It’s Sunday. The coronavirus is still with us. But this is Crete island, and there is hope that tomorrow we can get back to exploring an unbelievable island paradise. We have hope that very soon, we will revisit remarkable friends, relive dramatic panoramic moments, and experience new adventures we can only imagine. Until when, here’s a few of the treasures Instagrammers have shared recently.
Rethymno is a small coastal city to the east of the capital here in Heraklion. Famous for its romantic old town, and the Venetian Harbor filled with fishing boats and lined with tavernas, the town is iconic. The focal point, the star-shaped hilltop Fortezza is a 16th-century citadel that stands guard over the incomparable Cretan Sea. Here you will find the Historic Folklore Museum, wonderful long sandy beaches, and friendly people that warm the heart long after the blistering Cretan sunsets.
One of Crete’s most surprising secret gifts is gastronomy here. In spite of the fact that the Cretan Diet is the ancestor of the so-called Mediterranean Diet so many around the world consider for its health and tastiness aspects, somehow this island is not deluged with foodies seeking a fountain of youth and yumminess. No matter, the wonderful Crete cuisine still ‘is”, if you know what I mean. The Instagram below from Cretan Gastronomy is a Clean Monday pastry treasure to replace the customary halva deliciousness.
The Cretan Sea, with visibility even farther down than 30 meters deep, is something out of an ancient shell diver’s fantasy. What about swimming in a real aquamarine warmed to 27 C (81 F)? And with not harmful critters lurking beneath those waves? Yes, some say it is the god Poseidon who made Crete off-limits to aggressive sharks and other carnivorous sea monsters. There’s never been a recorded case of shark attack here. And when you come ashore? Well, that’s another subject.
Georgioúpoli…. Well, just come here, and go there. From this coastal village, there’s a portal to another dimension where modern troubles and crazy ideas of progress do not exist at all. If you need the luxuries of modern life, a lush swimming pool or crisp, perfect sheets turned down just so, stay at Mythos Palace right on the beach (Okay, the owner is an amazing friend). But venture through that Cretan gateway that leads to sheer amazement. Trust. You’ll see.
At Knossos, you should feel right at home even if you are Scotch Irish and from Charleston, SC, in the USA. After all, this is where so-called western civilization began. Why the Minoans had running water and roads when a thousand years before Rome became an idea. Here, the remnants of a civilization so advanced many modern theorists say it was the capital of Atlantis. And when you visit the palace/temple, tell them you want to see the curator. He will probably be too busy to divulge the secrets of the ancients to you personally, but he will know I sent you.
Yeah. It happens here on Crete. A lot. When we lived in Germany Mihaela and I were always commenting on the black and white only style, the bad shoes, and worse hairstyles. Since moving here, things changed for the better. Here Merceditas Rojo and her husband visit Chania Town.
They always ask me; “Why Crete, Phil?” I guess most Americans never heard of Greece’s biggest island before, but I have 1001 reasons why we moved here for good. One of them is attuned to mine and Mihaela’s personalities. We love to laugh. And to be honest, you cannot come here and frown for long. The people are just adorable, as is the magnetic something that lies buried somewhere deep under Mt. Ida. The share from Queens Room (no, I do not know the owners yet) in old town Rethymno below betrays the secret.
Hey! I found the 1002nd reason to move to Crete for good! Some of the roads here will scare the shit out of you! Yes, even if you already drove a million miles like me. In Sfakia, I recommend passengers have a raki or two before you start, just to calm the nerves.
What do you imagine paradise is? Where does it exist? Trust me, it is right here under my feet. Come experience a place like no other.