02x06 - Greece: Island-Hopping in the Aegean

[bunniefuu]

[intercom chiming]

[Eugene Levy]

They say to travel is to live.

Well, maybe, if a day at the airport

doesn't suck the life out of you first.

I mean, where else would you be told

to arrive two hours early

- [metal detector beeping]

- only to become dangerously close

to being two hours late?

Still, I think my travels last year

were good for me.

They seemed to broaden my outlook.

To a degree.

So now, I'm taking on

what is apparently a must-do

for any respectable traveler.

[intercom chiming]

I'm doing Europe.

All right. Where are we, exactly?

I'm going all continental

from the very top to the very bottom.

I'm heading off the beaten track

to discover some real hidden gems

Are you getting this?

and embrace

this budding spirit for adventure.

Look at me. No hands.

Oh.

They're right here. What is this, the bow?

I'll be educating my taste buds

- [laughs]

- Wow, that was so good.

[whistles] Grapes are ready.

- and trying to live like a local.

- [dancers singing, cheering]

- Welcome to my village.

- [laughs]

- [Levy] This is insane.

- [sheep bleating]

I just saved your life. Remember me.

I'm packing any worries in my luggage

[imitates moose call]

Here they come. Here they come.

You never know what the body's gonna do

when it's in abject terror.

I don't think I've done anything

quite like this since I was a kid.

- [cheering]

- and I'm about to utter three words

I've never said before.

Ready for takeoff.

My European odyssey continues.

And I find myself in a country

that has given the world philosophy,

democracy, the Olympics and olives.

All important stuff.

But only one of them

makes for a good martini.

Well, if America is the rambunctious

teenager in the worldly family,

then Greece would be

the wise old grandfather.

Albeit a grandfather with a penchant

for nodding off in the afternoon sun.

I'm here on the stunning island of Milos,

with a population of just 5,000,

and wondering if learning about life

on this tiny island

might help me to better understand

the bigger picture.

It's funny, I just got here,

and already, I'm feeling philosophical.

I've traveled across

the Mediterranean from Italy to Greece,

swapping the green hills of Tuscany

for something significantly more rugged.

Greece has a staggering

6,000 islands, give or take.

And it's one of

the sunniest places in the world,

with around 300 days of sunshine per year.

And here by the Aegean Sea,

that sun is really beating down

on this beautiful harbor.

So, I'm heading to my hotel

to get some shade.

- Hello, hello, Mr. Levy.

- [Levy] Hi.

- Welcome to Milos.

- Please, it's Eugene.

- My name is Andreas.

- Andreas.

I'm your local driver.

I'll drive you to your accommodation.

- Thank you.

- Please.

So is it your first time here?

[Levy] First time in Greece.

How spectacular is this?

The image of Greece that I have in my mind

is just kind of royal blue skies

and stark white buildings.

Just like you saw in Mamma Mia.

I've been told about

the beauty of this country.

Unfortunately,

I wasn't told about these cliffs.

Just don't get too close, Andreas.

- [Andreas] I will not.

- [Levy] Yeah, stay on the safer side.

Hug the wall, as they say.

- Hug the wall.

- [Andreas] I will.

[Levy] You don't find

roads like this in Toronto.

A self-confessed city boy,

I've chosen to visit Milos

as it's one of the smaller

and more traditional islands.

And I'm curious to find out

what it takes to live here.

Oh, yeah. That's good.

Before I get

a taste of living like a local,

I'm treating myself to a stay

at the five-star Milos Cove.

And since it's my show,

it won't surprise you to hear

I think it's a pretty good place to start.

And starting at just over $400 a night,

it's a far cry from the fisherman's

cottages the island is known for.

Hello, Mr. Levy. How are you?

Welcome to Milos Cove.

- Welcome to Milos.

- Whoo-hoo.

Yannis and his son, Andreas,

originally from Athens,

fell in love with the island and had

a crazy dream of building a hotel here.

This is beautiful.

[Yannis] This is

our favorite corner, here.

[Levy] Oh, I love this.

This was a beach, uh, when, um, we had

holidays here when, uh, I was a child.

And we came with my family, all together.

And we spend our summer here.

[Levy] This place has been

a passion project for the father-son duo

who spent seven years

bringing their vision to life.

