We Love Crete - Web Journal

The We Love Crete Journal is a web blog. New pages, photos and guides are added to our site, new music pages and history.

We add stories and comments from our readers and plenty about Cretans in the diaspora. News and all about Crete from us here at We Love Crete.

Jul 22, 2008, Fodele

Fodele; Everything grows here, but most of all the oranges, their scent and bright colours bursting all over the valley

Jul 21, 2008, Crete, Greece
The Closing Ceremony of the 22nd
Renaissance Festival of Rethymnon
Wednesday 23rd July 2008
21:30

To quote from the program:

"This Great Feast, to which everyone is invited, will begin at 21:30 at the centre of the town, Titou Petichaki Square, Vernadou Street, Rimondi Square. Together we will all close the circle of the events of the 2008 Rethymnon Renaissance Festival".

Source - rfr.gr

Jul 20, 2008, The Castles of Crete
Tell the fascinating history of Crete...

The history of Crete is told by our beautiful and haunting castles such as Gramvousa (above). Dotted around the island in strategic locations that sometimes today are very isolated, the castles are in various states of ruin. Intrique whispers from every stone of the castles of Crete

Jul 18, 2008, Rethymnon Town; Venetian architecture, picturesque narrow streets, cafes...

Enjoy the narrow streets of the Old Rethymnon Town

Jul 17, 2008, Rural Accommodation Crete - specially chosen traditional houses and inns

Rural Accommodation Crete; traditional houses, domatia, villas, studios and maisonettes on the island of Crete

Jul 14, 2008, Athens Stopover - highlights, what to see, how to choose a hotel in Athens

Athens; Everyone has their own relationship with Athena. We love Athens. We say it is definitely worth spending time to get to know her...some boutique hotels to choose from

Jul 9, 2008, Beaches of Crete - Cretan Beaches in the Sun

Calling all beach lovers...

Planning your holiday in Crete?

Deciding which part of the island to visit?

Help is here with our interactive map and descriptions of beaches all over the island.

Wild beaches, city beaches, relaxing sandy beaches and plenty of photos to tempt you ...

Crete has 300 days of sunshine every year, these beaches are basking in the sun just waiting for your visit...

Jul 8, 2008, Crete to Santorini

Enjoy a visit to the magnificent island of Santorini Thira from Crete, easily accessible for a day trip or as part of your Greek holiday...

See all the details on our Crete to Santorini dedicated page...

Jul 3, 2008, Crete, Greece
The Opening Ceremony of the 22nd
Renaissance Festival of Rethymnon
Saturday 5th July 2008
21:00

The Course of Contemporary Theatricals runs from the Old Customs House (Entrance to the Venetian Harbour) - [Lotzia] - Rimondi Fountain - Melissinou Street - Katehaki Street (Entrance to the castle)

The Mayor of Rethymnon, Giorgis Ch. Marinakis has announced the new programme for the Renaissance Festival of Rethymnon.

"Travelling in an interesting course of 21 years, this year the Renaissance Festival of Rethymno, is transformed, rejuvenated, enriched, identified, is reborn. This year's organisation was inspired by our thoughts to collaborate and together create with other populaces, and to exchange our models of culture, to get to know one another and to get together.

Rethymno within the tradition of the Renaissance Festival, has this year mounted a live bridge of communication which wraps around the four measures of the horizon, revives its past as a multicoloured mosaic population and culture that deposits its precious intellectual rewards in our city, with a motive, this time, to conquer the knowledge of its own Culture and History.

Europe, the Balkans and the Mediterranean, meet together and participate in this great festival with the provisions of a melodious fragrance of the past, following the steps of a dance supplemented by theatrical activities and coloured by the paintings, the narration of Renaissance Fairytales and the songs from that same period.

The 22nd Renaissance Festival of Rethymnon welcomes all forms of Art and Culture, the expressionists and their creators, each and every one of you who with your own support blossomed as a statute, matured as a position of life and challenges you to this fascinating journey which begins in the heart of the summer and whose aim is to conquer your own."

The Mayor of Rethymnon, Giorgis Ch. Marinakis

Source - rfr.gr

Jul 2, 2008, Athens Epidauvros Festival
Theatre of Silence 'Seeking Oedipus'
Scholeion Theatre;
Stage B 1- 5 July 2008, 21:00

Written & Directed by Aspasia Kralli
Music: Stavros Gasparatos
Lighting: Lefteris Pavlopoulos
Movement: Zoi Chatziantoniou
Original set design for the 2005 premier: Christina Penna
Set Designer: Aspasia Kralli
Stage Sets: Adrian Fluture
Costumes & Props: Ioanna Tsami
Assistant Director: Vassia Paraskevopoulou

Cast:

Teiresias: Aspasia Kralli
Oedipus: Giorgis Tsambourakis
Laius: Ilias Meletis
Jocasta: Malamatenia Gotsi
Shepherds 1 & 2, Meropi: Kostis Koronaios

And Dimitris Yannopoulos, saxophone

The Oedipus myth in the language of silence.

Six actors play the mythic heroes linked to the cursed house of the Labdacides on a "dangerously inclined plane". Picking up the tale from the family's original sin - the "guilty passion" Laius, the son of Labdacus and father of Oedipus, nursed for Chrysippus, which leads to the youth's suicide - the cast attempt a new reading of Oedipus' patricide and incest.

