So this seems to be the end of uor journey through Crete. This divine island, even if a bit too much popular among tourists has its natural charm and beauty. And there is no denying the fact that the air there has that scent characteristic for holidays and sea waters are somehow more blue than elsewhere.
May 6, 2009
May 5, 2009
Mike apartments: a touch of luxury.
Pro Crete holidays idea ;P
17 kilometres away from Crete there is a set of Mike apartments. A real heaven on Earth for those who would rather lie on the beach all day long, benefit from the neverending good weather and pleasurably warm water in the sea. Apart from those natural advantages of the places, Mike Apartments offer an array of other amenities. There is hardly a thing that could be missing there. Want to practise any sport? There is a gym, pools (outside and inside, also the one only for children). Would like to go wild at night? No problem at all, there is a disco there, a nightclub or how you call it. People who like more ambitious entertainment there is a library offering a real lot of books to choose from. Lying on a beach doing nothing can be therefore replaced by delving into an interesting book.
And apart form those undoubtedly important facilities there is one word that Italinas would use to describe the surroundings of the place: verti, verti, verti, or verte, Lush green, abundance of plants. Even though Mikes Apartments offer really comfortable accommodation please try to poke your nose out of your luxurious rooms, and see around, taking a stroll around the place is a great chance to truly appreciate the natural beauty of the place you are staying in.
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Prints of the past in Crete
Prints of history are clearly visible in the region of Chania.
Information about ancient times, long ago hidden by the darkness of time, maybe not necessarily well-preserved by ruins or remains of buildings are immortalised in Greece mythology.
Maybe most known myth about Crete is the one considering Minos, the king whose wife Pazifae had a child with a bull, that was then called Minotaur and hidden in a labyrinth designed by Daedalus. The foundation of Kydonia, Knossos and Phaistos is attributed to him. Most famous and recognised remains of those times are the ruins of Minoan royal castle that, according to a legend, used to host Minos and his family. Prints that are easy to spot in the soil of Crete tell us much about those times. Culture is well preserved in pottery and other earthenware and other crafts.
Minoan culture prospered long ago Greeks from the mainland invented their philosophy. Now, so distant in the past, once it was real pearl among European cultures. No one is sure as to what did put an end to this advanced civilisation. There are various ways in which scientists try to explain the phenomenon of such a highly developed society vanishing from the Earth’s face. One of the most credible is an explanation that correlates the eruption of Santorini volcano with the dusk of ancient Minoan culture.
Nevertheless, Greece is undeniably a home to many a stunning culture.
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Renewing Chania, a real pearl of Crete
Choosing to stay in Chania is a warranty of having just perfect holidays. The region is brimming with natural beauty, memory and rich culture. The seashore there is sandy, beaches seem to have no end. In the distance one can spot a ridge of forbidding mountains. There are innumerable, impenetrable caves and gorges, blessed streams and lush, green plains with an array of different plants. There are many examples of endemic flora and fauna. Super quality of local nature protecting system has its effect in those outstanding and awesome places where the heartbeat of Earth can be heard.
As if it were not enough Chania has a great variety of hotels to choose from. Ranging from two-star cheapest ones, for those who can easily make do with no luxury at all to five-star hotels with lavish furniture in its apartments and non-stop accessibility of different hotel services. There are also small, typical Greek houses that have recently been renewed that offer cheap and comfortable accommodation, that is extremely popular with tourists coming to visit Chania.
A super idea is to take a stroll around the city centre, what can be described as a real step in the past. Cobbled, winding street seem to remind the twisted paths through which civilisation of this place wandered throughout centuries that separate the present from the very beginning of the town’s history. Ideas to renew all the buildings of historical value are becoming more and more popular as the historical side of town that drags here tourists becomes more vivid.
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May 2, 2009
Who was Andrew of Crete?
This post will be devoted, in some way, to Saint Adrew of Crete, a famous bishop, theologian, homilian and hymnographer who lived in the 7th and 8 th century in the Mediterranean. He was born in Damascus<today’s Syria> As the legend goes he remained mute until the age of seven. Though his parents tried as they might they did not manage to make him utter a single word. It was only due to Holy Communion that he began to speak. Being only fourteen he began his ecclesiastical career near Jersualem. He then was quickly recognised as a very talented preacher and therefore was made an Archdeacon and began participating in Ecumenical councils. He then had a rough time considering the Monolithe heresy yet eventually he died as an Orthodox.
He travelled a lot during his long life< as for the times of the Middle Ages>, yet he always came back to Crete, that was in a way his true home. His feat is on 4th of July< according to Julian Calendar used still by the Orthodox Church>. In our calendar <Gregorian one> July the 4th falls on the 17th of June.
He is most famous for being the author of many hymnes, the most recognised is possibly The Great Canon, in which he goes through Old and New Testament drawing examples < both negative and positive> of the need to a humble return to God.
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May 1, 2009
Off road in Crete
Crete is a great set of tiny towns hidden among mountains and hills, in the shadows of olive groves. I prefer to explore Crete a bit off-road, where people rarely appear, or rather where tourists never happen to come. I love to try and find spots that are not mentioned in guidebooks, those where roads end and you have only your feet and backpack to rely on.
If you also like this kind of sightseeing, off-road, away from big towns I would recommend to visit this island during winter. Yes. Sounds strange? So now use your imagination and try to see yourself struggling with a backpack, climbing hills and wading in rivers that have rocky bottoms. Now add to the picture dazzling sunshine and scorching heat. This equation can have many results: exhaustion, sunstroke, corns and hatred for Crete for long years.
