Utah Mormons, Protestants finding new spiritual home in ancient Orthodox church

Sparky island spirit uncorrupted by Corelli An Ionian jewel with a rich and turbulent history, that retains all its charm

BY AMANDA CASTLEMAN

The monastery of Agios Gerasimos, dedicated to the island's patron saint KEFALONIA didn't submit easily to the Normans or the Turks or the Germans. The plucky "island character" led them to resist. And that same spirit is saving the area today from the cloying clutches of Captain Corelli's Mandolin. Louis de Bernieres' best-seller is set in the regional capital, Argostoli. Not that you'd ever guess, strolling down the street. The quaint Venetian town disappeared in a cloud of rubble during the 1953 earthquake and was replaced by functional concrete cubes. But more significantly, there isn't a single business pandering to Corelli mania. The blue-and-white paperback does lurk on every book shelf, but that's as far as Argostoli will go. Why should a proud city redefine itself because of a foreigner's book - let alone one inspired by a package holiday? The movie's lukewarm reception helped keep the hordes away. Filmed on sets in nearby Sami, the 2001 release starred Nicolas Cage as the exuberant Italian soldier (sporting a much-ridiculed accent clogged with vowels), Penelope Cruz and John Hurt. Busy, bustling Argostoli takes the occasional moonstruck tourist in stride, but doesn't linger over its literary laurels. After all, this is a working town, a vibrant port, where fishers unload beside rusty monolithic tankers at the palm-lined wharf. It's the Big City of Kefalonia, where farmers buy supplies and sip beer under neon lights. It's the place where village girls debut their new mascara and high heels, wobbling over the flagstones. They blush easily, under the stares of Italian visitors and pink, peeling Brits. The bolder young men call out softly from the lively cafes: Ela. Come join us. Other - more vital - courtship rituals unfold in Argostoli. The endangered sea turtle Caretta-Caretta mates in the Koutavos lagoon. The heavy females then heave out of the sea and lay their eggs on Kefalonia's southern shores, especially at Minies, Razakli and Skala. Argostoli theatre The lagoon is also home to hordes of birds. Enthusiasts report Willow Warblers, Wood Sandpipers, Grey Herons, Little Egrets and Black-necked Grebes. On an average day, the small wilderness preserve is dominated by plain old geese, though. Their plump white bodies loll on the path, obscuring the natural history plaques. But it's still worth wandering along the cove for the serenity and spectacular views of Mount Evmorfia. The Drapano bridge slices across the bay, one of Greece's safest natural harbours (western-facing, but protected by the Paliki Peninsula's bulk). Low, stone arches skim just above the water. The causeway, built by the British in 1813, is crowned by a stubby, much-photographed obelisk. Timid drivers may prefer the long way round, as locals zoom across with the reckless abandon found only in Mediterranean motorists. A poker-faced resolve fits the Kefalonian stereotype. Lawrence Durrell described them in The Greek Islands: "The inhabitants are kindly, if somewhat brusque, and have a fine, long reputation for political intransigence and the will to freedom that endeared them to the heart of Byron... Here all is rough and energetic." He compared the local personality to the sinkholes just north of Argostoli. These katavothres channel seawater underground, fast enough to power several watermills. The current races across the island, swirls through the dramatic blue bowl of Melissani Cave, near Sami, then plunges into the ocean. Durrell concluded that: "Everything about the island and the island character is obstinately contrary-wise, even the streams." History of oppression and struggle The area's history is rich with examples of stiff-backed bravery. Mythology claims the first king was Kefalos, a young Athenian. He was either exiled from his hometown, after killing his wife in a hunting accident, or was given the island for helping the king of Thebes. Whatever the motivation, he made the largest Ionian isle his home. Kefalos eventually divided the land into four realms for his sons: Sami, Proni, Pali (today's Lixouri) and Krani (Argostoli's outskirts). The kingdoms fought amongst themselves. They fought with Odysseus, king of neighbouring Ithaca, during the Trojan War. They fought for Athens, then Sparta, then Athens again. But around 50 BC, all fighting ground to an abrupt halt under pax Romana. Sami, the only city to resist, was crushed for its impertinence. The subdued island was plundered ruthlessly over the next millennia by pirates, Normans and Crusaders. The Turks and Venetians struggled for control in the late 15th-century. Kefalonia got off light, unlike its neighbours, and Venice governed benevolently until 1797. The area welcomed immigrants, fleeing the Ottomans in Cyprus and Crete. This intellectual infusion sparked a cultural renaissance. Icon painters Emmanuel Tzannes and Ilias Moschos led the charge, followed by wood sculptors, who crafted elaborate church screens and hieratic thrones. Pastel town houses sprang up alongside dramatic churches. The Agioi Theodoroi lighthouse built by the British in 1820 A brief period of French rule followed, giddy with the fresh message of equality. Citizens duly burnt the Libro d'Oro, the list of aristocrats, in Argostoli's square. They established a national library, printing house and schools. Yet the Gallic presence wasn't all about liberte: Napoleon Bonaparte declared the strategic cluster of islands were "more important to me than the whole of Italy." He lost out to the Russians in 1799, who established the "Seven Islands State, " modern Greece's first glimmer of independence. But the political brinkmanship wasn't yet over: The French, then the British, seized Kefalonia. Lord Byron spent four months in the southern village of Metaxata, avoiding