In Crete’s Mountains – The Legend of the 12 Archontopoula

If you are fortunate enough to visit one of the remote mountain villages of Crete, and if you are not fluent in the language, but have the services of a local translator, you will hear one of the most fascinating stories ever told. The tale has been transmitted as “oral history” for years in the mountain tavernas, but it is usually told as though it happened yesterday.

It is the compelling and intriguing tale of The Legend of the Twelve Archontopoula. While much of the story is unauthenticated, it has captured the attention of professional and amateur historians, genealogists, sociologists, mystery lovers, and a large number of Cretans.

While many Cretans claim they are descendants of one of the twelve, there are some actual descendants who are not aware of their true lineage. What is this tantalizing legend? What is truth and what is fiction?

Let us go back in time to the 12th Century in Constantinople, then known as Byzantium, when Byzantium ruled Crete. It is said there was unrest in Crete. Most believe there was a rebellion. And so, the story or legend goes, a Byzantine emperor sent the heads of twelve noble Byzantine families to settle in Crete and he divided the island amongst them. The largest piece, which included Sfakia, went to a man named Skordylis.

At some point, most likely during the time of Venetian rule, a claim was made that there was an official document (an order) signed by an emperor. The document was called a chrysobull (golden seal) and it gave the twelve men royal lineage. The chrysobull has never been found, but there are six documents concerning the Archontopoula that have been published; of the six, historians consider just two to be the most interesting.

These two documents, however, contain historical information that historians consider “mutually irreconcilable.” One document actually has the notation “Falsification,” and there are three versions of the second, two written in Greek and one in Italian, but only one of them (Greek) is dated. Historians cannot agree on whether the documents are authentic or “suspect.”

It is a fact, however, that by the beginning of the 13th Century certain Cretan families owned much land, lived as landed aristocracy and led revolts against the Venetians.

Whether they were actually sent here originally by an emperor has not been proven. Whether an “order” or chrysobull was ever issued has not been proven. And whether they were of “great and noble birth” is not known, but it makes for one of the most fascinating stories still told in the tavernas in the mountains of Crete.

Published in The National Herald.

Eros visits Sfakia

“Oh my god, I am in love. I cannot sleep. I am not hungry. My stomach, how do you say, goes up and down. “ He takes a deep breath and grins widely, giggling at the same time, but struggling for breath. And then he tells the story.

“She is blonde, blue eyes. You never saw such blue eyes. Look at the sea in front of you. Her eyes are bluer that that. Ah , shit. I would not lie to you. I swear on the Holy Virgin. This goddess, she is from the States.. Works at Google. High class.. Second time here. She meets me once. We just talk. She comes back. We meet here. She likes me. Can you believe that? Oh my god, I wish I could eat.”

“I never met anyone like her. She is here now. Second time. This time I surprise her. I pay for her room. She goes to pay for it, man says, sorry, your room is already paid for. She says who pays for it? He says your friend from Sfakia. She says,” Oh my god.”

“She tells me, you do not have to do this. I say I do this for you. . She says oh my god. You would not believe how beautiful she is. I can hardly breathe when I tell you about her. Yesterday was our day. All day. We start at 9 am in the morning and go far into the night, no the morning hours. I cannot tell you everything. Really it would not be right. But I tell you some.”

“I plan many surprises for her. I take her to Loutro on the boat and just before we arrive I tell her close your eyes. When we get close to Loutro, I tell her to open them. She says Oh my god. I look at her so happy and shining and I say for sure she is a goddess. She makes my eyes not see. Do you know what I mean? Sometimes when I look at her, how do you say, a fog goes over my eyes and I cannot see. And I feel dizzy. Sometimes I feel weak. I am a strong man. Only 18 , but almost 19, and I am strong. Look at me. Don’t I look strong? I work hard all day. I carry three some times four tubs of ice up stairs to put in case for the fish. Myself I carry these. At night I take down the heavy umbrellas and carry them downstairs. By myself.”

