"A blind woman, two goats, and a timeless village on the edge of a volcano—an encounter I’ll never forget."
In the summer of 2003, my wife and I visited Kos, Greece, and took a boat tour to the nearby volcanic island of Nisyros. After a delayed departure, we explored the island’s wonders, including the Stefanos crater—a surreal, steaming landscape that felt like walking on the moon.
Later, we visited the nearly abandoned village of Emporeios, perched on the crater’s rim. Destroyed by a 1933 earthquake, the village was a haunting mix of crumbling streets, a few inhabited homes, and Greek cats lounging in the dusty shade. As always, I fell behind the tour group, stopping to photograph the mesmerizing scenes.
While reloading my camera, I heard our guide calling my name. He had found something special: two goats framed in the entrance of a narrow street, with a woman sitting further down in a shaft of warm afternoon light. Her wild, grey hair caught the glow perfectly. I quickly captured the moment before it vanished.
Our guide explained she lived alone at the edge of the dormant volcano, without electricity and with only her goats for company. Astonishingly, she was blind. As I finished a few closer shots, she called out, “Ahh, photographe!” and let out a hearty laugh. Her joy and resilience left a deep impression on me.
Years later, in 2023, I learned her name was Nina Vasiliou. A man named George contacted me, explaining she was his mother’s cousin. Nina had lived independently in Emporeios until her passing around 2017. Knowing her name and story added a profound layer to a memory I’ll cherish forever—of a brief, almost biblical encounter in a timeless place.
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Nina Vasiliou
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