Barba Mitsos and Kyria Athanasia spend half the year in a cabin high up in the mountains of Elati, Arcadia, and the other half in a village near Kalamata.
He is in his 80s, she is in her 60s. They live simply in their cabin without running water or electricity. They built it themselves years ago with the help of friends, adding what they needed little by little. For electricity, they run a small generator — just enough for a bit of light at night. They cook on a gas stove, and for water, they rely on a tank they fill regularly from a nearby spring.
To fill it, they drive their pickup truck to the spring, load a portable container with water, and bring it back to the cabin. They then transfer the water to the main tank using a small pump. That water serves both them and the animals. A single trip keeps them going for about two days.
Next to the cabin they have a small chicken coop, and they also keep a flock of sheep and a few hunting dogs. Their life is physically demanding, but both of them are in remarkably good shape — always alert, because the daily work leaves little room for idleness.
Barba Mitsos often walks a 5-kilometre trail that leads to the Elati–Vytina road, always following the sheep. Despite his age, he moves across the rough terrain with characteristic ease.
We stayed with them twice — we met them through a mutual friend — and both times they welcomed us with open-handed hospitality. When we left, they insisted on loading us up with bags full of their own produce: vegetables, olives, and cheese. Their hospitality was natural and sincere, and their products were of exceptional quality.
They work hard throughout the day to secure what they need. And they do it without a single complaint.
The stories they told us about life in the mountains, the animals, and the friends who stop by to see them were genuine, simple, and true. Our visit there made us think about how little we actually need to live really well — and about stepping away from the pace of technology and city life.
When we said goodbye the second time, Kyria Athanasia had already packed the bags before we even had a chance to say farewell.