“We have lunch, I tell her I will order. I order sardines, octopus, red mullet, prawns, and she say sweetheart, we cannot eat all of that. She does not know I order little pieces of everything. She says she has never eaten like that. I watch her eat. I watch her take the fork and put the fish into her mouth and I swallow hard, watching the fork go into her mouth. I take a few bites. I am not hungry. My mouth is dry. I look again at her blue eyes and I look at the sea and I say oh my god.”

After lunch I tell her we must go back to Sfakia, but I do not tell her why. Another surprise. She say why. I tell her trust me, you will like it. We get back and get into another boat. I tell her close your eyes until I put something into the boat. She does and I tell her okay now you can open them, but I hide what I put into the boat. We go far out and she says how beautiful the sea is. I look at her long hair like gold, blowing in the wind. I touch her to see if she is real. Ah shit, I am in love.”

“We get to where I want to be and I say now close your eyes again and she does and I say now open them and she does and I give her the snorkel mask I had hidden. She says she never gone snorkeling before and I say I teach you. We go into the water and we see, I cannot describe it, we see what lives in the sea. Everything that swims and grows we see. We see colors we never see on land. We come up and get into the boat and I ask her how she liked that and she says “oh my god.”

“We go by the shore and I say we are going up that small hill and she says she has only sandals—she points to my feet and says that I have no shoes. I say no problem and I surprise her and take off her sandals then—listen to this---then I pick her up and carry her up over the rocks in my bare feet. And she says oh my god you will cut your feet and oh my god you are so strong. But I laugh all the way to the top, holding her tight.”

So we rest up there and then, this is the part of the story I want you to hear, she kisses me!!! Holy Mother of God!!! Now look at me. Tell me my color. You will say, with kindness, my friend, you are a dark-skinned man. I take no offense. But after she kisses me she looks as me and she says, sweetheart you are pale. I tell her no, but I do feel the blood drain from me and I say Oh, shit.”

We take the boat back to Sfakia and we have drinks at her hotel near the sea and then, when I can stand it no longer, we go to her room. I said I cannot tell you everything . It would not be right. But I can tell you her lips are like rose petals and her skin as soft as a cloud. When she kisses me I feel as though I am drowning. And all night long she keeps saying oh my god, oh my god, oh my god. Ah shit, I think I am in love.”

TELOS

The Natural, Wild, and Rugged Beauty of Sfakia, Crete

In Chora Sfakion, the harbor village and capitol of the very wild and rugged area of Crete known as Sfakia, time passes slowly and is marked by the arrivals and departures of a majestic ferry boat named Daskalogiannis. Located South of Chania, Sfakia is one of the most barren and rugged areas of Crete. It is a mountainous area famous for the Lefka Ori or “White Mountains,” so named for the white limestone peaks that shine in the summer and are covered with snow in the winter.

It appeals to visitors who like natural beauty and a craggy topography; it appeals to those who like to hike gorges, go deep sea diving or snorkeling, and swim in “sweet” water. If you like the challenge of hiking gorges and if you treasure peace, quiet, and solitude in an unspoiled setting of natural beauty where “the mountains meet the sea,” this is the place for you. This very descriptive phrase was written by Xan Fielding in his book, The Stronghold, describing the four seasons of Crete; it is frequently quoted in guidebooks to describe Sfakia.

The unique character of Sfakia has been immortalized by an artful photographer named Wolfgang Kistler who has been taking pictures here for more than thirty years. For Mr. Kistler, Sfakia is “the hub of the world.” When he began his photographic odyssey of Greece, he saw and took pictures of most of the inhabited Greek islands, (estimates on how many are inhabited vary according to the source) which he found “marvelous, archaic, beautiful, fascinating,” but every trip ended in Sfakia. Please visit his web site at http://www.wkistler.de/

On Mr. Kistler’s web site, you will find thousands of photographs. Exciting additions are those taken in Sfakia during World War II of the German occupation and the fabled Cretan resistance. He and a friend discovered the archival material in Germany in Bundesarchiv Koblenz. A web cam that records the daily arrivals and departures of the Daskalogiannis ferry can be found at www.webcam-crete.com.

