I have a plaque on my wall at home that says, “I have left my heart in so many places.” When I leave in a few hours, Koufonisia will be one of these.
The aqua-marine and cobalt blue waters are alive with diamonds. The bright pink and red bougainvillea along with the sweet lovely scents of lavender and rosemary will be carried within my memories along with the thousands of photos I have safely tucked away on my camera.
My Island Home, the resort where we have dropped our luggage, has been our refuge from the hub bub of the rest of Greece. We have lazily lounged and partied into the late hours the past few days and this has become a home we are all sad to leave. The stunning views, sound of the waves and chirping birds have relaxed us to the point that we have become Greeks on holiday, sleeping in late, eating at ten pm and drinking wine for lunch. Ohh, how I will miss this.
Our dear, healing yoga teacher and masseuse, Lila, has come each day to My Island Home to stretch and heal our bodies as well as clear our minds. She has told us to breathe through the middle of our heart. In reality we have opened our hearts to her and she to us, along with the people who have strived to make this trip on a tiny island remarkable. 
The staff Theodore, Frieda, Yuri and his wife here have been more than generous to us with their hospitality, answering our many questions, taking our group to the charming town and sandy beaches along with bringing us hard boiled eggs, warm bread and fresh fruit each morning. They have become more than just friends.
We have spent time at lounging at Gala Beach and Pori Café. The food is delicious here and the ambiance relaxing. For fun, we’ve collected chachkies and mementos of our trip from the small stores within the quaint town in between wandering the streets and stopping for food and drink at the local restaurants which all serve my favorites, Greek salad, tzatziki and moussaka. I’ve never eaten so many vegetables and enjoyed it.
We have become incredibly lazy. No wonder the Greeks are so happy. Walks along the beaches with hours of laying under an umbrella and punctuated only with dips into the clear green and blue waters and a new drink in my hand.
When I get restless, Koufonisia offers boat rides to Kato Koufonisia with stops along the many other picturesque beaches. We fall in love with a little beach restaurant just off the ferry located at Panagia-Taverna with the most amazing food. 
We tell ourselves, “We’ll just have a snack,” as we order more items off the menu than we can possibly eat. In the end, our plates are empty and our mouths still savoring the luscious delicacies.
The wind kicks up, sand flies and still the island is beautiful with waves crashing against the rocks sending sprays of white foam onto my camera lens. The energy of the wind and water invigorates me. It’s time to go home, I dread the travel but feel refreshed and a little melancholy.
Ah, Koufonisia, you are in my soul and I truly am leaving a piece of my heart.