How do you guys work together?

Is it Is it good? It's nice and smooth?

For sure. I enjoy it, most of the time.

- [chuckles]

- [Levy] Uh-huh. Okay.

So you have moments?

- Yeah. [laughs]

- Okay, you have disagreements.

Whatever happens, you know,

he is my father and I am his son.

For us, the hotel, it is a family.

So, what I mean, we feel that our guests,

also our people that are working with us,

it's part of our family.

It's a big family.

[Levy] Now, I know a thing

or two about working with family,

so I've got nothing but admiration

for what they've achieved here.

[Yannis] So this is your villa.

Please come in.

This is your home for the next few days.

- Wow. Yannis, I like it.

- You like it?

- I like it. I like it.

- Happy to hear it.

You know, here, you have everything.

You can have your private chef,

your spa therapies.

So it's a place that

you don't need to move.

Just you can stay here forever.

So, wh-what is life like on this island?

Everybody knows everybody here.

So if you want to keep a secret,

you know, what happens in Milos

doesn't stay in Milos.

[both laughing]

So, Eugene, I'll let you

enjoy your villa and the island.

Yannis, thank you.

I don't need to be told twice.

Because this right here

is my idea of heaven.

[knocking]

- [Levy] Yes. Hi.

- Hello, Mr. Levy.

[Levy] Yanni, the hotel's executive chef,

has dropped by with a treat.

Here's a little something

from me and my team.

It's, uh, locally sourced octopus

and our homemade bread, bruschetta.

Locally sourced octopus?

And it was all going so well.

[Yanni] It's something you find

around Greece all the time,

especially in the island you are in.

Well, listen, "never" is a big word.

And I can honestly use it.

'Cause never, I don't think,

will eat octopus.

It's just I can't.

I know what they look like, you know?

It ain't gonna happen.

If you want to get

the lay of the land anywhere,

you have to visit the local bar.

So, I'm off to meet Yannis for a drink.

- Hello. Welcome. How are you?

- [Levy] I found it.

Yes, please, have a seat.

[Levy] Phatses is one of

only a few tavernas on the island.

When their workday is done, this is

where many of the islanders come to relax.

[Yannis] Well,

it's a place where we have fun.

We are hearing music,

we are drinking and having a good time.

- I see you got a head start.

- Yes. I have a tipple.

Would you like an ouzo?

Ouzo is the traditional

- An ouzo? Mmm.

- spirit in Greece.

- Would you like to have? Okay.

- Let's go. Ouzo it is.

[live music playing]

Whoo!

Talk about blowing in the wind, you know.

- Yes.

- [Levy] A And I'm

I'm not talking about Bob Dylan.

- It's a windy island.

- Yes.

Actually, we have wind for, let's say,

about ten days per year.

Uh, the rest of the year is more quiet.

- Hello. Here you are.

- [Levy] Yes. Hi.

A little ouzo.

- Thank you.

- [server] Ouzo.

- [all] All together.

- [server] Yes, of course.

- Yes.

- Cheers.

- There we go. Cheers.

- Cheers.

- [server, Yannis speak Greek]

- [speaks Greek] Here we go.

- [Yannis speaks Greek]

- [server groans]

- Mamma!

- [server laughs] Nice?

It actually is.

It's like the pastis

I tried in France, but different.

And by different, I mean stronger.

I can already feel

the, uh, easy-going vibe here.

There isn't a person in here

without a smile on their face.

The magic word in Greek is kefi.

I cannot really translate it in English.

It means joy of life.

- Forget your problems.

- Yeah.

Whatever happens,

you have to change your emotions

and go to happiness.

You see, there are people

that they are full of problems.

But when they come here,

when they come to taverna with music,

they forget everything.

You have to have a release.

[live music playing]

[singing in Greek]

[Levy] I can see how ouzo

helps achieve a state of kefi,

but if that fails, there's always plan B.

Just smash some plates?

- [plate crashes]

- [server] Like this!

- Whoo!

- [server] Yes!

[plates breaking]

- [Levy] Wow!

- [Yannis] Come on.

[performer continues singing]

[all cheering]

Eugene. That's it. Bravo.

[Levy] It's said the plate smashing

tradition began in ancient Greece

to ward off evil spirits and bring joy.

