Trizonia

Trizonia, Greece--- The Island discribed as a small fishing hamlet is only a mile from Mainland Greece. A small ferry boat courier’s people and things on a regular schedule about 8 times a day. The island is about 2 miles in length and about ½ mile across (average) and very hilly. There are no personal cars but several industrial trucks, a tractor, one mule and a horse. Oh, and about a hundred cats. There are 4 Travernas/restaurants along a sweet tiny half circle bay facing mainland. Colorful tiny fishing boats are tied to this area. Just a block away is our safe harbor with more boats than you would think could fit. A regular "coming and going" of sailboats who duck in for a night’s safety, occurs like a scheduled event.

We have been here 9 days.

Enough time to repair all boat problems and get to know the island and some of the “locals.”

There’s Tony and Patricia, a retired couple who watch over boats year round for people who leave them here. Tony is a salty ex-ship captain who does mechanics for stranded yachters like us. He has more stories than one ouzo allows, so it’s taken several nights and I’m sure there could be many more. Patricia seems to be easy-going and talks on the side of her mouth, between long puffs on her cigarette, with either a wisecrack or additional information to Tony’s stories. Tony helped with our water pump problems.

Rinehard, the retired German systems electrical engineer (who I went to town for the alternator with), is full of information, opinions, and deep thoughts. He has led an interesting life. At 40 he was told by his doctor that he could “die in 5 years as a very rich man.” It was his wake up call to get off the jet-setting life and ease back, sail and see the world from a different angle. Living under his own terms, he loves to study people and does not hold back his opinions. He has a wonderful laugh and I found something endearing about him. Now, ready to really slow down, he has settled into life in Trizonia. If your boat’s problem has anything to do with electronics, he is the man to find on the Island. “He lives on the large catamaran just across from the two big boats that are Tony and Patricia’s”, we are told…but we find them all in a Taverna. Rinehard helped with our alternator/starter problems.

George (or Your-a-gos) is a Greek who spent 36 years in New Jersey. He told me his Great Grandfather cut down a tree and paddled across from the mainland to Trizonia and was the first inhabitant. He then was born on the island in his Mother’s house that we passed daily to get to the WI-FI café, all his relatives, he explained had houses here. In school every kid out of 50 were related except for 2 girls---made for huge competition. ”Either that or date a 2^nd cousin,” he said shaking his head.

Then there is Elias (Ill-lee-iss). Young, handsome, and speaks great English, he lives in Athens part of the year and comes to Trizonia during “season” to help his parents run their restaurant/Wi-Fi café: Poseidon. I wanted to call my friend Stacey one afternoon because when I walked up behind him on his computer I discovered HE was a Farmville addict too. He was really helpful to us during our stay.

There are 18 people left in Trizonia in December, I’m told. However residents account for about 250, but that really means people own houses here and their families use them to vacation in. Also during season there can be 300-400 visitors.

We have taken several hikes through the hilly island to see where any given path will lead. I’m really Thankful our path, for these few days in a lifetime, has led us to Trizonia.