Locals call the White Mountains “Madares,” sometimes translated as “nude, or “without coverage,” or “a barren place.” There are many tall peaks and the largest is said to be Pachnes, rising to 2,453 meters.

Chora Sfakion makes an outstanding base for hikers and, according to two different web sites, approximately twenty different hiking routes start from here. One guidebook on display on a table outside the Lefka Ori Hotel in the village describes nine magnificent hikes of varying degrees of difficulty; the text is interspersed with very attractive color photographs.

The most famous hike in Sfakia, however, is the incomparable and world-renowned Gorge of Samaria, which some say is the largest in Europe. Located in the National Park of Samaria, the gorge is 16 km in length, more or less, and is one the longest in Europe. It begins on the plain of Omalos and ends at the Libyan sea in Agia Roumeli.

Hikers use Chora Sfakion as a base. Its bay is small and horseshoe shaped and there are only 400 full-time residents. Although it is relatively small and compact, there is a nice selection of places to stay, ranging from one modern hotel that has a lift to very basic and simple “rooms.” The food served by the various tavernas is excellent and the chefs excel in preparing vegetarian dishes with fresh produce grown locally; the fish comes from the boats of the local fishermen.

You will also find a potent drink made from the skin of the grapes called raki (also called tsikoudia) served at the tavernas; it is a complimentary drink offered with desert. You can buy gift bottles of this in the shops to take back to friends, but be aware of what size bottle the airline will permit you to carry on board. My large bottle purchased as a gift was confiscated at customs, and I almost wept as I saw it being looked at with desire by the attendant and then reluctantly thrown into the round cylinder. I wondered if he would retrieve it later and I hope he did!!

It is very peaceful and serene and you will never hear music coming from any of the shops or tavernas. This is because a number of years ago business owners voted to ban music so quests would hear only the sound of gently splashing waves, and in the very warm months, a chorus of cicadas. The cicadas make their distinctive trilling sounds as the waves splash gently on the harbor. Your senses will be soothed by this gentle lullaby.

TELOS

This article was published in Hellenic Lifestyle ... Celebrating Greek Spirit

A Review of Labyrinthine Ways

This is a review of my novel Labyrinthine Ways by a Professor of Linguistics who chooses to remain anonymous.  You can also view the trailer for the book in this short video.

At the very beginning of Labyrinthine Ways, the novelist Aurelia entreats the inspirational “Muses” that their stories “must start with Manoussos…and end with him as well.” The “Muses” so oblige; however, the Manoussos fulcrum is not necessarily to be regarded the key to the novel’s main plot. Manoussos is certainly the novel’s main character; however, there is no readily discernible traditional main plot. Instead, the novel crafts a richly-hued narrative tapestry from the lives and life materials of certain key characters and sets that against the backdrop of a vibrant Cretan life within which the intriguing legend of the Twelve Archontopoula is especially riveted in the collective consciousness of many. The novel is an exciting, immersive reading experience, on the surface more labyrinthine structurally than linear, and the reading rewards well outweigh the few occasional derailments of taste and sensibility.

The novel’s core germinates out of the life materials of essentially seven key characters: Manoussos, mayor of his Cretan village and a highly esteemed woodturner and cheesemaker, his children, Akela (an apprentice woodturner) and Manolis (a university student in the Classics) Emily and Matt, two very dear friends and Londoners with a shared passion for Greece and for Crete in particular, Ollie, an Australian university student haunted by the irrepressible desire to travel to Crete to follow in the footsteps of his much-admired and world renowned Cretan pilgrim, Nikos Kazantzakis, and Antonio, a transplanted Italian master chef and polylingual especially gifted in the preparation of Cretan cuisine. While the life of each of these characters obviously unfolds from a unique personal perspective and commensurately travels along a distinctly personal trajectory, the novelist manages to weave these distinct lives together into a beautiful narrative tapestry. The subtlety and skill with which this is done are impressive.