[performer continues singing]

[all cheering]

[Levy] Two shots of ouzo, and you know,

give me something else to throw.

You know, I almost threw Yannis.

Well, kefi is a common-sense philosophy.

Getting together with friends,

unwinding and letting things go

and spreading the joy

and spreading the love.

Fun night. Kinda got

into the, uh, spirit of Greece.

Thanks to last night's ouzo,

I've slept like a baby.

Now I'm ready to discover

if I can learn to live like an islander,

so I'm heading into town.

[meows]

[Levy] Built on a hilltop,

Plaka is the capital of Milos

and home to just around 800 people.

I'm meeting Eleni,

expert in all things Greek,

to show me around

this pretty little place

if I can find her.

To be honest, I think it's a little dicey,

'cause everything's a little alleyway.

I wish she could have been more specific.

I'm hoping this is the right way to go.

Bit of a crapshoot right now.

- Eugene.

- [Levy] Eleni.

Yay! Great job. You found me.

What a spot to be found in.

And as soon as you came around the

corner, the wind actually died down a bit.

- [laughs]

- Well, I-I [stammers] I kinda do that.

Eleni grew up in Greece

with a Greek father and an English mother,

which explains why she speaks

the King's English better than I do.

[Eleni] Everyone likes to think white

and blue are the colors of Greece,

yes, in the Greek flag.

But, you see, in 1938,

we had an outbreak of cholera

here on the Greek islands.

The dictator at the time,

a man named Ioannis Metaxas,

orders everyone here

to whitewash their houses

because, basically,

the whitewash uses lime.

- And lime's a powerful disinfectant.

- Disinfectant.

They've gotta change their story

- [laughs]

- for the for the pamphlets. Okay?

It doesn't really sell as well as

- I It doesn't quite sell as well.

- the colors of Greece, does it?

[Eleni] No, I know.

And ironically,

the only reason the blue is so dominant

is actually because

it was the cheapest color.

- Again, gotta change

- [Eleni] Change the story.

- [Levy] Change their story.

- [Eleni] Change the narrative. [laughs]

[Levy] This may be a peaceful,

beautiful place now,

but it's taken centuries

of hardship to get here.

- I've never seen windier streets

- [Eleni laughs]

- than than in this little town.

- There's a good reason for them though.

They did intentionally make sure

that all of the streets are winding,

almost like a labyrinth.

They wanted to make sure that it's easy

for people that don't know

the place to get lost.

Can you imagine why?

No-No, I d I don't know what

sense that would make, but go ahead.

So from very early on,

Milos had a problem with pirates.

And that's the entire

reason they're built in this way.

The idea was that they're gonna get lost,

and that'll give the islanders time

to really find a way

to deal with it or to escape.

[Levy] Okay, pirates. Now we're talking.

And Greece has come up

with other unique ways

of dealing with threats

to their well-being.

Like the evil eye.

Because sometimes just smashing

plates isn't enough to protect you.

So you've never heard

of the evil eye before?

Well, I've heard the expression ev

And there it is on the hat.

And there it is on the hat,

you'll see it in the jewelry.

It's pretty much everywhere you go.

The idea is that if someone

is envious of you,

if they're jealous of you,

they will give you the evil eye.

If you're not wearing one of these,

then it'll actually make you very ill.

You'll get headaches

that just won't go away.

You'll feel tired and lethargic.

Not everyone will wear the evil eye,

so if you are complimenting them,

or if you know everything

is going really well for them

and you want to protect them

from the evil eye from other people

- Yeah.

- you have to spit on them.

- And I'm not even joking. [laughs]

- You have to You have to spit on them?

You have to spit. So if I wanted

to give you a compliment like,

"Eugene, I really love

the shirt you're wearing today.

You look very fetching."

I would then have to go

[imitates spitting] three times

to invoke the Holy Trinity.

If you wanted to compliment the shop and

say, "Everything is wonderful in here"

I don't want to spit on this lady.

[Eleni laughs]

I'm sure she would appreciate it.

[Levy] Why would I spit on this lady?

- I would appreciate it.

- [Eleni] There you go.

- [Levy] That is good.

