The Heart of Patmos

Had we not spotted the man who looked just like Nicola, the whole thing might not have happened at all. As we were driving back down the narrow road to the "larger" main road ahead, we stopped. Emily got out, and yelled across to who she thought was Nicola. The main made some arm motions, jumped out of his workshop, over a wall, across a field and up onto a small wall to introduce himself and shake hands with Emily. It turns out he's Nicola's neighbor – and likely also a relative, which is common on Patmos.

He assured us that Nicola was home and that if we didn't see Nicola, he was probably napping on the veranda. He advised us to turn around, go back to Nicola's place and look further. Meanwhile, he stood in the middle of the field and texted – likely alerting Nicola and/or his wife who sadly we refer to as Mrs. Nicola since we can never remember her name and after nine years are too embarrassed to ask.

Sure enough, this time when we returned, parked and Emily scouted the place, she found Mrs. Nicola, who alerted Nicola himself and I brought the kids out of the car to meet her. She welcomed us with hugs, kisses and adoration for the children before sitting us down on the veranda, bringing coffee, juice, and homemade desserts that she bakes daily and gives out to all her guests.

Emily and I first stayed at Nicola's Studios – which due to a lack of punctuation, we took to be Nicolas Studios – in in late August 2010 for four weeks. During that time, we got to know Nicola and his family well – including Mrs. Nicola who passed desserts up to our balcony and Anastasia their at-that-time five-year-old daughter who they doted on like a grandchild. Our encounters with Nicola and family included being snuck up on in town, being picked up for an unexpected ride and driven around Patmos getting the full tour with Nicola commentary and dinner with the family at their cousin's restaurant – among many other warm daily exchanges. When we left, Nicola took us to the ferry dock and told us to "come back with baby" – handing Emily a bottle of cheap local alcohol.

In 2014, we came back with a 15-month old and Nicola was very happy. We stayed for three weeks and Mrs. Nicola insisted on feeding Sennen yogurt with honey each morning. Although Sennen was used to using a spoon to feed himself yogurt, she would not have it and instead spoon fed him herself clapping and yelling "Bravo!" every time he took a bite. From this, he learned "Brabo!" which he used to congratulate himself and others from thence forth.

The family was of course happy to see we had brought yet a second child and was extraordinarily welcoming. Our family no longer fits Nicola's studio rooms anymore, and so we had to stay elsewhere. But visiting made our hearts hurt a little – because no one is as warm and kind as their family. Even Nicola's older sons, Yiannis and Thomas – 35 and 30 who now reside in Patmos full time again – came out to talk and visit. 

We learned that Anastasia, now 16 is a "big woman" – which was both a statement about her age, and a jab at her weight. She lives with her grandmother at the family's primary hone in the neighborhood where we currently stay. They live at the studios only for the summer tourist season. We also learned that Nicola's little project of having a few chickens, goats and rabbits has turned into a miniature farm with 150 chickens, several rabbits, a trip of goats and now he's rasing pigeons. 

"What do you do with the pigeons?" Emily asked.

"On spaghetti…" Nicola answered. We got the same answer about the rabbits. And when we saw several cages of parakeets, we didn't ask.

"What about the chickens? Do you eat them?"

"No, chickens we never eat. Sometimes the roosters. We make soup – Kokoras. But not the chickens. We eat eggs." Which apparently ran about 80- a day in the cool months.

The goats get milked – but not when they have babies to suckle as they currently do. The oldest, largest goat – Yiannis – was a favorite of both Sennen and Anastasia last time we here. Anastasia named two goats for her older brothers and went and hugged the goats every day.

But the bulk of our visit was spent visiting and enjoying the family's warm hospitality. They were very impressed that we had come for two months and could work online to do it. We got a "Bravo!" for it. When we left, Mrs Nicola gave Ailyn a big kiss and an "Agape Mou" (I love you) on the way out.

We had just come from a day at Agriolivaldi beach – a cove just behind Nicola's area – where we enjoyed calm, cool incredible colored water for the afternoon. The kids spent almost the entire time in the shallow, swimming pool calm water while Emily and I went in and out, also enjoying the lounge chairs and shade.When we needed a snack, the beach wait-staff from the adjacent restaurant happily brought it ti us. It was a very relaxing afternoon.

By the time we got to Nicola's it was about 5:30 and when we left an hour later, everyone was ready for dinner. So, we picked up Matheus and went to another old favorite – Leonidas Restaurant (which we refer to as Puppies because the family dog had just delivered a litter during our fist Patmos visit) on the hill overlooking Lampi Beach. Leonidas not only has one of the best views  - which in the evening involves a great sunset – but incredible food which includes the hands-down best tzatziki and tirokafteri (spicy feta) salad on Patmos. We  sat on the breezy terrace, watched the sun set over the hills and beach, and dined mostly on mezzes (dips and small bites typical to a Greek taverna) – which were all fantastic.

And of course, we capped the day with gelato – a Patmos tradition.

On the way back through the town square, we ran into Yiannis, who has a women's jewelry and fashion store there now. He invited us in and gave Ailyn a small bracelet that fit her properly as a present. 

Our first Saturday on the island was relaxed and in a way uneventful – as a Patmos day should be – but it was also filled with connection and reconnection that was so warm and meaningful. We look forward to more visit's with the Kamitsis family who are a big part of what made us fall in love with Patmos in the first place.