A lot of people believe the blue-and-white buildings are representative of Greek architecture, but this trend is much more common in the Cycladic Islands than anywhere else. Some believe it pertains to the superstition that blue wards off evil. Another possibility is that it came through orders of Ioannis Metaxas, former military general, and dictator. In the 1930s, Metaxas forced the use of lime, a local product with anti-bacterial properties, to whitewash the buildings in the hopes of fighting the epidemics that were rampant in the islands. The use of lime had two significant advantages, stopping infections and providing insulation from the sun, which prevented the houses from getting too warm.