- [Eleni laughs]

[Levy] You have

a very, very, very lovely shop

- Now you have to do the

- [Levy] here. [imitates spitting]

- There you go. Bravo. [laughs]

- [shopkeeper] Excellent. Excellent.

All right. Tom, you're doing

excellent camera work.

- [imitates spitting]

- [Eleni laughs]

Don't take that the wrong way.

Eleni's fabulous.

And she knows

everything about this island.

Knows everything about this town.

Do I know as much about my country

as she knows about Greece?

Uh, no.

I'm picking up

on the can-do attitude on the island.

For me, it's probably more

of a "can give it a try."

And I'm about to give something a try

that's at the heart of island living.

Chef Yanni is taking me to source

fresh fish for the hotel's restaurant.

But he didn't see

my performance in Scotland.

Were you born in Milos?

Uh, no, no.

Actually, I'm from north

a north part of Greece.

A friend of mine just

offered me a job on the island,

and I fell in love with the island.

It's-It's beautiful. It's amazing.

I really like that people are not rushing

here, they're not stressed about anything.

They just let the life unf

unfold in front of them.

I'm not sure I would [clicks tongue]

do too well living in a small community

unless it was next to a great golf course.

- That would be

- [Yanni chuckles]

That-That might

change my tune a little bit.

[Yanni chuckles]

[Levy] Well, apparently,

there's no golf course on the island,

so I need a new hobby

better suited to living here.

Fishing has been vitally important

to the islands for thousands of years,

with around 95% of boats

belonging to small-scale fishermen.

So we're meeting Captain Andreas.

He was born and raised in Milos

and comes from a long line of fishermen.

A fishing line, if you will.

I see Andreas is wearing

his fishing attire, is that right?

Do-Do we need those?

- Or are we Are w Are we okay? Huh?

- You can have one, yes.

You can have

You can have one to protect yourself.

[groans, sighs]

- Is that good?

- [Yanni] Perfect.

- Wow.

- Perfect fit.

Now you look like a proper fisherman.

[Levy] Well,

I look like a proper something.

Even though I wasn't born

into a fishing family like our captain,

I'm starting to see

the attraction to a life on the open sea.

Boy, when the sun's out,

the water turns so blue.

[Yanni] It's gorgeous.

The colors, everything.

I never went fishing when I was a kid.

My dad didn't fish.

Nobody Nobody fishes.

If you're gonna be out, using a net

to catch fish, this is where to do it.

- [speaks Greek]

- Ah, he just informed me that we arrived.

- [Levy] Ah.

- [Yanni] Our buoy is over there.

[Levy] Andreas cast his fishing nets

the night before,

while I was drinking ouzo

and smashing plates.

He learned everything

he knows from his father.

He started quite early,

when he was about ten years old.

His dad was fishing when he was

young as well from his grandfather.

So, it's been a long line of fishermen.

Andreas, do you want do you want

your son to be a fisherman as well?

- [speaks Greek]

- That was a hard no.

[both laughing]

[Levy] There are fewer fish in

the Aegean Sea than there used to be.

So this work is harder

and less rewarding than it once was.

- [Captain Andreas] Octopus. Octopus.

- Ah, that's an octopus.

- [Levy] An octopus! Wow!

- [Captain Andreas, Yanni laugh]

[Yanni] That's your lucky day, isn't it?

[Levy] Yeah, still going.

- How about that?

- That's a That's a small one.

- Yeah, no.

- Do you No?

- [Captain Andreas, Yanni laugh]

- [Levy] No. No.

- You have a problem?

- No, no, no.

- No, that's fine.

- I mean, it will go back to sea.

- Yeah.

- We're not taking that one.

- He'll [stammers] go back to sea.

- It's quite small.

- Okay, okay.

- There you go. Bye.

Bye.

- Wow, he's gonna remember this.

- [Yanni chuckles]

[Levy] And so am I.

I think he gave me the evil eye.

- Do you want to have a go?

- You want me to pull it in?

- Let me see.

- [Yanni] Just stabilize yourself.

- And then slowly, slowly, it's coming.

- [Captain Andreas] Uh-oh.

[Yanni] Right. Well done.

Uh-huh.

- Uh-oh. Oh.

- [Yanni] That's a scarus.

- [Levy] A scarus.

- [Yanni] A scarus, exactly.

