Crete - The Blooming Piece of the Lost World

The island of Crete has it all, the breathtaking view of the mountains, olive-tree groves, marvelous ruins of Knossos, monasteries and churches, treasure secured in the museums, exotic little beach villages. Cliffy shores, green valleys and emerald water of the Mediterranean are attracting the tourists from all around the world.

The Lost Atlantis

The British scientists had found tracks of the massive volcano eruption, wandering hundred kilometers from its source the volcano of Santorino. That’s very near to the Crete. The eruption was led by the powerful earthquake, which had drowned the entire archipelago. After researching bottom of the Mediterranean Sea it emerged that Crete and other islands nearby are the pieces of the blooming lost continent. This quite recent research should end the disputes of the place of Atlantis mentioned by Plato.

The researchers of the ancient art found the foremost Dorian and Ionian columns in the ruins of Knossos. The wall paintings of the palace are similar to the ancient sculpture and polychrome is similar to the decorations of amphorae. However, these findings are dated to almost 1500 years before the culture of the ancient Greece had highly emerged. So it is all obvious that this source of antiquity is the follow-up of even more elder culture.

The Traces of the British

Still it is nice to find oneself in this mysterious place – Atlantis. But the fact is that the local Greek people don’t spread that wonderful news for this country much. Leastwise you won’t see any bars, hotels or yachts with the similar and exotically attractive name.

But the respect for the Great Britain is felt in every step. Beginning with the monuments for British soldiers, who had died in the Second World War and ending with the entire towns of English pubs and hordes of tourists from the misty Albion. Rare case: the everywhere swarming German rubbernecks to be outnumbered by the English speaking people. The respect for the Great Britain’s antecedents is felt in every sphere of human life. And it is not casual. It is historically based. English actively invested in the island’s economy and culture both now and over past.

Cliffs and Sea

The stone in Crete is in every your step. Where any other European would try to fix it with wood, Greek would take a stone, far more, because rocks are layered, splitting in nearly regular chips. The Greek name for stone “litos” and for cliff “petra”, are often found in place-names. You might get surprised after seeing the place for the planes to land in the vastness of rocks. By the way, the planes fly from Heraklion not by accident, near it, the present capital of Crete, in the fertile plains of Knossos the rulers of it built up their palaces.

The sea with wonderful colors and transparency doesn’t spoil the holidaymakers with sandy beaches; instead of this you can find a rocky coast and with its nightmare – sea urchin.

The sand of the sea and whiteness of the sunburned cliffs reflects not only in Greece’s flag. Blue and white colors prevail in architecture, taming the variety of southern like customs with its temperance.

The Beginning of the Democracy

Differently than any other land countries, Crete’s coast is livened with abundance of various ships, fishing boats and expensive yachts (see pictures 7, 8, 9). However, if you come from any country not having sea, you will clearly feel that you are not a nation of sailors. The challenge for nature’s elements, sea travels and trade, the experience of other cultures, probably formed an epic ancient civilization and formed ideals, similar to the present democracy.

Greeks are a little proud-hearted. They seem not to lose self-respect even while kindly servicing. The importunity is not typical for them. You won’t be pulled on your flap even in marketplace (picture 11) and if you didn’t buy anything you will part with a friendly smile behind you. While being here in Crete you will always feel that you are in the cradle of democracy.

Experience of the Elder Members of European Union

You won’t see many expensive limousines on the road, most of the cars are not big, but quite new. The dangerous mountain roads formed a safe driving culture usually strange for southern people. Therefore, while driving in Crete you might be surprised by the civility of the drivers and of course by the safeness of traffic.

Apart From Touristic Routes

In this section we could mention some interesting facts. One of them is that in Greece there is a serious view to non-smoking. Of course it is not totally forbidden, but for example the cafeterias are divided to parts for smokers and non-smokers. The later also have an excellent ventilation system. The second thing is that you won’t see anywhere in Greece or Crete the inspection of containers by the beggars. Or any shops with already worn clothes. There also aren’t panhandling children or wallowing drunkards. Greece isn’t the wealthiest EU country. You won’t accuse their people for being too diligent and even more for punctuality. You will see obvious efforts to create not a cored European decoration, but to solve the burning issues of the own society. The path to the pure European virtues is grounded not by the effortless prohibitions, but with sincere concern, respect for self and for other.