"Meraki" - A labour of love - to do something with passion, from the heart. The essence of yourself .
Some say we are brave, others crazy. All shake their heads in amazement, perhaps disbelief.
In November 2023 we arrived back in Plomari after sailing for a few months and we were welcomed with smiling faces and excitement. The season had been the best for years, the shops and tavernas has flourished, people were positive ……and we got thinking.
How about another house? This time with a sea view?
Our beautiful Philoxenia Secret Escape has turned out even better than we dreamed and guests, friends and family have all immersed themselves in the old stone farmhouse with a country feel. But what if we could offer both valley and sea views?
We only had a week, but not to be daunted, we called the agent and in one afternoon he showed us 6 or so houses. No, no and no ….. We were starting to feel despondent. Perhaps this was just foolish. And then, as the sun was setting, he took us into a tiny, ramshackle house squashed between 2 others in a row on the top of a ridge. Stumbling up the rickety stairs in the near dark, we got to the first floor and looked at each other. This was it! With views from the kitchen to the setting sun, through trees and to the sea and cliffs beyond; and views to the east from the living room over terracotta rooves to the harbour and sea, we knew this would be magical.
Renovating our old stone farmhouse was a challenge and we never imagined that we would put ourselves through it again. But it was also a great adventure, an opportunity to breathe new life into the house that had stood unoccupied for many years. We were awestruck that Dimitris, who sold us the house, was born there and his forefathers had lived there since it was built in 1876. Dimitris showed us around the house and small farm with joy and passion. He gave us precious gifts that had been in the family for generations. He took us around the dozens of trees in the citrus orchard explaining with total love the characteristics of each one.We were entranced. More than anything else we wanted him to feel happy with what we did.
We came across a modern Greek word recently that captures Dimitris and our intentions perfectly.
"Meraki" means to do something with soul, creativity, passion or love; literally be the essence of yourself.
Without knowing the word, that is how we had set out to renovate and decorate Philoxenia Secret Escape but adding one thing – to respect the history and authenticity of the house and Plomari.
When Dimitris' wife, Myrta, said to me a little while ago "Sally, my mother-in-law would have been proud with what you have done" we knew we had achieved what we set out to do.
And now we start on the new house……
Philoxenia means "friend to the stranger; embracing the ancient value of hospitability from Homer's day to the present"
Maybe the next one should be Meraki?