That the seven characters each have their respective ties and affiliations to Greece and to Crete in particular, and so are already commonly bonded, is of course obvious from the above. Less obvious, however, and more skillfully mingled in is the thread which runs through their lives, and which thereby unites them in a much more vital common bond in different forms and at different levels. That thread is the eternal human quest for the “everlasting beautiful,” (be it “peace” or “love” or “final self realization” or the “soul” or “becoming one”), and its ever-present, mysterious companion, Serendipity, together framing a motif no doubt inspired by the Cretan Nobel Laureate, Kazantzakis. The final union in a genuine traditional Cretan marriage of Manoussos and Emily, and the eventual lover’s union of Akela and Ollie are especially compelling examples of this more vital bonding. The case of Manolis and his father, near the end of the novel, sharing bread made by Emily, “bread made from the heart,” and reciprocally re-discovering a very tender love, paternal and filial, that of Antonio and his kafenio, already a well-established and very well-patronized restaurant, becoming in addition a virtual center for the discussion and promulgation of Greek and Cretan political and cultural history and self identity, and that of Matt and his “female Zorba,” Elena, reunited in London and coming to realize that they now belonged to two different worlds are additional noteworthy examples of that more vital common bond, varying in form and level, the last one to be read as an oblique demonstration of that by negation.

The novel’s invigorating descriptions, some of them lyrically beautiful, of the Cretan terrain and its opportunistic commentary on the daily goings-on of Cretan village life paint a compelling picture of the prodigality and agreeability of indigenous life. A few poignant illustrations include: the description of Manoussos’ and Emily’s enchanting evening at Tavri where, bedded within the all-embracing and all-nurturing passivity of the land, they “become one,” Emily’s cooking outdoor apprenticeship under the tutelage of some Cretan women during which she becomes profoundly aware of the vital symbiosis between the Cretan land and its people and affectionately muses that “From Field to Table” would be a very apt title for her cookbook, and Manoussos’ simply brilliant resolution of the case of the donkey ownership problem, intuitively guided by his instinctive, indigenous good sense that “The sheep knows the shepherd, and the shepherd the sheep.” He was indeed a shepherd in his very early life.

Apart from the obvious tactical use of symbolic language to encapsulate the kernel of the novel’s sequential episodes and to also facilitate flow and continuity, there are some other hints of symbolism and symbolic images not all of which are readily decipherable or readily integrated into the novel’s primary focal objective. The two white horses for the genuinely traditional Cretan marriage of Manoussos and Emily, Ollie’s bastouni, “shepherd’s crock,”for his walking pilgrimage through Crete, and the watch of Bernard the tourist almost whimsically invoked to dissolve his claim to being Cretan pose little interpretive and integrative problem. The same applies to the invocation of the mythic Sisyphus finally triumphing over his burden as an analog for illustrating Manoussos’ final and complete liberation of his personal demons and his longed-for finding of inner peace at the novel’s end. However, Ollie’s eventual epiphanic realization to “come apart like Christ,” and Akela’s washing and drying her father’s tired and sore feet, near the very end of the novel, while “strands of her hair and her tears fall down on them,” an image that overreaches and strains this reader’s taste and sensibility, leave a somewhat disconcerting wonderment as to how these pieces fit the whole. And the jar of honey gift to Manolis from his special friend Amarylis so as to “sweeten” their love rings superficial and leaves something to be desired.

