| Summer Heat on the Isle of Crete. Keshaa Brucee |
In the summer of 2002, I was lucky enough to find a great
vacation package to Crete leaving from France, where I was
living at the time. My husband and I flew into the Heraklion
airport at around noon. This was our first mistake. Warning:
Crete in the August is beyond HOT. One should never do
anything at noon in August on the Isle of Crete. In fact we later
learned that all shops and businesses close until near sundown
to avoid the mid-day sun. The tiny airport terminal was over
crowded with tourist vacationers from all over Europe
scrambling to find the bus to their resort or hotel. My
boyfriend and I somehow managed to find our luggage amidst a
crowd of screaming Germans and over bronzed middle aged
French couples. I was delighted to finally make it to our
un-air-conditioned bus and find a seat.
vacation package to Crete leaving from France, where I was
living at the time. My husband and I flew into the Heraklion
airport at around noon. This was our first mistake. Warning:
Crete in the August is beyond HOT. One should never do
anything at noon in August on the Isle of Crete. In fact we later
learned that all shops and businesses close until near sundown
to avoid the mid-day sun. The tiny airport terminal was over
crowded with tourist vacationers from all over Europe
scrambling to find the bus to their resort or hotel. My
boyfriend and I somehow managed to find our luggage amidst a
crowd of screaming Germans and over bronzed middle aged
French couples. I was delighted to finally make it to our
un-air-conditioned bus and find a seat.
The tour bus ride to our resort was one of the most informative parts of our trip. We drove through several
areas of the city before arriving at our hotel. It seems that the entire Northern coastline of Crete is packed with
resorts of all price ranges. From Huge glorious hotels to what looked like little villages with huts complete with
grass roofs. In between resorts you could see partially completed building where more resorts were on the
way. When we arrived at our elegant yet modest resort we were greeted by very gracious and well dressed
hosts and hostesses. Throughout our entire stay the service was excellent and the staff was very kind, but not
in an excessively annoying fake way. I found them to be very genuine or just very good at appearing that way.
I especially liked talking to the cleaning ladies who came to our suite each day. These women had to carry all
of their cleaning supplies and bed linens on their backs, up the side of a small mountain to our bungalow every
day in painful heat, but they always stopped to say hello to me.
areas of the city before arriving at our hotel. It seems that the entire Northern coastline of Crete is packed with
resorts of all price ranges. From Huge glorious hotels to what looked like little villages with huts complete with
grass roofs. In between resorts you could see partially completed building where more resorts were on the
way. When we arrived at our elegant yet modest resort we were greeted by very gracious and well dressed
hosts and hostesses. Throughout our entire stay the service was excellent and the staff was very kind, but not
in an excessively annoying fake way. I found them to be very genuine or just very good at appearing that way.
I especially liked talking to the cleaning ladies who came to our suite each day. These women had to carry all
of their cleaning supplies and bed linens on their backs, up the side of a small mountain to our bungalow every
day in painful heat, but they always stopped to say hello to me.
In fact I have no complaints about the local people of Crete. It was the
tourists that drove me nuts. Many of the German tourists were just
down right rude. They insisted on being served first, were very
impatient, and had some of the worst manners I've ever witnessed. On
regular occasions I overheard their conversations and caught them giving
me really strange looks. It took me the better part of the week to figure
out that they couldn't decide where I was from. Finally I overheard them
saying something about me being Cuban, which of course I found a bit
amusing. On a few occasions however, a few tourists would actually
stop and stare SHAMELESSLY. I couldn't decide what they were so
interested in. It's worth noting however that some of those stares might
have been caused by the fact that my boyfriend & travel companion is a
6 foot 2 inch, very handsome, but very white French man.
tourists that drove me nuts. Many of the German tourists were just
down right rude. They insisted on being served first, were very
impatient, and had some of the worst manners I've ever witnessed. On
regular occasions I overheard their conversations and caught them giving
me really strange looks. It took me the better part of the week to figure
out that they couldn't decide where I was from. Finally I overheard them
saying something about me being Cuban, which of course I found a bit
amusing. On a few occasions however, a few tourists would actually
stop and stare SHAMELESSLY. I couldn't decide what they were so
interested in. It's worth noting however that some of those stares might
have been caused by the fact that my boyfriend & travel companion is a
6 foot 2 inch, very handsome, but very white French man.
