Best Friends Forever

A slight historical digression is needed here to give a context for how the idea of a house on a Greek island came about.

MG is the oldest child in a family of three children. Under the careful watch of his parents and Nanny, Zoe, MG had a nearly idyllic childhood, right up until the first day of school. Tenderhearted, his parents were unable to bring themselves to tell him that he would be going to school and begin, for the rest of his life, to spend the better part of his days away from home. Zoe and MG set out on a walk one fine day with little MG having no concept of where they were headed. Upon arriving at the school, Zoe turned MG over to the school authorities and walked away.

Not know what was going on, where he was, when he could go back home or even if he would ever see his home and family again, MG began to cry and shout, "I want my Zoe back. I want my Zoe back". This continued on unrelentingly until another first day, first grade boy put his arm around MG and told him it would all be okay. A bond was formed in that act of vulnerability reciprocated with kindness that continues to this very day. Through school, university, marriages, the birth of children, living in different countries, deaths of parents, vacations, shared interests, sicknesses and all the many ups and downs of life, these two men remain best friends and as close to brothers as two men with no shared ancestry can be.

It was only many years after the initial meeting that best friend (BF) and MG pieced together another aspect of the story. In Greek "Zoe" means life. When BF heard MG shrieking I want my Zoe back, not knowing that Zoe was the name of his Nanny, BF thought to himself, "This kid is deep. He is protesting that he wants his life back. He'll be an interesting friend".

Since the two men have remained at each others' side for 60 years, the question arose between them, "Why not retire together? We could buy two adjoining plots of land, build houses and carry on as friends for our final life chapters".

Why indeed, not?

...and so they drew up a list of criterion. The search for the right spot had begun.