Samos: Dionysian delights

This island in the very south of Greece was the destination of one of our first trips together as a couple. Even though a large number of 17-year-olds just want to party on their holidays, we noticed early on that we are different and already reached our limits in terms of our needs and those of those around us. I can still remember how we watched the nocturnal gatherings on the beach, amused and also a little disturbed, but knew that this did not completely match our true selves.

If you are different from the mainstream from a very early age on, you can get the impression that there is something wrong with you. Today I know that these beliefs are not correct, but so-called introjects - attitudes of others that are internalized and adopted. Many young people and of course adults would be better off psychologically and on all other levels if they were valued for their uniqueness and accepted with their specialties, abilities, physical characteristics etc., instead of being pushed down out of envy, self-interest or narrow-mindedness.

Even though we didn't see much of the island at the time, we were able to gather some impressions that inspired us, for example the Potami Waterfalls, which you can climb or swim through the canyon. Or the very beautiful capital of Samos, where you can get lost and choose from a large selection of top restaurants - from very touristy to hipster/hippie lifestyle. What makes Samos so special is also the greenery, the closeness to Turkey, not to mention of course the Samos wine.

You can also easily reach the Turkish coast by ferry for a day trip. There is an hidden gem for all brave mythology and religion enthusiasts: a boat trip will take you to the island of Patmos, where Saint John is said to have received his apocalyptic visions (in the Cave of the Apocalypse named after him). And if you can't get rid of your own visions after that, you can head out in the evening to taste Samos wine, but be careful: the wine tastes like liquid honey and you feel the effects very quickly due to the high sugar content.