Even so, I found all the staring a bit strange since there are many Blacks and Africans throughout all parts of
Western Europe. The staring didn't really happen that often, and for the most part I just ignored it. There was
no way I was going to let a few strange people ruin my first European holiday.
Western Europe. The staring didn't really happen that often, and for the most part I just ignored it. There was
no way I was going to let a few strange people ruin my first European holiday.
David and I tried to get away from the resort as much as possible by taking buses to other cities on the Island, a
boat trip to a former leper colony called Spinalonga Island, and a miserably hot bus trip to Knossos, a very
important archeological sight. On our way back from Knossos we stopped in some of the local touristy shops.
In one of the shops a very friendly shop keeper asked us where we were from. When I told him I had come
from New York City he broke out into a hilarious rendition of Frank Sinatra's "New York, New York."
Another time I was in the hotel gift shop and one of the workers asked me where I was from. He seemed
especially surprised when I said I was from New York, apparently they don't get too many people from my
neighborhood showing up in Heraklion, Crete. He then proceeded to tell me how much he dreamed of one day
coming to America to see New York City. He seemed so sincere that it actually made me a little homesick.
boat trip to a former leper colony called Spinalonga Island, and a miserably hot bus trip to Knossos, a very
important archeological sight. On our way back from Knossos we stopped in some of the local touristy shops.
In one of the shops a very friendly shop keeper asked us where we were from. When I told him I had come
from New York City he broke out into a hilarious rendition of Frank Sinatra's "New York, New York."
Another time I was in the hotel gift shop and one of the workers asked me where I was from. He seemed
especially surprised when I said I was from New York, apparently they don't get too many people from my
neighborhood showing up in Heraklion, Crete. He then proceeded to tell me how much he dreamed of one day
coming to America to see New York City. He seemed so sincere that it actually made me a little homesick.
On another excursion David and I rented a car and decided to drive south,
through the mountains, to the southern coast of Crete. I must say this was
one of the most exciting adventures I have ever had. We drove for six hours
through some of the most insanely colorful landscapes I have ever witnessed.
The huge rock formations, the sea of olive trees, and the endless coastline was
enough to thrill even an "I've seen it all" New York City girl.
We made a snack stop along the way in a tiny little village, and to a little out of
the way restaurant right by the Sea, where we sipped our coca colas, and then
decided to go for a swim. And even though we were traveling through the
mountains into the less touristy areas, the local people never made us feel
uncomfortable. It was truly a wonderful driving adventure.
through the mountains, to the southern coast of Crete. I must say this was
one of the most exciting adventures I have ever had. We drove for six hours
through some of the most insanely colorful landscapes I have ever witnessed.
The huge rock formations, the sea of olive trees, and the endless coastline was
enough to thrill even an "I've seen it all" New York City girl.
We made a snack stop along the way in a tiny little village, and to a little out of
the way restaurant right by the Sea, where we sipped our coca colas, and then
decided to go for a swim. And even though we were traveling through the
mountains into the less touristy areas, the local people never made us feel
uncomfortable. It was truly a wonderful driving adventure.
For the most part our trip was incredibly relaxing and uneventful, which was exactly what I wanted. A couple
of mornings David and I woke up extra early to get to the beach before it got too crowded. The morning before
our departure we arrived to find that we were in fact the only 2 people at the beach. That one morning made up
for any slightly unpleasant events that had happened earlier in the week.
That morning we had the entire Mediterranean Sea to ourselves.
of mornings David and I woke up extra early to get to the beach before it got too crowded. The morning before
our departure we arrived to find that we were in fact the only 2 people at the beach. That one morning made up
for any slightly unpleasant events that had happened earlier in the week.
That morning we had the entire Mediterranean Sea to ourselves.