- [Captain Andreas speaks Greek]

- [Levy] Scarus. Big one.

- [Yanni] Ah, that's a big scarus.

- [Levy] Scarus.

And that's a male scarus.

That's our lunch today. Sorted.

[Levy] Slightly easier to catch

than octopus,

scarus is also

a popular dish on the islands.

I feel bad for you. I really do.

- Look "Help me," he's saying.

- [Yanni laughs]

[Levy] "Can you do something to help me?"

Well, maybe I can.

- Let's throw this one back in.

- You wanna throw it back in?

We can [stammering] No, no. Uh, no.

- You can try. You can try.

- Oh!

- No problem.

- [Yanni] We can try.

All right. Here we go.

- There you go. You ju You just

- Here we go, little fella. Look at this.

- You just drop it back in the sea.

- I just saved your life.

- Remember me, okay?

- [Yanni, Captain Andreas laugh, chatter]

Catch a couple of my movies.

[Yanni] There you go.

Well, then I think my job is done here.

I've done all I can do to help you guys.

I don't think people have

survived here for thousands of years

by throwing fish back into the sea.

Fishing here on the islands

is not what it was,

you know, a hundred, 200 years ago.

It's one of the reasons Andreas didn't

want his son going into this profession.

I think it's fair to say

I'm probably not cut out

for this element of island living,

so I agreed to meet Yanni

for a beer, but only if it's on dry land.

Mandrakia is one of the island's

most picturesque fishing villages,

with boat houses called syrmata,

traditionally used by fishermen

to store and maintain

their precious vessels.

[bottles clink]

- Yamas.

- Exactly.

[sighs]

Is this a line of work

that your family was in?

- [Yanni] Mmm.

- The food business?

My family used to own a taverna

back when I was, like, four years old.

I spent my first years

growing up in the in the kitchen,

in the taverna, around the tables,

with customers.

[Levy] Yeah?

And I suppose that led me to

the point I am now, being a chef.

And what does your dad think of, uh,

wh-what you're doing now.

I think he's thrilled

that I am in the business.

- What about your family? Are you

- Hmm.

- in the family business, let's say?

- [chuckles] No.

When I grew up, back in my hometown,

nobody really went into acting.

My dad, you know, had to,

uh, leave school at a

kind of an early age

when he was a t uh, teenager

and, uh, go to work to help, uh, you know

- Help out the family.

- help the f help the family.

So it was, uh it was all

about getting an education.

So, what do I do? I don't take

the education thing too seriously.

[chuckles]

And I was kind of, you know I'm kind of

the big, uh, screw-up, uh, in the family.

- You remember what the fisherman said?

- Yeah. He did not want his son

- Yeah. Exactly.

- to be a fisherman.

And, you know, I-I don't think

my folks wanted me to go into acting.

[Yanni] How you feeling that

your kids are in the same profession?

[Levy] It wasn't an easy, uh, thing

- [Yanni] Mm-hmm.

- to accept readily because

- it's one of the toughest professions

- [Yanni] Yeah.

- to make a living in.

- [Yanni] Mm-hmm.

But they're both doing okay, you know?

- I-I'm, uh, proud of both of them.

- Cheers for that.

- [Levy] Mmm. Yeah, yeah.

- [bottles clink]

[Levy] After another restorative night,

I imagine, thanks to Hypnos,

the Greek god of sleep,

I'm ready to continue my island education.

I've been invited to a saint day festival,

a religious celebration that's

etched in the family life here.

But I can't arrive empty-handed.

Well, we're going to an island

that Yanni told me about last night.

It's an island that

apparently has excellent cheese

because there's a lot of goats.

I'm thinking I might, uh,

bring some cheese to the festival

or maybe bring a goat.

I'm not sure my Greek

is good enough to navigate a local ferry,

so thankfully,

Eleni is here to accompany me.

Eleni!

We're off on another adventure.

[Eleni] I think it's the perfect day

for some island-hopping.

- What do you say?

- Huh? Let's do it.

- Is this the ferry?

- [Eleni laughs] No, we're gonna have

- something slightly bigger than that.

- [Levy] Ah.

[boat horn honks]

[Levy] Greek island-hopping

took off in the 1960s when jet-setters,

hippies and budget travelers were drawn

to the hedonistic delights of the islands.

