"Samose Puhke- ja Loomemajad" has 10 properties which are named after famous Estonians, including writer Betti Alver and chess grandmaster Paul Keres. The properties are also used as artists' residencies.

Owner Aldo Maksimov renamed one of the house after Kaplinski, who stayed on the island with his wife, Tiia Toomet, from 2019 November until the end of May 2020.

Toomet said this is the third object named after Kaplinski: "The first is the power plant near our countryside home in Mutiku that was named sometime in the 1970s, the other is an asteroid somewhere in outer space and the third one then is the house in Samos."

The artistic space was opened by the former Chairman of the Estonian Writers' Union Tiit Aleksejev.

Maksimov said he came to Samos in 2003, having traveled around Greece many times since, but always returning back to Samos.

Currently, the whole family resides on the island and only visits Estonia once or twice a year. "I have nothing in Estonia; my father is dead, and my mom lives in Samos. We do not have a plan to return, but I do love Estonia," he said. He added that he hopes to be in Estonia in the fall when his trilogy's second book is set to be published. The first book "Samose päevaraamatud. Kadunud maailma otsimas" was published in 2020.

Maksimov said the residency that he has offered since 2019 is a way for artists to survive. He said that theirs is one of the few Estonian creative residences in Europe and the world and that he does not believe it is that expensive.

Over the six years, he has personally requested the presence of three artists: Tõnis Mägi, Mehis Heinsaar, and Doris Kareva. "Mehis has visited us too, Tõnis will surely too, and Doris, whose name my oldest daughter holds, might also someday," he admitted and added that he would be very happy if he got to host Reti Saks, Rainer Jancis, Siiri Sisask, Tiit Hennoste, Marko Mäetamm, Kalle Kasemaa, Tõnu Kaljuste, Indrek Sammul or Lembit Peterson. "But many creative people have visited us, six years ago the list would have been longer."

According to him, most artists, writers, and translators try to find peace, a good stay, a calm winter, and a balanced social life in Samos. "We also have thousands of books and hiking trails," he told ERR.

They do not plan to expand. The family has 10 houses on the island that people can visit, but this is the limit. "In the long term, we have planned an Estonian school, more good books, a substantive Estonian house, and so on." A sauna is also planned.

The reason why Estonians visit and return to Samos lies in the fluidity of the island. "Time goes by much more slowly in Samos. Time is relative, there is so much time, and time is a meaningless quantity. Our guests become used to a different rhythm in Samos, they adapt quickly, sleep well, and read themselves to health. Hopefully, that is the reason the creative houses stay afloat."

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