Aspasia Kralli, who studied mime at the Marcel Marceau Paris International School of Mimodrama, employs the language of the body in her approach to the tragic Oedipus cycle in which psychoanalysts have sought expressions of the subconscious and timeless questions relating to parents' relationships with their children and to human existence.

Source - greekfestival.gr

Jul 1, 2008, Crete - The World’s Healthiest Diet by Byron Ayanoglu

In and around Chania:

Crete's second largest seaport is the Venetian-built Chania, on the north-western coast. It is a maze of hillside, slender-tall, 16th century row-architecture, which descends in sharp-angled meandre down to the sun-drenched harbour. It is a stunning town, but we leave it eagerly in search of tirieftis, a cheese made from milk of pregnant goats, a rarely-found, seasonal specialty.

My guide is old friend Aristedes Pasparakis, the mythical food maven. Having ran out of Canadian (Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto), and international (London, Los Angeles) locations for which to create epochal restaurants, Aristedes has been reshaping the restaurant business of his native Greece for the last nine years. In the process, he has joined the culinary crusade of the homeland to revitalise Greek cuisine, and to elevate it into gastronomy. The pursuit of this lofty task is predicated on locating and serving the heirloom foods of the Greek countryside, and especially those of Crete, whose diet has been judged as the most healthful on Earth. And so, Aristedes thinks nothing of driving fifty kilometres into the treacherous mountain passes south of Chania, to unearth tirieftis...

Read the full article on our Crete diet page...by internationally acclaimed author and chef, Byron Ayanoglu.

Byron Ayanoglu is the author of "Crete on the Half Shell", also published as "The Taste of Honey" and an avid fan of Crete.

Jul 1, 2008, Crete Travel Stories

Travellers tales and photos from the island of Crete in Greece. Share your stories here with We Love Crete and lovers of Crete from all over the world.

Jun 28, 2008, "Unraveling Ariadne's Thread: Cretan Music"

Drexel University celebrates publication of new work all about the unique musical identity of Crete.

Drexel University, located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, has a strong 12% of its undergraduate students enrolled as members of Greek societies. The current President of the University is Dr Constantine Papadakis.

In a recent event, a new publication about Crete's unique music and its history was the focus of the evening.

Drexel's Culinary Arts and Greek Studies programs and the Office of the President of the University, joined together to celebrate Dr. Maria Hnaraki's book "Unraveling Ariadne's Thread: Cretan Music" at the Academic Bistro on 21 May 2008.

A native of Iraklio, Crete, Dr. Hnaraki is director of Greek Studies for Drexel's College of Arts and Sciences. She has extensively researched cultural identity expressions, traditions, and customs, such as music and dance events, in Greece and specifically on the island of Crete. Hnaraki writes about her research in her book, which was published last spring in Athens, Greece.

The event also celebrated the inauguration of the Drexel University Greek Alumni Association, which Hnaraki hopes will create a strong bond between Drexel and the Greek community.

In the spirit of Greek culture, Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management students prepared a meze, a selection of appetizers from the Mediterranean. Hnaraki praised Goodwin students for their talents and is enthusiastic about the incorporation of Mediterranean cuisine in the culinary program.

"Working with Goodwin College has been a pleasure. I enjoy the events they invite me to, and the lunches and dinners at the Academic Bistro tremendously," she said.

"A Mediterranean food course is going to be offered this summer, and I consider it a big success already because Drexel will be the only culinary arts program in the country to do so."

A live dance performance by the newly formed Organization of Philhellenic Performing Arts (OPPA) was choreographed to Cretan music.

Those in attendance were excited about Hnaraki's book and the future of Greek cultural activities at Drexel and beyond.

"I am thankful for the educational and cultural programs at Drexel," said one attendee, Harry Pappas. "We need to do more of these programs and reach out to the greater Tri-State area."

Source - hellenicnews.com

Jun 26, 2008, Calling All Pizza Lovers to Paleohora

Enjoy your pizza by the shore of the Libyan Sea and while away the evening...

Jun 25, 2008, Preveli Beach in Crete

Preveli Beach in the south of Crete; a river lagoon surrounded by palm forest creates a magical atmosphere

Jun 24, 2008, Chania - historic capital in western Crete

Chania town, brimming with history, the old town nestled on one of the prettiest harbours on the Mediterranean...Chania town draws us with its charms...

Jun 23, 2008, Agios Nikolaos - in Lasithi provence of eastern Crete; picturesque and dynamic

Agios Nikolaos on beautiful Mirabello Bay, one of Crete's prettiest harbours

Jun 19, 2008, Elafonisi Beach - swimming with the Mermaids

Elafonisi Beach in the south-west of Crete, crystal clear waters and low lying islets to explore.

Jun 17, 2008, Crete's wild beaches - home of pirates

Gramvousa islet and Balos Lagoon in the north-west of Crete...one of Crete's wild beaches and once the haunt of pirates...

Jun 17, 2008, Agia Irini Gorge

Agia Irini Gorge; Rocks and boulders all around and the steep sides of the mountains dwarf the people walking along the rocky river bed. The plane trees, cyprus pines and maple trees...

Jun 8, 2008, Cretan Beaches in the Sun - the beautiful beaches of Crete Island in Greece

Cretan Beaches ~ Beach by Beach & Life at the Beach, Elafonisi, Matala, Agia Pelagia, Elounda...

Jun 4, 2008, Iraklion Town - Crete Kriti

Iraklion Town, the busiest capital in Kriti; we are biased, being from Iraklion, and after spending a lot of time in the town, we can tell you about its nooks and crannies