CRETE … UP CLOSE WITH VASSILIS GIALAMARAKIS

Authentic Crete: the town

I'll take you into the Old Town and introduce you to Michalis, the last traditional weaver in Crete. He will explain how the carpets are made from wool, starting with sheering his cousin's sheep, to washing the wool with soap in the river. (You can smell the lanolin on the raw wool.) You'll learn about how natural dyes are made from leaves, bark, roots, and flowers. Then to the designs and how they relate to the Minoan traditions. And of course weaving the carpets on ancient (200 to 400 years old) looms in his shop

Armenis the knife maker has been making Cretan daggers for the past 65 years. Cretans take pride in their knives, which were used for dueling and self defense during the Turkish occupation. You may not believe it, but you can even smell the knives in there.

We will also meet the boot maker and the oldest restaurateur of the harbor, Nikos. Visit the Agora with all the traditional food produce from fresh fish, meats, vegetables to olive oil, herbs, local soap, snails and much more. We'll take a ride on the horse-drawn harbor coach, meet more friends who will cook for us, and finally enjoy a sumptuous meal on the waterfront while watching the sea and the people strolling past.

Authentic Crete: the seaside

We visit the ancient site and beach of Falasarna. A Minoan harbor risen from the sea of the Hellenistic times, located at a very beautiful spot at the west end of Crete. Then on to the village of Sfinari to meet the Baladakis family and enjoy some great Cretan hospitality. Fresh fish is caught by the oldest son, Nikos; his father is a farmer whose greenhouses produce tomatoes and cucumbers through the winter. They keep their own animals' goats, sheep, chickens, and they make their own soft goat cheese and honey from their bee hives.

We can arrange to go out on their boat fishing or to visit the Cave of the Fairies and see the bats living there. Weather permitting, we can also arrange to go out on Nikos' speedboat; we'll let him off to fish while we go to see Gramvousa island and its Venetian fortress, and swim in Balos Bay. The waters are turquoise and the views are amazing. On the way back we pick up Nikos and admire his catch: he free-dives as deep as 35 meters and catches bass and other fish to sell at his restaurant. He's also a great naturalist, so we may want to stay with him …

Authentic Crete: the hills

We go to my father's village of Topolia and meet my auntie Maria. She gives us the keys to two churches. After a stroll around the narrow streets (made for donkeys) we return to my auntie's house for a traditional Raki. Then we visit the restored village of Milia. It is a place hidden from the world, a paradise for walkers. The village has no electricity and is a sample of typical Crete's architecture of shepherds' houses. We will have a meal of only organic produce and enjoy the unique views and the atmosphere. The evening meal will take place at a traditional taverna at the roots of the wine mountains in the village of Zourva.