Though largely fictional, Labyrinthine Ways brings into sharp focus one of the most elemental motives that drives human beingness, the haunting quest for the “everlasting beautiful” however the seeker so construes it. Additionally, through its compelling depiction of the prodigality and agreeability of indigenous life, it offers some sobering counsel regarding the redemptive lure of a grateful stewardship of the land and the vitalizing spirit of ecological community. These two salient features give legs to the novel making of it a reading adventure and leisurely meditation out of which many a good find may emerge for a wide reading audience gregarious or otherwise.

The Wild Herbs of Crete

The journey over the steep and narrow mountain roads of Crete to arrive in the mountainous Kallikratis Plateau at The Wild Herbs of Crete can be daunting for anyone, especially a city dweller from the United States. I was driven there from near Frangokastello on roads rising to heights 980 meters or more above flat land on what was mainly a single lane. Elizabeth and Yorgos, my Cretan friends who drove me to Kallikratis chatted all the way, oblivious to the fact that I was not speaking because I was holding my breath.


To say it is “off the beaten track” is an understatement, just as it is an understatement to say it is “sparsely populated.” According to the local Municipality of Crete, only three families live on this plateau in the Lefka Ori region of southwest Crete.
The village is named after Manousos Kallikratis, who with five ships and 1,500 men, led a campaign to defend the area from the Ottomans in 1453. Kostas Mountakis. a famous Cretan musician, was born here.


Skiing…in Greece!

It is not widely known, but it is a fact that skiing holidays in Greece are much less expensive than in other areas of Europe.  Perhaps the more famous European ski resorts attract more celebrities, but the mountains of Greece offer stunning, idyllic scenery, their own particular charm, and proximity to other attractions, historical sites, and at some locations, thermal springs.

Greece offers exhilarating adventures against the stunning beauty of the alpine landscape.

Two websites have the most comprehensive information on ski resorts in or near central Greece: www.visitgreece.com, the official site of the Greek National Tourism Organization (GNTO) and www.greektravel.com, Matt Barrett’s popular guide. Slopes in Central Greece closest to Athens are on Mount Parnassus, a two hour drive from Athens and close to Delphi; and the Pelion Mountain (Agriolefkes), and Mount Velouchi, (Karpenisi), both approximately four hours from Athens by car.

Mount Parnassus has fifteen slopes and Agriolefkes and Karpenisi have three. All have accommodations, cafeterias, and restaurants. Highly recommended, also, is the modern ski lodge on Kalavrita in the Peloponessos, the second largest ski resort in Greece. Some ski enthusiasts consider Kalavrita to be among the best in Europe.

On the island of Crete, Alpine Travel will plan ski holidays for you and your group. Tourists come from all over the world for the cross-country adventures on the White Mountains and Mount Psiloritis. For information about a unique and exciting new package called “Heliskiing” that Alpine is offering this season contact George Antonakakis, founder, at www.alpinetravel.gr. Mr. Antonakakis is a pilot rated AR (Aerobatics) by the British Aerobatic Academy under the European Aviation Safety Agency.

Weather permitting, groups are taken by helicopter to the top of slopes on The White Mountains for cross-country skiing. It has become very popular and you are encouraged to book as soon as possible. Please visit the website to see photos of activity during a seven-day “Heliskiing” trips. Alpine Travel is well-known for its “adventure” travel all year round at various locations on the island and for popular active holidays for families. Summer travel packages range from trekking, hiking gorges, and kayaking to bungee jumping.

TELOS

Published in The National Herald, January 2014

“Naturist” Not “Nudist” at Vritomartis

Americans call a hotel where clothing is not worn in outdoor areas “a nudist resort,” but Greeks prefer the name “naturist.”  This term means the hotel is a properly licensed resort where guests observe the rules of “naturism” in all outdoor areas by the pool and the beach, from sundown to sunset. And…the only naturist resort in Crete happens to be just one kilometer from the most traditional of all Greek mountain villages—Chora Sfakion, known for its deep respect of Cretan traditions.

