ilias. We learned about the history of wine making in Ikaria and how it is done today on a tour given by the son of the proprietor. The oldest grape that they have in Ikaria is the Fokiano grape. Ikaria’s terrain produces a high acidity in the wine which increases the amount of anti-oxidants in the wine. This helps heart health, blood circulation, and the digestive system. They believe this has contributed to the longevity of the Ikarians. He also showed us the stone presses that they use to extract the juice from the grapes as well as the barrels and stones used for fermentation. Also on the winery property is an old home that was used to hide from pirates hundreds of years ago. Of course, we couldn’t leave before enjoying a tasting of their wines!
As we ended our day over a dinner of fish, greens with cabbage, homemade bread, pork and split pea spread, we were joined by a pharmacist from a nearby village, who we stopped in to visit earlier in the day. Many interesting things emerged from our conversation. First, there are a total of eight pharmacists on the entire island. Second, healthcare in Greece is much cheaper than in other parts of the world. Medication here can be as much as six times less expensive than in other parts of Europe. Third, although many people on the island smoke, they still have very low rates of lung cancer. They say that this may be due to the Ikarian lifestyle, smokers’ ability to smoke in moderation, and the fact that many people aged 50 and older are able to quit smoking. It has been very informative and interesting to learn from our medical guests these last two days.
Tomorrow…festival!!!
– Demarcus Sneed
Another full day judging by this blog. It is nice that the people there are so willing to share the way they live. Eight pharmacists? Are there any doctors? From the blog it appears that a doctor is not often needed.