MANI (ΑΓΓΛΙΚΟ)

Παρουσίαση

In Mani, I felt constant conflict. Watching the sea, my eyes looked out over the open expanse and calmed me, then I turned towards the towers and imagined razor blades rising upwards in the sky. Peaceful and vast landscapes against sharp and piercing lines. People transformed the jagged and lifeless stones into sculptures, into vivid works of art. A land at once barren and poor, yet filled with olive groves and gardens. Colors and scents abound. Seasons change abruptly, almost violently, yet each one leaves behind a feeling of contentment. During the winter the place looks deserted and rough. The winds bend the trees, make the church bells chime on their own, provide you with wings and gently urge you to fly. During spring months the scenery and the people mellow. During summer the rocks burn your feet and the nearby crystal blue sea cools you. The people of Mani don't easily open up to strangers, but once you gain their trust, they become the most loyal of friends. Walking the narrow streets, today mingles with yesterday, myth mixes with history and history permeates everything. The people of Mani are bright and wise. They excel in most things yet their villages still look like outdoor museums, where time and evolution are frozen. If I could describe Mani in a few words, these would be: enclosed landscapes and vast seas, pikes and angles, shadows and light, stone that scorches during the summer and freezes during the winter, rocks and rocks again, stone on stone, acts of God and human acts, barren land, olive groves and gardens, raging winds, vicious waves, ever present history, sharp people, reserved dispositions, Faith and Freedom. (Andreas Smaragdis, from the publisher)