Hedone

The story starts back in the late 1990s. A tale of many set on the Aegean grid, this one in Mykonos, where a bunch of us in adolescence venture out to for our first summer vacation away from home.

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March 2023

A sacred place renown for its decadent parties, its wild gay scene and the abundance of posh, gorgeous travellers, Mykonos is captivating at first glance. We disembark and as we’re on our way to a luxury hotel right in the middle of Chora, we’re taken by the tiny, swirling whitewashed alleys and the winds gusting through them.

We’re a mixed group, ready to party and as we settle down I venture out nearby to find a different group of girls that are also there for a few days. The next few days we meet, we dance, we become one. During the days we’re soaked in the Aegean sea, sailing from one beach to the next on the traditional caiques and drenched under the Aegean sun. A few landmarks come back to mind, like the tribal vibe of Paranga beach, the crack of dawn at Cavo Paradiso and the crazy dance next to the infamous pool of Super Paradise beach.

Faces from all around the world come in one as they get into a big party every day after 5pm or so.

Hedone is all around.

In the way beachgoers ecstatically swing their hips to the thumping beats.

In the succulent pieces of meat devoured at the posh restaurants by Little Venice’s seafront.

In the ardent eyes that you cross as you move around Chora after dusk.

Restless hearts, hedonistic looks and vibrant souls roam around this crazy island in search of something more. As we swirl down to the beach each afternoon, I can smell the sweet and inviting scent of sunscreen all around. And on the way back, we wind up the golden shores opposite Delos, as the late sun hits the hay on the xerolithies, emanating that unique fenugreek aroma.

Odors are claimed to be more closely connected to affect than any other sensory experiences. Re-experiencing odors like those in Mykonos, always bring back olfactory flashbacks.

Memories formed.