These ferries won't run if it's too windy.

But today, it's safe to travel.

At least, I'm trusting it is.

[speaks Greek]

Okay. There's your ticket.

[Levy] My ticket to ride.

- [speaks Greek]

- [ticket agent speaks Greek]

[Eleni] You wanna come sit

at the front so we get a good view?

So, how have you been finding

your travels around Europe so far?

[Levy] Kind of a different

adventure in every place.

- If you love mosquitoes

- [laughing]

- you'll love Sweden in June.

- Oh, really? [laughs]

Well, Scotland

was a bit of a kick, you know.

[stammers] I had some family roots

going back in Scotland.

Ah. Oh, that would be interesting.

[Levy] Saint-Tropez, quite beautiful.

And it's Europe, you know?

The reason I kind of love Europe

is because different culture,

history, you've got Greece

It goes back thousands

and thousands 7,000, 8,000 years.

We know that people

have been coming to Milos,

for example, from at least

oof 11,000 years ago.

So it's incredible to think

that 11,000 years ago,

people first made these journeys.

[Levy] And now, I've done

the very same journey in just 30 minutes.

Kimolos is even smaller than Milos,

with a population of 900.

It's only accessible by boat, so it's

pretty untouched by the outside world.

[goats bleating]

[Levy] We're meeting Antonis,

a third-generation goat farmer

Oh, my.

who makes 15 different flavors

of cheese and farms over 500 goats.

I'm feeling outnumbered.

[Eleni] He's a rather

friendly guy. [laughs]

[Levy] He's chewing on my finger.

What do you taste? What do you taste?

- [Eleni laughs]

- [Levy] Don't eat my pants!

- [goat bleats]

- [Levy] No, no. Don't eat the shirt.

- You know, they're eating everything.

- Because it's feeding time.

Ah, it is, but I only have one shirt.

Goat farming is still

a crucial part of life on the islands,

so Antonis wants to

teach me a thing or two.

[speaking Greek]

Antonis is asking if, um,

you'd be willing to help out

and maybe milk one of the animals?

Sure. Listen, there's

a first time for everything.

- [goats bleating]

- [bell clangs]

- [Antonis whistles]

- [drum beats]

[bells tinkling]

[bleating continues]

- Are we milking them all? [laughs]

- [drum beat stops]

- [bells continue tinkling]

- [Levy exclaims]

- [Eleni speaks Greek, laughs]

- Oh, God. [groans]

[Levy] Antonis sells a celebrated

Greek cheese called manoura.

And to make it, he needs goat's milk,

and lots of it.

- [Antonis speaks Greek]

- [Eleni] You pinch the top,

and then you bring

one finger after the other down.

[Levy] Don't worry, she's in good hands.

I'm kidding.

[Eleni] Okay, yes! [laughs]

- [speaks Greek]

- [Eleni laughs, sighs]

[goats bleating]

[Levy] I think I'm getting the hang of it.

[Eleni] Antonis is saying he's desperate

for people to come and work on the farm,

- so he's [laughs]

- [Levy laughs]

- You just got a job offer. [laughs]

- [Antonis speaks Greek]

When When do I start work?

- [speaks Greek, laughs]

- [speaks Greek]

From yesterday.

From yesterday?

I think I've just found

a new vocation here.

Goat herding. Boy,

I'll tell ya, it's a tough profession.

My personal technique, uh,

in milking goats would be to grab

and then work your fingers down.

Down.

And, uh And then you get a

And then you get a nice squirt.

Right? Coming out.

- Let's go. And I'll take this with me.

- [Eleni laughing]

- [Levy] All right?

- [Antonis speaks Greek]

[Eleni] "You can put it in your coffee,"

he said. [laughing]

[Levy] All right,

that's what I call a zinger.

I've pretty much nailed milking goats,

so we've come to Antonis's family shop

to get some manoura

for the saint day festival.

- [speaks Greek]

- Ah, so this is their cheese shop.

Look at the photograph.

That's actually the grandfather

that taught Antonis

- [Levy] That's the grandfather.

- [Eleni] everything that he knows.

- [Eleni] And this is the father.

- [Levy] Wow.

