Arriving in Crete just one week after a very bad weekend in London (the Carl and Liz Risberg "incident" that made us avoid Bed and Breakfast altogether in England from then on) seemed like landing to Paradise. The weather was absolutely gorgeous: sunny but not too warm, the trees and flowers in orgasmic blossom and smelling like heaven, the Caribbean-blue sea inviting for an early swim. In other words, before this starts resembling a Windows XP Caribbean screen saver, all the ingredients were there to make us up to this day, more than six months later, want to go back and STAY.

And there was even more. After having hesitated to visit the island for many years, I was completely thrilled to find out that not only the nature is unspoilt, but also that the people are pleasant to talk to and extremely hospitable. One could argue that the financial crisis may have helped a bit get rid of past vices, which is probably true, but I guess that most people believe a crisis always helps in the wrong direction, making people desperate and wild. Whereas in Crete people are just happy to have you there.

Moreover, the food was invariably very good, accompanied by free raki everywhere, a necessary poison (actually a very strong spirit) to help you digest the huge quantities served. All this at what in the rest of Western Europe are very, very competitive prices, if not blatantly cheap. And the same goes for accommodation. One of the most price-worthy places I have ever been in Greece is the hotel "Sunday life", situated in Ayia Pelagia (northern central Crete). It is impossible to forget the hospitality of the two young sons, the quality of the place and, especially, the restaurant. Actually, normal people could live just on the breakfast, a feast that can and will take half of your day if you let this hospitable family offer you all that's in the menu! And when you reluctantly decide to leave, they will also give you a basket with what you could not eat… As for the evening, do not even think of going elsewhere. Your diet can wait, but believe me, this supper cannot!

 Driving in the mostly empty, good-quality streets of Crete was a pleasure as well. The White mountains, contrasting with the clear blue sky, made every corner a postcard. And there was always a nice café to stop and turn every supposedly brief pause to a culinary feast, when the owners of the place started coming up with "just what was in the fridge"! They must all have had HUGE fridges though, because after yet another "snack" I felt my belly was going to explode!

In other words, you can do what you like, but in the end the rhythm of the island will get you, will slow you down. I am notoriously bad in slowing down, especially when travelling, but Crete prevailed, and I, we are very thankful for the tranquil days of our stay in this rich place, in every sense of the word.

The slideshow

On uTube: at the Arkhadi monastery, old lady in Elounda

Old inhabitant of Ano Elounda, pretending we never were at school together