Greek infighting, rallying troops and settling refugees in 1823. Committed to the cause, he spent enormous sums of money without batting an eyelash: "For, after all, it is better playing at nations than gaming at Almack's or Newmarket, " he wrote. Byron finally received an invitation from freedom fighter Markos Botzaris on the mainland - "probably the last he ever signed, or dictated, for he was killed in action the very day after its date" - and departed for his own hero's death in the swamps of Messolongi. The British High Commissioner ruled the roost, with the token advice of a local assembly. Literary bon vivant Lytton Bulwer derided this farce in 1825, comparing the useless appointees to Tweedledum and Tweedledee. Some good came of British domination, however, in improved infrastructure. Sir Charles Jacob Napier built the road system, Argostoli's Court, the Customs House and the Aghioi Theodoroi lighthouse, among other projects. It was an uphill battle, according to Durrell: "The governors were as foolish as they were pig-headed and, despite the fierce agitation of Napier, managed to frustrate his best schemes for improving local conditions... He is, of course, the Indian hero, famous for his telegram, peccavi, which being interpreted meant: 'I have Sind'; but fame meant nothing to him beside his passionate Philhellenism and his love for Cephalonia." Frustrated in the political area, islanders comforted themselves with culture. Travelling Italian actors delighted them - and inspired Kefalonians to "try this at home". Amateurs skits gave way to ancient drama, when Neophytos Vamvas, the "Teacher of the Nation", arrived. The demand was so great, the famous Kefalos theatre was built in 1859. Britain relinquished the island in 1864, and it immediately joined Greece. This hard-won peace didn't even last a century. Mussolini, goaded by delusions of reuniting the Roman Empire, sent soldiers to reclaim Greece. And it was a man from Argostoli that stood up to him: Ioannis Metaxas, prime minister-dictator from 1936-1941, refused to let Italian troops cross the Albanian border. This bold stance is celebrated each year on Ohi (No) Day, October 28. The Italians eventually did occupy Kefalonia. After Il Duce's surrender, the soldiers who turned against the Nazis were massacred, alongside native resistance fighters. Don't expect an accurate history lesson from de Bernieres, who takes an unnecessarily grim view of communists (and even the author derided the sun-and-sex frivolity of the film). The 2001 documentary Are you Captain Corelli? offers another glimpse of the war, through the recollections of Amos Pampaloni, an Italian officer. His memoirs also inspired Marcello Venturi's novel White Flag over Kefalonia. A modern, cheery town One of Kefalonia's many emerald bathing coves Argostoli's history is littered with oppression and struggle, but the modern town is far from grim. As Napier noted, the flip side of the Kefalonian intractability is charm. "The merry Greeks," he wrote, "are worth all the other nations put together... All their bad habits are Venetian; but their wit, their eloquence and their good nature are their own." Cheery palms line the seaside, which is paved with a wave mosaic of pebbles. The Philharmonic Band often performs in Plateia Vallianou, the main square. Pedestrian Lithostroto Street blazes at night, packed with boutiques selling wild thyme honey, ceramics, leather goods, jewellery and perfume. Kefalonians crowd into the open-air bars, sipping the local wines: red Mavrodaphne, white Muscat and the pedigree vintage, Robolla (best with grilled fish or cod pie). The frenzied ecstasy of the cinema Corelli is nowhere to be found. But Argostoli has better things on offer: a free-spirit, sense of contentment and integrity, even in the honeyed grip of Hollywood. * Getting there Olympic runs flights into Kefalonia's tiny airport, just 9km south of Argostoli. Budget about 8 euros for a taxi into the centre, as there's no public transport. KTEL does run buses from the capital, however: a mighty 8-hour journey. Prices hover around 25 euros, depending on the route. A 2 1/2 hour ferry connects Argostoli with Kyllini in the Peloponnese. Other services dock at Sami, Poros, Pesada, Lixouri and Fiskardo * Where to stay Budget travellers prefer 'Argostoli Beach Camping', 2km north of town near the lighthouse (tel 26710-23487; www.argostolibeach.gr). 'Hotel Tourist' offers more modern comfort overlooking the waterfront. Don't let the brazen name put you off, this truly is a pleasant and welcoming establishment (tel 26710-22510; doubles 42 euros). Or take a cue from the stars of 'Captain Corelli's Mandolin', who stayed at the swish 'Hotel Ionian Plaza' on Plateia Vallianou (tel 26710-25581; doubles 62.50 euros) * Where to eat Sip espresso and people-watch at popular 'Cafe da Capo' (12 Vasileos Georgiou St). 'Kyani Akti' serves decent mezedes in a superb location: atop a wooden dock in the azure bay. If the waiters and the wind behave, it's magical (jetty opposite the Marine Academy on the north end of the harbour; tel 26710-26680). Locals prefer mellow vine-shaded 'Taverna Patsouras' just down the street * Note The Archaeological Museum showcases many spectacular items, including a Mycenean gold spiral necklace, Egyptian scarab of Tutmosis III and finds from the Melissani Cave, once a cult sanctuary of Pan and the nymphs (Roku Vergoti St; open 8.30am-3pm; closed Monday; tel 26710-28300). The Corgialeneion Historical and Folk Art Museum traces the island's history from the 15th century to 1848, including over 3.000 photographs (ground floor of the Corgialeneion Library; 12 Ilia Zervou St; open 9am-2pm; closed Sunday; tel 26710-28835). * The nearest beaches are Makrys Gialos and Platys Gialos, two sandy stretches 5km south of town. The coastal strip is well-larded with bars, tavernas, sun beds and water-sport facilities Photos: Amanda Castleman

ATHENS NEWS , 20/06/2003, page: A24 Article code: C13019A241