The soul of the kafenio

Even places have a soul.

Η μαγευτική αυλή.

There is this fine terrace of an apartment in an idyllic mountain village in the outback of a small Greek island. It used to be the kafenio of the village… for many, many years, the cultural centre, the post office and, in the very beginning, the only connection to the outside world – in the form of the only telephone for miles around. When a call came in, it was announced over a megaphone.

Then the owner decided to close the kafenio for the sake of his family. The decision was not well-received in the village, but in the end they had to accept it. It was converted into an apartment for people who appreciate a certain privacy but don’t want to be too far from the vibrant life of a tourist hotspot.

But these people shouldn’t be surprised if someone asks them for a coffee in Greek, or if they receive a letter in their hands, or even if mopeds slow down, and you feel watched by the driver, who is simply used to seeing if he sees one of his friends sitting on the terrace.

But sometimes something magical happens. It’s evening and the light on the terrace goes on. When everything comes together, the guest, the season, the evening, the whole situation… a very special atmosphere arises. At the beginning, one person sits there, a second person joins them, a conversation develops, soon a third person joins them, and finally a group is sitting together, chatting and toasting (the owner of a small mini-market across the street has long since become part of the group), and soon happy laughter can be heard. It is not the laughter that is often heard in the restaurants and bars in the nearby tourist resorts, shrill, over-excited, often soaked in alcohol. THIS laughter is authentic, it comes from people who have come together at the right time in the right place, a place with soul, and are spending a limited amount of time together.

The kafenio has come back to life… until it falls silent again soon, and the people say goodbye and set off home with a radiant smile on their faces. The tenant of the apartment is left with a lasting impression and occasionally a story is even written about it.

Did such a kafenio exist? Do such places with a soul exist? Who knows… you can find out for yourself!