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Chios (Prefecture)
Chios Secluded Beach |
Welcome to Chios!
The Prefecture of Chios’ lower slopes of the volcanic chain that forms its three islands are thickly cultivated with olive trees, fruit, vines and, above all, lentisk trees. These are “milked” for their mastic, which is used to make both chewing gum and the sweet mastic liqueur. The plant strangely grows exclusively here!
The yellow transparent resin that the plant produces to heal eventual cuts and bruises to its stems, when masticated turns white and it both cleans the teeth and freshens one's breath. Due to these properties, mastic was precious to Turkish Sultans for their harems, to such an extent that, following many fruitless efforts to transplant it anywhere else, they were obliged to "bribe" the people of Chios by providing special privileges to them.
As a result, mastic—and successful ship-owners—are today the best known products both of Chios and its tiny dependencies, Psara and Inousses. They lie opposite the Minor Asia Erithrea peninsula, separated from it by the Chios Canal. The Chios Prefecture extends to 842 square kilometers and has a population of about 54.000 people. It has a Mediterranean calm winter and few rains in summer time.
Chios City, Kardamyla Village, Mesta Village, Pyrgi
Chios
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