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              Florence Chen
              Joshan Yao
              Kevin Kuai
              Lily Tan

 
 
 Notes From The Heart
 
Krinos - A Jewel Tucked Away on the Greek Island of Andros
by Lilly Cheng

Andros, an island where beautiful beaches and fantastic scenery abound, has a population of 8,000 and is the second largest island in the Greek Cyclades. 

A forty-minute drive across the island took us to the quaint little ancient town of Hora, where one old road led all the way to the end of the peninsula.  The best way to explore the town was on foot.  Nearby we found an archeological museum where a stunningly magnificent marble sculpture of Hermes stood. 

Strolling along the small paths behind the museum, we found a hotel named Krinos.  The beauty of the exterior drew us into the inviting foyer of the hotel.  The owners of the hotel, Vasilis, an architect, and his wife, Alexandra, an archeologist, shared with us the fantastic history of this hotel. 

The island of Andros was known for its silk industry in the past, and the hotel used to be a silk factory.  Unfortunately, a disease hit the island's mulberry trees and destroyed the flourishing silk industry.  The factory became temporary barracks during the German-Italian occupation of the island, housing soldiers in exile.

After World War II, the building was bought and turned into a luxury hotel by a Greek business man, who made his fortune in Egypt, and his business partner.  The hotel was later passed on to the heirs of these two men.  Eventually the old roof collapsed and the hotel was in ruins.  Vasilis and Alexandra came to the island with the dream of  buying this property and restoring it.  It took them two years of negotiation to purchase the property, and the two painstakingly turned their dream into reality. 

They found amidst the ruins the wood pillars used to dry silks and the living quarters of the silk workers.  Brick by brick, tile by tile, this young couple transformed the ruins into a beautiful hotel, giving each suite a special name.  Thus, Krinos stood in the warm air of the Mediterranean seas, listening to the sounds of the soft waves, under the deep blue Greek sky.  We sipped the orange liquor mixed by Vasilis and listened to Alexandra tell the whole story.  They showed us pictures of the old building, and a silver tray once used in the old hotel, slowly taking us back in time.  After the last guest left, Vasilis showed us all the suites and of course he had a favorite. We couldn’t help but fall in love with Krinos and its owners.  Standing on the patio, looking out into the deep sea and enveloped by the sound of the waves, we enjoyed a moment of eternity. Time seemed to be standing still.  If the walls could talk, they must have many stories to tell.  I secretly hoped that this jewel tucked away on the Greek island of Andros would not be discovered by too many people, and I promised myself that I would return. 

On our last night, we were shown a small road behind the hotel leading to a wooded area where we saw magnificent houses hidden in the woods, houses so unique and full of grandeur that each was like a work of art.  We found a small inn overlooking the village and the ocean and enjoyed local wines and cuisine.  The evening was lovely and marked a perfect end to our journey filled with memorable stories and delightful villagers.

Photo / Lilly Cheng

2010/10/29
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