Seija's Gypsy Spirit: Beautiful moments in Crete ....

I chose to spend my last day in Southern Crete, strolling barefoot on a deserted beach a few kms. from Plakias. Rolled up the pant legs, to walk in the cool waters of the Libyan Sea, refreshing and invigorating on tired feet ..... My early morning musings had revolved around thoughts of what a wonderful world it would be, if we all reacted from our heart's best intentions. As I walked, I kept noticing heart shaped rocks everywhere .... extraordinary.... I gathered a few to leave behind a circle of heart love .... okay ....... perhaps imagination may be required to find the heart in some of these stones :).... when I returned to my room later that day, I found my scarf, shaped into a heart on the bed ..... the kind touch of Lily, who cleaned and replenished my room towels daily. Sweet! .... little heart reminders finding me everywhere that day :) The rest of the pictures are some of my favourites from the South. Must say, the Crete people are a different breed of Greek .... sturdy, abrupt, not exactly overly friendly .... physically, I cannot help but think of the term "strong as bulls"!! It is no coincidence, that Greek hero, famed statesman, and prime minister for a term, Eleftherios Venizelos was born in Crete!! A story I heard upon arrival in Hania from Marguerite who runs Casa Delfino in old town Hania, and later confirmed by others as I travelled around southern Crete ..... was of a particular group of Cretans living in the hillside villages of the Sfakion area .... no one would dare tell me the actual name of the villages ..... the Cretans are very clanish and protective of each other! A few years ago, after growing weary and impatient with the regular visits of government tax collectors ... (stubborn sorts, of course they refused to pay!! .... the Greeks in general, are notorious tax evaders and if only a fraction would pay their taxes, Greece's national debt would be history!! ... or so I hear :) ..... now, back to the story ...... A few days after the arrival of the official, the folks of the area decided to send a rather brutal message to Athens ..... a donkey ambled it's way into a little village, with the knife wound riddled body of the bureaucrat slung over it's back! As an aside, their knives are a source of pride for the Cretans and indeed all over the island, beautifully hand-crafted ones can be purchased in specialty shops .... but wow .... a rather strong message .... I was hesitant to believe this story at first, but after many experiences dealing with Cretans over the past few weeks, I am inclined to think differently! .... I would not mess with them!! They are not at all like the Greeks one finds on the other islands or mainland Greece! Being rather an abrupt, stubborn sort myself at times, (I blame my Finnish clan heritage for that :) ..... I can sort of rub shoulders with that sense of stalwart independence, but wow, the violence, not!! .... needless to say, no further bureaucrats have ventured to the villages in recent years!!

My private little cove :)

Scenes from my hike around Preveli Monastery .... up a high steep road to the top of the mountain!

Rethymno Fortezza

Breakfast view! Yes, I have Greek salad for breakfast .....

Outside patio at the Avli, in old town Rethymno where I hung my hat a few days

Agli Gallini

Family enjoying Sunday brunch on the beach in Rethymno .... I walked past them early afternoon, was gone a few hours and they were still sitting there .... nice to see people relaxing and not scurrying and hurrying.