After expressing an interest in local vernacular architecture, I was invited by a friend on trip up in to the hills to have a look at some village buildings. Pulling myself away from my sun lounger and endless rounds of sweet black tea we left the Aegean behind us a headed up into the hills behind Kas. Originally, many villagers would have one winter holding down nearer the sea and another higher up in the mountains. They would then move with seasons to get the best conditions for grazing. The mountain village we went to only had one couple in their 80′s who had done the seasonal move having come up here when it was warm enough at the beginning of May. They were surviving entirely on their own goats yogurt, cheese, vegetables and occasional visits from their son who would bring tea, flour and other essentials. All the houses were empty, the wild vines and massive fig trees giving some idea of what it would have been like. The quality of construction varied massively but the general layout was all basically the same and method of construction was the same. The walls would be stone with an earth mortar. The roof would be made of Cedar with clay tiles and any doors and shutters would be made of Cedar too. Almost all the houses had a covered veranda or balcony which often included a fire place for cooking outside. I loved these covered outside spaces; which where they were occupied would often be lined with Geraniums, or covered in Vines and Morning Glory.
In the bigger towns, a lot of the traditional two storey houses have been knocked down but if you can still find them defiantly tucked away between two concrete high rises covered in white wash and with a good display of Geraniums all potted out in old olive and feta tubs just like this one in Kas I walked past everyday on my way for a swim.