[Eleni] Three generations

right here. [laughs]

- You didn't even have to tell me

- [Eleni] Ah.

[Levy] because I can see

- [Antonis] The face. [laughs]

- [Eleni laughs]

[Levy] Right here.

You think your son has done a good job?

[speaking Greek]

He said he's very happy

because he actually took the business

forward because he loved it.

[Levy] I have a lot of respect

for Antonis.

Family businesses get passed on

from generation to generation.

This is the common thread here.

- Thank you, Antonis.

- [speaks Greek]

Yes. Lovely meeting you. Good luck.

I think it happens more in Europe,

more than back home in North America.

I think it's great if kids

can work with their dads.

I mean, I did it with my son.

It's a very rewarding experience.

With some of the finest

goat's cheese money can buy,

I'm off to get ready

for my final night on the island.

[bell clanging]

[Levy] The saint day festival

is in the south of Milos

at the Church of the Holy Cross.

I've been invited to

a celebration of Saint Helen,

an annual event

in the Greek Orthodox calendar

involving prayers,

candles and a big old party.

[festival music playing]

[entertainer singing in Greek]

[Levy] It doesn't get

more local than this.

Everybody knows everybody.

- [all laughing]

- [festival-goer shouting in Greek]

- [Yanni] We have a gift for you.

- Gift for me?

[Yanni] Yes.

- That's the heart and soul of the island.

- [Eleni chuckles]

Octopus?

[all laughing]

[Yanni] You're You're in an island.

[laughing continues]

It's your last night here,

and a way to really understand

the culture is also through the food.

It looks like It looks like a hot dog.

I'm not sure eating octopus

will help me reach

the state of kefi Yannis described,

but when in Greece

[Eleni exclaims]

- Ah, he's still [laughs]

- Good.

- [Yannis] Yeah.

- [Eleni laughs]

- [all laughing]

- [Yannis] Yes.

- Very good.

- Very nice.

[Eleni laughs]

[festival music playing]

[Eleni] I brought someone for you to meet.

- Eugene. Father [speaks indistinctly]

- [Eleni] Say hello to Father

- [priest] How are you?

- So nice to meet you.

I-I am fine, thank you.

[Levy] Now I really

feel like I'm in with the locals.

- You like Milos? No. [laughs]

- [Levy] I love Milos.

It's always good to have a priest

with a sense of humor.

[all laughing]

[Levy] Uh, this is a lovely little church.

Would you like to have a look inside?

Yeah.

[Eleni] Okay. Let's go together.

- [speaks Greek]

- [Yannis laughs]

Ah. So he said, "This is

a spiritual experience for you."

- [laughs]

- Monk. Monk.

- Okay.

- Like a monk. [laughs]

So follow me. Let's have a quick look.

So once you go in,

people take a candle, they light it,

and the idea is that the smoke from the

flame is your prayers going up to heaven.

Yeah?

Three candles for my family.

And I think even if you're

not necessarily religious,

there's something quite spiritual

about coming to a place like this.

Well, I think the message

about the candles

- works for just about anybody

- [Eleni] Mmm.

- [Levy] doesn't it?

- [Eleni] Exactly.

[singing in Greek]

[chattering]

[Levy] Well, it was absolutely

a delightful evening at the festival.

Well, I embrace the kefi philosophy,

and you just felt it tonight.

Friends and family coming together.

It's kind of a love fest.

I think Milos, to me, is caring about

your neighbors, lending a helping hand,

work that has been in your family

for generations and generations,

passing it down from father to son.

[singing continues]

[Levy] It's clear to me that Greeks put

family at the heart of everything they do,

and it plays a big role

in making life on the island possible.

At its best, family keeps you

on the right track

to help you navigate the world around you.

I came to Greece expecting

to look to the past,

but actually, Milos has reminded me

to appreciate what we have

right now with those closest to us.

- [song concludes]

- [all cheering]

- Whoo!

- Bravo!

[Levy] Next time

It's my final European destination.

Spain.

Let's flamenco.

- [host] The king suite.

- [Levy] It'll do.

It's literally

the biggest day of the year. [laughs]

- [fans cheering]

- This is mad.

That's the path?

The first creak I hear, I'm heading back.

- Let's go!

- [fans cheering]

That was fun.