The traditional cafe in Plagia

Η Slope is a mountain village of Ikaria, built as evidenced by its name on the slope of a mountain. It is located in the southern part of the island at an altitude of 270 meters above sea level, on the road that starts from Agios Kirikos and runs southwest of Ikaria to reach Magganitis. The message was that in the village square you will find perhaps the most authentic cafe in Ikaria, the traditional cafe in Plagia. I found it, but mostly I learned great things.

The center of the village is a paved square with 2 traditional cafes, stone houses, the old stone school and the village church built in 1953 on the site of an older one.

Here at 8 Σεπτεμβρίου every year, is organized traditional Ikarian festival in honor of the Birthday of the Virgin, the patron saint of the village.

Indeed the coffee shop was beautiful in indigo colors, with an elegant tezaki (the coffee maker's counter), and a recess with a chimney for roasting coffees. Kafetzis was a woman who took it from her mother and patron women. To my question, how is this done, I got the disarming answer, that in Ikaria women always frequented the cafes and even fell from the clouds when I informed them that nowhere else in Greece this happens. I cross-referenced this information and it was 100% correct.

The role of women in Ikaria was even more revolutionary from the other Captain Islands. Women did not just play the role of mother and father at the same time, to the extent that the father was a sailor and was missing a lot of time. Not only did they command the current and buy, sell houses, land, manage the family money, but perhaps because of the communist ideology, they became emancipated not only in terms of managing the family property, but also in terms of managing themselves. They go to cafes - cafes are mixed - either with their husbands or alone and they play cards, drink, smoke and party. How many times did the men not stay at home with the children in order for their wives to go out and party with each other!

Excellent coffee in the cafe in Plagia by women, but more of an excellent occasion to meet something that should not have escaped me as the author of the book "The cafes of Greece"!