Moreover, it would be highly inadvisable to go and seek such an adventure on your own. It is always better to have someone you can trust by your side, to exchange views or feelings about the hike. Yet first and foremost to lend you a helping hand when you will need it.
Trying to explore Crete by feet may of course seem a crazy thing to do for many people. But for those that try to shake off visions of hotels with enormous pools full of chlorinated water and waiters ready to attend to you going out into the unknown with a map and a backpack may seem like a really cool idea for holidays with a difference.
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April 30, 2009
Mykonos: for a change
Crete is year by year visited by more and more tourists. They onslaught it not olny during peak season but also in the winter. It seems that Crete is now the most beloved place by all European tourists. Images of peaceful bays located somewhere in Crete are therefore no longer reliable and to seek true peace one has to change direction.
Why not try and see Mykonos, a small island located in the archipelago of Cyclades. Its cosmopolitan character cannot be denied yet it can be a nice change of scene for those already bored up with Crete and all of its attractions. Mykonos is most famous for its wild nightlife, that is marketed as among the best in Europe. Mykonos also attracts famous DJs to its renowned clubs and beach bars. In addition, Mykonos is a gay friendly resort featuring clubs open during the summer. Mykonos nightlife focuses mainly on bars rather than clubs yet a number of notable clubs can be found throughout the island.
For those interested in less chaotic and loud entertainment there are plenty of other possibilities: for example: Mykonos boasts typically Greek architecture, small white houses that make it possible to live during scorching summer days, more often than not they get lost in myriads of flowers and other colourful plants. Just perfect objects for taking pictures, creating stunning images from holidays.
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April 29, 2009
Cool past of the island
Crete is really a place where history is clearly visible all around. Where centuries speak loudly through so numerable monuments and ruins. That place on Earth has seen many generation rise and fall, fade away in the shadows of the past. When one stands on a beach at night, when the cool wind blows from the sea he may easily hear pounding of the heart of this place. Speeding and getting calmer as situation that influenced its fate changed. Those that are imaginative with no effort whatsoever may see the royal palace in Knossos in its full glory. Reconstruct the walls that were torn down before ages. Meet people that long time ago fulfilled the destiny : ” ashes to ashes, dust to dust”. 2008 AD may as well become 2008 BC. What was Crete like at that time? Cool and frozen memories of the past may be easily warmed up and evoked by pictures, sculptures or tales. Cretan culture was extremely rich in ancient times. A very important element of it was a bull < taurus> > bulls were considered to be blessed< Zeus himself few times changed into a bull to make love to one of his lovers>. Young and fit Cretan boys used to take part in very dangerous sport that was to take the bull by the horns and go for a ride on its back. A venture that balanced on the edge of death! Speed, strength, courage. And that all in 2008 BC 
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April 28, 2009
Design a photo
When looking at photos of Crete it is not hard to get mesmerised by whole lot of outstanding views, beautiful buildings or simply colours that are soo vivid. Crete is a truly big island at for this reason its cost is long and varied: there are innumerable little covets that are so charming and beautiful that they just have to be immortalised on photos. Rocky or sometimes sandy coast heads for aquamarine and navy blue waters. Cliffs are the maxi version of wilderness in Crete , in my oppinion, roaring sea that crushes on the rocks so many metres below… Mini one is that of sandy beaches that are perfect for romantic strolls or taking pictures of setting or rising sun that always are a stunning palette of colours ranging from dark and cold grey, through raspebrry pink to auburn or fiery orange. To design a good picture a photographer has to think about his intention, what does he really want to present in his photo. Either by taking a photo of the mini or maxi shore real concentration is needed, so that the true and tangible beauty of the divine island can be extracted.
Even though it may seem to someone that pictures of still the same shors, the same waters and places may get boring as the time goes by there could be nothing more misleading. Trying to design a picture, compose the colours is never boring as those landscapes look different every second moment.
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April 27, 2009
Myrtle: an evergreen tree typical for Crete.
Myrtle is, apart from olive trees, one of the most commonly met plants in Crete. Myrtle is an evergreen shrub or a tall tree, according to wiki. It has white flowers with five petals and sepals, as well as numerous stamens. Fruits are dark berries that contain many seeds. Flowers are pollinated by insects, seeds dispersed by birds that feed on the berries. Deco Crete companies use even the motive of myrtle in decorating different buildings. Probably the most famous myrtle on the island grows on the yard in Palianis Monastery , in Moni Palianis region.
Myrtle has many hidden meanings usually connected with mythology. First of all, in ancient Greek culture it was believed to be sacred to the goddesses Aphrodite and also Demeter.
A myrtle garland signifies the same as an olive garland, except that it is especially auspicious for farmers because of Demeter and for women because of Aphrodite. As you can see, mythological meanings had much to do with myrtle, it even made it more significant than olive. In Roman culture myrtle was devoted to Venus< a counterpart of Aphrodite> , again, according to wiki, it was believed to guarantee beauty and health.
In pagan and wicca rituals myrtle is associated with Beltane. Even Jews have something to do with myrtle: as it is one of the four blessed plants to take part in the rituals of Sukkot, The Feast of Tabernacles.
Deco ( decorational) aspects of the plant have always been cherished. Yet in some cultures it is thought to bring bad luck and tears.
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