Reflections: On Collections

Syllogi (n.) 'sil-low-G' (Greek): συλλογή

Just last week, one of our Members traveling in Crete sent us a photo of a clothing shop called “Syllogi,” causing us to chuckle with excitement since it’s a word we have rarely seen. The origin of the word is actually from the Greek language, meaning “collection.”

For us, a “collection” is what travel is all about, be it the memories we amass during the journey, our photos and writings chronicling the adventure, the ever-growing list of places we yearn to visit, the things we bring home with us, or even the people we meet along the way. Travel is fleeting, a unique experiential investment that otherwise vanishes into thin air the moment we touchdown back home. And yet, collections make that investment tangible–both mentally and physically–for years to come. We’ve always been a proponent of the idea that travel is the best education one can ever have. You never get a diploma to hang on the wall, but the host of ‘things’ you bring home with you are marks of a life well-lived.

Some of you may know that I’ve been keeping a physical souvenir collection since the mid-90s. Just inside the library, first time visitors to my home almost always remark about the rows and stacks of hundreds of glass apothecary jars with hand-written labels lining the shelves. "Spices?," they presume. They draw much closer for inspection when I tell them that it is my “collection of the Earth:” bits of rock and sand that I have put in my pocket most anywhere that I felt was important. I personally love the contrast of the jars sitting together: bright red clay from Senegal, adjacent jet black sand grains from Hawaii; flour-like khaki dust from beneath the Pyramids, the grey and white sparkles of granite from the Seychelles, and bleached shells from Zanzibar. For me, this collection is a display of my life’s work–my travel legacy–of the places I’ve witnessed, of the bounties of inspiration that exist. I don’t mean to focus these reflections entirely on myself, but rather, I am using myself as an illustration in the hopes that while reading it, you reflect on your own unique collections or inspire you to start one anew.

In each publication, we dive into the depths of my old travel journals, literally thousands of pages of writing and drawings that I started as a teenager. But as a result of our efforts to repost some of these experiences, the re-reading of these moments has flooded my mind with recollections and nostalgia that have been long buried. I feel grateful and even brought back to life as I travel through these collections of pen and ink. In this edition’s throwback to the twilight of 2006, join us as we venture to celebrate on the sands of Rio in one of the world’s greatest parties.

Also join us as we highlight warm summer vibes in this edition: dive into our favorite spots in one of Europe’s most ‘flamboyantly’ fun cities, Barcelona — discover a favorite client find, a dream-like villa on the Croatian coast — sip wine and take in panoramic vistas in Northern California – and indulge in the intoxicating spirit of Brazil.

Syllogi’s namesake is thus an embodiment of all that travel can be in the lives of Travellers – the collections of their dreams, their experiences, their souvenirs, and their memories. It’s not the easiest word to grasp, but for us, it was the word that best captured the exotic essence of the riches and the power that travel affords us.

Happy Travels,

Gray & Erin