Crete 2010

Dear All

I've been away for some time, both from my blog and from the country. I might not have wanted to, but I needed to. Now I'm back!

Sometimes things we take for granted, can just take you by surprise and blow you away. All I expected was some time to relax somewhere warm. But Crete just took me by storm. I had never before been anywhere near Greece or the Greek Islands, neither did I spend too much time thinking about it.

What a place though! So much to see, so much to do, so much to learn. So ancient. Evidence of civilization up to 7,000BC. The place is so full of most interesting archeology, history and myths. I like to learn something new when I can, but I was bowled over, to realise that places that I visited, ruins that I stood in, ground that I walked, was ground where people like the Apostle Paul walked and Titus in the New Testament

I didn't know that the ruling power of Grece was in Crete 2,000 BC, at the time of the Minoan civilization, when the mythical King Minos forced Athens to pay its taxes in blood, by sending their young men and women to Crete (to be offered to the mythical Minotaur, half man, half bull, to be devoured).

The clean air, clear seas and white/golden sands was more than refreshing, and reminded me of parts of the Caribbean - Tobago in particular.

The traditional food is just my sort of thing - a lot of slow cooked lamb and beef. The fish so fresh, and simply cooked over charcoals. Prawns the size of bananas...I am not joking.

For breakfast - thick Greek yoghurt and honey, followed by fetta cheese with olive oil and herbs, on fresh soft brown bread or yellowish white loaves.

The skies were so blue, the seas were so torquoise, the days so warm ... in fact they were a little too hot - over 40C at times. But July is the hottest month. But to compensate, the Cretean people are among the nicest, friendliest people I have ever come across....a bit like the Welsh without the nosiness.

Crete, I think has to be the perfect setting for a romantic novel. The mountains and the rocky terrain, contrast with the cozy coves overlooking the cliffs, and the gentle and most handsome of folk. The men all look like Perseus or Zeus... I suppose they created their gods in their own image. But it is definately the place to write a romantic novel? I keep wondering if I could. First I must read some.

Definately a place to visit. I will no doubt go again.

See you soon.

Love Marilyn xx