From the day Vritomartis opened in 1989 until today, the hotel owners and its guests and the hotel and tavern owners and their guests in Chora Sfakion remain the friendliest of neighbors. A 20-person van comes four times daily to the square in Chora Sfakion to take guests to and fro.

Chora Sfakion is in one of the most remote areas of Crete; its setting is spectacular and was first described by author Xan Fielding as the area “where the mountains meet the sea.” Surrounded by the White Mountains,

Chora Sfakion’s land is lapped by the beautiful Libyan Sea. To give you some perspective of its remoteness, it is 155 kilometers from Heraklion and eight kilometers from Rethymnon and is reached by traveling over steep, hair splitting, and very narrow mountain roads.

Vritomartis is a large resort in a beautiful setting surrounded by a rugged plateau of mountains rising over 2,000 meters to the North, and resting on a wild coastline. Taking its name from a ancient, Minoan goddess worshiped in the area, the resort has eighty-five beautifully appointed rooms, of which forty-two are located on two floors in the main building and forty-three in nine separate bungalows. All have air conditioning, telephone, television Wi-Fi access, a mini fridge, radio, and hair dryer.

There is a twenty-five meter swimming pool, and a children’s pool and small playground set in a garden with sea and mountain views. Around the pool are sunbeds, umbrellas, showers, and plenty of shade, as well as a pool bar that serves a wide variety of beverages and snacks.

Beautiful, quiet beaches, including Filaki beach, are within easy walking distance of the hotel area and you will find a snack bar, umbrellas, and sunbeds there. The beach has unusual cliffs and cave formations which provide shade and a small shuttle bus goes back and forth between the hotel and the beach.

Some guests want to do nothing more than relax in the peace and quiet of the hotel and its grounds, while others choose to participate in some activities, such as garden chess, tennis, volleyball, table tennis, and bocce. Once every two weeks local musicians and dancers perform for “Cretan Dance Night” outdoors on the bar veranda, and there is music and dancing three nights a week.

For guests who want to explore areas of southern Crete, the hotel offers excursions to the island of Gavdos, the southernmost point in Europe; boat trips to Agios Pavlos, Agia Roumeli, and Fournoti, and day trips to Frangokastello and the palm forest of Preveli. There are weekly walks of the spectacular Aradena Gorge, guided walks through the picturesque villages of Agios Ioannis, Aradena, and Anopolis, and a weekly walk through the nearby Imbros Gorge, which is a lot less challenging than the Aradena Gorge.

The Hotel Vritomartis is beautifully and tastefully decorated and there is a large pool and access to a private beach. I found the visitors there to be an international mix of sophisticated travelers who want to sun bathe and swim natural. The atmosphere was welcoming and jolly and it should be a destination point for anyone who seeks a naturist resort in a setting stolen from paradise. (Yes, I swam natural in the pool and in the sea;-) For additional information, please visit the resort’s website at http://www.vritomartis.com

TELOS

Published in The National Herald, July 2014 with thanks to Wolfgang Kistler for the first photo

Manousakis Vineyards – Crete

As the first rays of sunlight warm the field, I look toward the Lefa Ori mountain range and see the procession of men and women in the distance, slowly descending the rugged hills. I am standing near Kostis Falanis, who has been working the ancient still for the past two hours; the aroma of a sweet liquid fills the air.

He gives the strayfylo—the grape skins and stems—another quick stir, watching as the steam from the copper pot is funneled to the tank. Kostis tells me the steam is and then cooled by the water until it becomes the “fire-water” liquid called tsikoudia, also known by the more popular name of raki.

Fun Jobs in Greece for Free Room and Board – All Summer Long and Beyond

Would you be willing to care for horses on a farm in Corfu, help someone build a storehouse on Chania, serve as a maid for a small hotel on Naxos, or pick and clean acorns that fall from trees on the island of Kea–all in exchange for room and board?

Do you fancy donating your services for a few months, or do you prefer a year? Welcome to the world of “Help Exchange,” or “HelpX,” an online listing of opportunities that may be a match for you.

