It takes about 45 minutes by boat to go from Tinos to Syros. The capital city of Ermoupolis was founded at the time of the revolution against Turkish rule in the early 19th century. The city is the centre of administration for all the Cyclades. The town extends from the port over two steeply towering hills, each of them with an imposing church on top. One is catholic the other orthodox. Symbol of the balance of power. On the flat side of the city, around the port which is protected by a natural bay, there are many, beautiful mansions, some of them renovated, others run down. Signs of an educated, prosperous middle class.
Today, Yorgos has organised the Jahressuppe at the place of his friends Christos and Fortis. After our arrival, we meet them both at a quayside restaurant for lunch. At the port a boat has anchored that is called "ship of fools". The owners are a theatre company from the Netherlands. They are going to present a play called "Iason" in the evening on deck, which will be converted into a stage. We decide to visit the play and to come to Christos and Fortis house for soup afterwards. The play presented by the fools of ship is an grandiose successful surprise. The tragedy of Iason and Medea has been transformed to a slapstick comedy in best Shakespearean tradition with coruscating humour and esprit.
Christos is a painter and teaches at the Academy of Syros. His house is a total work of art. It ranges over two storeys, and you can feel the breath of an aesthetical and intellectual will in every detail and all over, that does not only provide the pleasure of looking, but also well-being in every single place and corner.
We are accommodated in a guest room on the second floor. There is a small terrace with a magnificent view beyond the town's rooftops to the sea.
There is another cohabitant living here, namely Petrus, a short-hair dachshund with faithful dog eyes and a strenuous habit: Each time a person is left or entered the room, the dog needed to comment with a vociferous bark.
A traditional Juvarlakia is served for dinner which takes place at a beautifully set table under a life-sized portrait of Lenin. This is a creamy soup mixed with egg and soured with lemon with spicy meatballs floating therein. As starter we have salad and cheese strudel. For dessert a chocolate soufflé is served and the famous Syros Mastic Liqueur. We end the evening by discussing the soup, the arts and Fidel Castro way into the night.
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