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Lesvos

In 625 BC a musician, guitarist and poet called Arion were born in Mithymna. It was during this century that the town enjoyed economic prosperity, which was followed by a flourishing cultural life.

Ermeias the historian and Matriketas the astronomer distinguished themselves during the 4th century BC.

During the 3rd century BC Myrsilos the Mithymnian, the writer of "Lesviakon" singled.

Other eminent personalities of the time are Theolytos the Mithymnian, who compiled the Bacchic Epics and the Chronicles of the People of Lesvos in hexameter heroic and Heracletus the Mithymnian who wrote the 'Laerto' and the History of Macedonia. Amongst the contemporary literati are: Kleanthis Michailides, the son of Argyris Eftaliotis, poet and writer and the pioneer of demotic (language of the common people), the poet Kamitzos, the writers Nasos Theofilou and Faidon Theofilou, the poet and writer Konstandellis and the writer Tsalikis.

A number of concerts, ancient drama plays, theatrical performances, live music concerts and social events (public assemblies, speeches etc.) are held on the castle grounds.

The Municipal Art Gallery exhibits works of famous Greek and foreign artists. Every summer the Art Gallery successfully organizes a large number of exhibitions.

The huge volumes of the buildings of the Olive press and the Soap making factory might seem majestic today, but the also cause emotion to tourists and locals.

Today's reality and the myths of the past are mixed here and only the memories of an unrepeatable era live among the ruins.

The industrial revolution of the 19th century is pictured on these stone buildings of amazing industrial architecture.

They are bound with the present too, as the occupations of the people have not changed.

The inhabitants still produce their olive oil, the exclusive local product of our island. Many of these buildings have been renewed and are now used in modern occupations.

There is an admirable coexistence in Perama:

The wonderful climate, the clean sea and the traditional local hospitality with restaurants, taverns, cafes and modern services. Public services include Customs, Port Police, Post Office, Bank, Community Office. One of the first considerations for many consumers when purchasing a product is the price. In the case of food, the pursuit of cheaper food products has led to industrialized farming, which includes genetic intervention in the DNA of many fruits and vegetables and the use of chemicals such as dioxins, which can be harmful. In fact, Nature provides the healthiest lubrication for our bodies: the juice of the olive. Thus, the best choice is virgin olive oil a decision that should be made regardless of price. From the ancient years until today, human beings, trying to create drinks with alcohol, was using scented herbals, fruits, roots, flowers and seeds, in the beginning, with extract and fermentation, and later with distillation, with final purpose to feel enjoyment, relaxation and drunkenness.
The depositions of famous coppersmiths from Armenia and the Pont, who made nice decorated distilling vessels, confirmed the deep knowledge of distillation in all the Byzantine empire.

Plus all that, the blessing ground of Minor Asia and Thrace, gave a perfect material, where dominated grapes and figs, the same time that the cultivation of anise in Lesvos and Limnos and the production of mastic in Chios, consisted the necessary elements for the production of raki.

Those professionals, called also rakitzides, because they were producing a drink, distilled product from grapes raki sharing with anise, scented herbals or mastic, which succeeded, after the period where drink was not allowed in Turkey, to conquer the well-off class of Othomanic empire, giving to the best rakitzides special privileges.
However the ease which somebody could produce a drink of that kind, mixing that clean alcohol with water, created quality problems, because the final product wasn’t distilled product but simple mixed.

For that reason in Smirni and Constantinoupoli ports, in every receipt of clean alcohol, they were adding a coloured substance, fact that obliged the payee in obligatory distillation before the use.

So, a final product called “ouzo” was created, which went about for many decades in many Greek areas, with the old name raki. It’s name became from the alteration of customs term giouzo, which means “for use” and it’s believed that it becomes from the Italian expression OUZO MASSALIA which means for use in Massalia, where the first charges directed. That inscription escorted parcels with raki which destined in areas out of the borders of Othomanic empire.

At present, we are passing through a period of big production and tough contest. Distilling vessels and distilling methods deserted, making everything very simple, lowering the quality of the original product.

The classic traditional distilling vessel, is consisting of three parts. The main trunk (a vessel where one puts clean alcohol, anise and other herbs for distillation), and the bow (a corridor where the steam passes through), which drives in a cooling pot (an external pipe in the same diameter with the bow, which has cold water, and an interior pipe with the steam, which liquefies and transforms the steam into the end product.

It’s the drink which is discerned from a pleasant aggressive that balances their scents, bringing revolution in senses and giving the sweet remembrance and glee of every peculiar time in life.
 

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