Situated in the Elounda bay, Spinalonga (meaning propably "long thorn") was once part of Crete and the peninsula that embraces it nowadays, forming the Elounda bay, on the north-eastern part of Crete. It was first used by the Venetians as a fortress in the 16th century. But nowadays the island is mostly known for having served as the last leper colony (1903-1957) in Europe. Its last inhabitant, a priest ,left the island in 1962, after having commemorated the last, 5th year anniversary of the last inhabitant who died on the island! But before this, hundreds of people lived their whole lives isolated on this tiny place. It was not easy. As soon the illness was diagnosed, patients had to leave everything behind in a matter of days. This was done in the most brutal manner, and the life that awaited them when they arrived on the island was equally harsh. There was no electricity, no telephone. The only contact with the rest of the world was the odd fisherman bringing the necessary amenities to the island, and of course its new inhabitants. Looking at Plaka across the bay, not more than an hours easy swim, must have been hard to cope with. The island had also its prison, for those who dared not be happy with the living conditions, and its guards. More generally, the place acquired with time a certain conventional hierarchy that ruled the place, with all the difficulties of a place so small and isolated, full of sick people. At the top was the mayor. There was a small school, teachers. Some churches and a priest. Small shops, and of course, a proportionally big hospital on the top of the hill. A small local personnel was used to make the hospital run, and there was a visiting doctor, coming from Crete. There were of course no antibiotics and no cure at that time. Treatment was symptomatic and doctors actually just tried to maintain patients in a relatively good stamina.

But then, progress was made and the first antibiotics appeared, healing leprosy. The first results were rather disappointing. The hope of finally getting away from the island was shattered for many inhabitants volunteering to try the cure, as they became more ill than before. But in the end, treatment was fine tuned and gradually the unbelievable happened: cured inhabitants started returning to Crete or the continent, where adaptation was not always easy.

All this has been narrated in a magnificent way in the book under the title “The island”, written by Victoria Hislop. The author, a friend of Greece in these times, sold the rights for a small price to the Greek Mega channel, and a magnificent series was produced. A nice story, albeit somewhat dark (what else can one expect...), about the lives of people before and after the island, about sick and healthy trying to live a life resembling normality. The series was accompanied by a very well adapted soundtrack and has been the last worth-watching series that the Greek television has filmed since 2010. Nowadays, Turkish crap has invaded all Greek channels, because cheaper...

Although Spinalonga could easily be seen as another scenic Venetian fortress, the energy of the many people that left their bones on it renders it a bit eerie. One enters the fortress from a long tunnel, full of mirrors. The remains of houses are nowadays restored. An artistic project is running (see here for details) until 31/10/12, and finally some effort is made to honour all those who suffered on the island. The church is fully restored. Visiting the cemetery is a very dark reminiscence: due to lack of space, the dead had to be buried vertically, a thing which in principle is against the Orthodox religion.

Spinalonga made me anxious and eager to leave. Although beautiful and photogenic, this is not a place where I would like to pass the night...

Upon arrival, I watched concerned the boat leave us behind, on the empty quay. I imagined what it would feel like if I had no idea when it would be coming back, and these few square meters were my end, or rather last destination.

Looking at the island from the small boat on the way back, I had the eerie feeling that the beauty of the sea and the sky were just a mask, hiding behind it the heavily deformed face of thousands of people that somehow still linger in the fortress...

The slideshow