“HelpX” is “a cultural exchange for working holiday makers.” Its website lists farms and lodges willing to hosts volunteers for a few months or a year in return for room and board. Some of these opportunities require basic “handyman” skills, but others able to pick and process olives or acorns are welcomed. Hosts look for individuals with a sense of adventure who will enjoy learning new skills and living among the locals. Below are just a few current listings:

Experiencing the Beauty of Omalos

Many tourists who find the hike down the magnificent Gorge of Samaria too challenging may want to consider staying at a lodge in Omalos, the starting point for entering the gorge. Your hosts will offer traditional, Cretan hospitality, plus the experience of being in one of the most dramatically beautiful natural settings on Crete.

Two lodges that come highly recommended by hikers are the Kallergi Lodge, about two hours on foot from the gorge, and Neo Omalos, closer to the gorge’s entrance.

The White Mountains comprise the most famous and spectacular mountain range in Crete. Pachnes is the highest peak at 2452 meters. Omalos is the only village in the White Mountains and is sparsely populated with ten homes. In these mountains there are no lifts or other man-made structures to transport people, and you will be surrounded by nature in all her wild, rustic beauty. It is an area of outstanding natural splendor that some find breathtaking.

Big Fat Cretan Wedding

Decades ago in the mountain villages of Crete, it was traditional for the prospective bride and groom to arrive for their wedding ceremony on splendid, white horses. The bride’s dowry was carried by donkeys striding behind the horses. The groom was in splendid Cretan dress with white shirt and high boots, and the bride, sitting side saddle on her horse, usually wore a flowing gown of white chiffon.

Weddings such as these are not performed these days, but a “mock” Traditional Cretan Wedding takes place every July in Arolithos, a mountain village eleven km from Heraklion. Hundreds of tourists come to see a truly unique reenactment, complete with music, dancing, and the very best Cretan food.

In years gone by, a man known as the kalestís (the person who invites the guests), would go door to door in the village and extend personal invitations to every family. Village elders took charge of all preparations, following the customs explained in George Evangelou Apostolakis’ award-winning book, Traditional Cretan Wedding. Mr. Apostolakis received a special commendation from the Academy of Athens for his work. The academy said it “contributes to the enrichment of the archives of Crete and to the preservation of the facts concerning the folk culture of the country.”

For the wedding of years past, intricate planning was involved to serve thousands of guests. The women focused on two tasks: kneading bread for the wedding rolls and preparing linens for the dowry; the men were responsible for the meat and wine. The women who created the design on the bread were called Xóbliastres and the intricate decorations on the bread were known as xóblia.

The men were responsible for the cellar, where all the food was stored and the meat hung from wooden planks. There were barrels filled with wine and rakí made in the village, and an earthenware jar for olive oil. A “cellar master” ensured that all ran smoothly.

All traditions are not observed for the “mock” ceremony, but they are explained to the tourists. The excitement reaches its peak when the wedding party arrives followed by musicians on foot playing the laoutó and the Cretan lýra (a three-stringed instrument made of wood and played with a bow). The proud people of Arolithos say this is as close to an old-fashioned, Traditional Cretan Wedding as anyone will experience.

The traditional village of Arolithos is a magical place to plan your own wedding, and you can find out more through their website - www.arolithos.com

TELOS

This article was published in The National Herald, April 2014

Photos courtesy of Arolithos Traditional Cretan Village

Askyfou’s Country Bread

All the women in Askyfou (and the men, if truth be told,) agree that the cheese maker’s wife, Maria (God rest her soul), made the best crusty country bread (horiátiko psomí) in all of Askyfou.

It wasn’t that she kept the recipe to herself. Maria would take her dough on a wooden plank to the outdoor brick oven behind Nikos the baker’s house and it was there that she would give her recipe to anyone who asked.

