Chania
STAY Elia Portou Due
HIKE Samaria Gorge
JULIO
This city and its old Venetian quarter are the stuff of dreams. From the Venetian port and its winding narrow streets to the nearby pink sands of Elofinisi, Crete has something for everyone. We posted up in Chania (pronounced Hania) and just relaxed for a little taking a well-deserved break from the road. The Venetian quarter is romantic, enchanting and absolutely full of history. The Italians, Turks, Ottomans, and Persians have all stuck their flag here and the remnants of all of these cultures are evident in its cuisine, architecture and feel. We enjoyed some of the top restaurants like Tamam, Taverna Strata and the Well of the Turk which did not disappoint and added to the city's visible charm.
The city is quite choked with tourists and ramped up towards the weekend. The Tuesday we arrived the town squares were full of happy Greeks and tourists enjoying concerts, company and food well into the night. This late night weeknight action of all ages seems so commonplace in Greece and makes you wonder why in the States life seems to stop at 10pm. It's also quite interesting that you do not see anyone drunk and stumbling through the streets like you do in so many American late night districts. There appears to be hardly any law enforcement present and everyone appears to be extremely conscious of each other and well behaved. We stumbled onto a Greek music concert outside of the old mosque in the center of town and Christina joined her people in a traditional circle dance. Absolutely lovely to watch.
We stayed in several ELIA properties which were lux, affordable and clean. I am still getting used to the bathroom etiquette in Greece which requires no flushing of toilet tissue. All waste paper is placed in a trashcan next to the toilet. This seems to be less odoriferous than one would think but does take some getting used to being a paper flusher. The old pipes in Greece are only two inches which makes them functional with waste only. All the cans near the toilet are usually the foot pedal silver trashcans you find in fancy kitchen stores. Certainly another reminder of the luxuries we are used to and sometimes take for granted. We had more plans to visit sites and attractions in Crete but simply fell in love with old Chania and just enjoyed the old Venetian Section and revealed in its charming feel. After four nights we were ready for a change and flew to Athens from Chania Airport.
christina
In addition to the enchanting beauty of Chania that Julio explains so well, what I've noticed in Crete and what has stood out are the death notices posted all over the cities. These are pieces of paper stapled to the electric poles that not only notify people of a death but have a picture of them and they seem to be an open invite to the mnemosio (memorial service). A mnemosio, for those who don’t know, is a way that we Greeks commemorate a death with a service after the person dies, and then 40 days later, and then again 1 year later. We just had the 1-year mnemosio for my grandmother who died last August and before we left on our trip I was explaining the practice to Julio. In doing so, it made me acutely aware of how beautiful a practice it is because it brings people together not just for a moment at a funeral, but throughout the course of grieving. First, when the death happens, then again 40 days later and then again a year later.
It’s truly a community event to not only commemorate the person who passed but to connect with the family and loved ones of that person – almost like community death counseling. It’s only here in Greece, now seeing these posters everywhere that I see how widespread the community involvement in people’s lives are. Could you imagine seeing an invitation to a death celebration on the local grocery store noteboard in the US? Or on a street corner in front of your kid’s school for people in your community? Sure, in a few hippie-centric places, or perhaps in the event of a tragedy I could maybe imagine it, but outside a Target or a Whole Foods? It makes me reflect on how out of sync with each other we’ve become in the West as a culture. What an odd thing to be reminded of here in this beautiful and historic place - but nonetheless interesting and worth, literally, a moment of silence.
On the flip side of this equation of grieving is the state of celebration and passion that the people of Greece partake in. This is the biggest memory I have of Greece as a child, and also truly of my Greek-American community back home - this sensation of joy, passion and community engagement in celebration. Here in Chania, I danced in the square with locals and immediately felt at home and welcomed by this kefi (κεφι). It is the joy, spirit and passion of the people here, a way of life that defies the odds - you can read more about this Greek sensation at this link.
The Venetian port of Chania by day and by night. Stunning and perfect
Enjoying the Well of the Turk
