Creative Lving in the Cyclades

Of course everyone I spoke of in the last post was creative, archeologists at the museums and the Temple of Demeter, textile artists, potters, Kitron distillers.

In this blog post I am highlighting another creative person,

Sofia Gavala, partner in the stunning Amorgos beach hotel Lakki Village Family Beach Hotel 

This hotel is run by the Gavala family. There are five sisters. Here they are when their beloved mother was still alive. Third from  the left, near Calliope, the mother, is Niki, who is the business brains behind the Lakki hotel. It started as a vegetable garden then began serving a few drinks on the waterfront, in the early 1970s, next a room or two,  next a restaurant, and now it has 65 rooms, a swimming pool, and a delicious restaurant!!!!

Here is the entrance to the hotel, notice the ecological sun shade

We had the great good fortune to stay here for two weeks on our visit to Amorgos to have a memorial to Henry’s sister Carolina.

The hotel faces the beach and the sea, shaded by ancient tamarisk trees, so part of its special feeling is its  unique location, hopefully not endangered by climate change. The Aegean sea here is not at all tidal, and they have a high wall between them and the sea, but still the sea did come right up to it at times.

 

Before I share Sofia’s artistic constructions throughout the hotel, here is the “dining room”  and the beach right in front. Picture me on one of those chairs reading and swimming every day!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here is the view from our room

 

 

This is the wing of the hotel we were in. I think it is a newer part,

and the swimming pool with a bar. Every comfort! Gianni, Niki’s son, who is bartender,  served me homemade ice cream by the pool.

Now onto the creative art by Sofia. Everywhere in the hotel were her sculptures made from natural materials.

Boats are a theme. There were two at Lakki, but I photographed boats everywhere on Amorgos, both real and models. The one below is a real boat no longer on the water.

The old waterwheel for bringing up water.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A giant root on top of a door

 

Everywhere we looked we saw signs of Sofia’s creativity, including in the dining room, where the lamps are painted with a Mondrian design

The landscaping was also creative

And of course the hospitality is unmatched. And the cooking delicious. Here we are with Henry’s family on our first night

And finally a walk on the beach at sunset with a view of the ferry coming in to the harbor. Since there is no airport on Amorgos, it still nurtures traditional culture often created by families who have been on the island for many generations. The younger generation is transforming those traditions as well, as I mentioned with respect to the music and the shoemaker’s granddaughter in previous posts.