As in other mountain villages, it is the custom on special holidays for women to bake their bread in the communal oven when the baker finishes his own loaves. It is also the practice on any weekday for villagers to bring casseroles for their evening meal to the wood-burning oven and allow them to simmer slowly.

Asi Gonia: Blessing of the Sheep

In the orthodox religion, every profession has a saint and shepherding is no exception. Saint George is the patron saint of shepherds and every year on his day, April 23, there is a spectacular ceremony in the Cretan mountain village of Asi Gonia during which St. George is remembered, the shepherd is honored, and his sheep are blessed after being milked and sheered.

I had the privilege of witnessing this ceremony two years ago. On Easter Monday, shortly after 8 am. the first flock of about 200 sheep came thundering into the village square in sleepy Asi Gonia. Shepherds in traditional Cretan dress quickly herded them in a huge circle around the statues of the town’s heroes. A few, bold renegades broke rank and ran down the hill, followed by most of the flock. The shepherds ran after them, shouting commands and using their distinctive, twisted crooks to bring the sheep into line and back to the town square where they continued their circular meanderings.

A Unique Resort Serving the Physically Disabled

People with physical disabilities who have avoided travel to Greece will be delighted to know that a resort in Chania, Crete, has been designed exclusively for them and their families with all accessibility needs in mind. The Eria Resort is the first facility of its kind to open in Greece, and it offers state-of-the art facilities, equipment, and conveniences so that persons with physical disabilities may enjoy a very pleasant and enjoyable holiday on Crete.

Specifically, the functional hotel has comfortably adapted rooms and bathrooms, adapted equipment, a heated, ramped pool, planned activities, physiotherapy, a gym, spa services, and other athletic facilities. Two adapted mini buses offer transfer from and to the airport and take guests on accessible excursions.

Tsigoudia in Crete

As the first rays of sunlight warm the field, I look toward the Lefa Ori mountain range and see the procession of men and women in the distance, slowly descending the rugged hills. I am standing near Kostis Falanis, who has been working the ancient still for the past two hours; the aroma of a sweet liquid fills the air.

He gives the stayfylo—the grape skins and stems—another quick stir, watching as the steam from the copper pot is funneled to the tank. Kostis tells me the steam is then cooled by the water until it becomes the “fire-water” liquid called tsikoudia, also known by the more popular name of raki.

I am in Vatollakkos, Crete, participating in the “Night Harvest” of the Manousakis Winery. Earlier that morning, I was with the workers, picking grapes in the vineyards. Because it is too hot during the day, and the fields are not lighted in the evening, the “night” harvest actually begins shortly before sunrise and ends around 8 am.

This is the last harvest of the year completed by the Vineyard’s paid workers and also friends and neighbors of the Manousakis’ family. It is a ritual that brings the community together. As the men and women approach the still, they receive a traditional greeting from Kostis: a shot of the tsikoudia, ritualistically downed in one swallow.

A few feet from the still are long tables laden with Cretan specialties prepared that morning by women from the village. I notice that most people are choosing the small sausages first, so I sample one and immediately take another. I tell the woman next to me that the sausage is the most delicious I ever tasted and she tells me it is made with a “secret” ingredient.

The sausages are small, so I venture to the table again, taking a third. I savor it, and this time I am sure I have discovered the secret ingredient. It is vinegar. I make a mental note to ask my host for the recipe.

I am told I must have my shot of tsikoudia, so I approach the still, now surrounded by men only. I take the shot and down it in one swallow as Kostis shouts “Kalos Orisete!! Kalos Oriste!! It tastes nothing like the commercial brand sold in the stores on Crete and I realize that it must be highly prized. I ask Kostis for a second shot and he complies and then fills glasses all around. Now the men make a toast, shouting “Kalos Orisete!! Kalos Orisete!!

And I join in.

TO TELOS (THE END)

Photography courtesy of Kopanakis Family taken in Makrigialos-Sitia, Crete

This article was published in Hellenic Lifestyls ... Celebrating Greek Spirit