This text is part of the special Pleasures notebook
Dreaming of a destination for decades can lead to big disappointments. This is not the case with Hydra, in Greece, which has managed to preserve its essence. It’s easy to understand why Leonard Cohen, in the 1960s, fell in love with this car-free island where stories of pirates and sailors abound.
Early in the morning, the port of Hydra wakes up. Traders are busy near the “parking” of donkeys, which await the arrival of tourists under a large tarpaulin. Only a few vehicles are allowed to circulate around the island, including dumpsters. The transport of goods is done using wheelbarrows or carts pulled by humans or animals.
In the excellent NFB documentary Ladies and gentlemen…Mr Leonard Cohen, published in 1965, this jewel off the Saronic Gulf appears like a haven of peace where life flows gently. It is here that the artist bought, at the age of 26, a house for the sum of $1,500 — which he paid for with the inheritance he received from his grandmother — and where he scribbled the lyrics of Bird on a Wire, long before knowing glory. It was here, too, that his legendary love story with the Norwegian Marianne Ihlen was born.
To remember the spirit of those years, however, you have to stay away from the speakers that spew techno music in the trendy bars overlooking the sea. In these places well anchored in their time, it is better to be armed with earplugs ears to make one believe that one is indeed in the oasis described by Cohen. It is by climbing the steps of the maze of alleys that we find calm. Here, a lady sweeps the broom. There, a cat whose fur matches the color of the door of the house stretches lazily. Further on, a donkey carries a sofa, tied with ropes. We wonder how the rickety piece of furniture can hold on to the animal as it descends the stone staircase.
Hydra is not an island where you go to get lost. Its beauty lies in the poetry of everyday life. The bougainvillea that color the lime-painted facades. The delicate scent of Chinese pink hibiscus. Cats, dozens of cats, everywhere, who seem to rule the roost. Clichés that are no longer clichés from the moment we embrace them without restraint. Between the old men in suspenders and the tourists in sundresses, the shops filled with high-priced treasures and the more traditional stalls, we manage to find the space necessary to fully enjoy the tranquility of the place.
The greatest pleasure of Hydra remains that of getting lost in its stone passages. As we walk, we easily recognize Leonard Cohen’s house, which still belongs to his family, on the street that now bears his name. By going higher, we discover new points of view.
The art of (really) doing nothing
There are some attractions, such as the house of the shipowner and politician Lazaros Koundouriotis, which notably highlights the works of painters linked to the island. There is also the Hydra Historical Archives Museum and the exhibitions of the Deste Foundation for Contemporary Art, which can sometimes be confusing. Not having specific objectives nevertheless appears to be the greatest luxury in Hydra. Eat. Drink. Observe. Repeat.
If, in addition, you can leave your luggage in a place like the Miranda Hotel, where you occasionally meet the charming 86-year-old owner, you forget the whole idea of sightseeing. “I acquired this 1810 manor during a trip with my father, originally from Asia Minor,” she says. This place reminded him of his native place, Pergamon. We decided to buy it within an hour. » Decades later, she still climbs the steps that separate her from her haven of peace twice a day. The hotel has 14 rooms and a very intimate interior courtyard, where the hustle and bustle of the street seems far away. “I like Hydra because the island has preserved its traditional character and architecture,” says Elena Papastavrou, a regular guest at the hotel who became friends with the owner during her visits.
In the same way as her, many vacationers choose to stop time in Hydra each year as soon as the sunny days return, before the ferries pour out their streams of summer tourists. We promise to do like them, without planning anything. Experiencing the island is enough.
This trip was possible thanks to Air Transat and Discover Greece, who had no right to review this text.
This content was produced by the Special Publications team at Duty, relating to marketing. The writing of the Duty did not take part.