The Grandma Whos Seen It All

ATTENTION: The following article are true events recounted to me by Maria Kioulpali.  The events described in this article are quite graphic and may be disturbing to young readers.  Thank you for your awareness. Recently I wrote an article describing the Cretan Diet, its benefits, and its historical significance.  While writing the article I sought…

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Shepherding In Crete

Yesterday I had the great honor in accompanying my friend, Nikos Manousakis, to his family’s village high up in the mountains of southern Crete.  I had met Niko through a friend, over Facebook of all places, after writing a post announcing that I was searching for a traditional Cretan shepherd to be the subject of…

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The Fishing Industry In Crete

Crete is an island with a coastline exceeding 1000 Kilometers and fishing has alway been a traditional occupation for the Cretan people.  Today however, the industry and local marine life are quite different. There are still plenty of fishermen, both professional and amateur, in Crete but the fish stocks, and catches, are getting increasingly lower…

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A Greek Easter

Easter has forever been one of my favorite holidays.  Making colorful Easter baskets filled with chocolates and goodies, a day of hunting for more delicious morsels hidden amidst beautiful blooming flowers, and big family lunches featuring huge honey baked hams and lavish, freshly made cakes.  Combine this with women in long summer moo moo’s and…

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Biodynamic Olive Oil

The olive and the tree on which it grows have been revered since ancient times.  Archaeological digs have unearthed evidence that olive trees have existed on the island of Crete since 3500 B.C. The Semitic peoples began cultivating the tree’s fruit around 3000 B.C. and particularly liked to use the oil of the olive to […]

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Cretan Wine, The New Age Of Organic

When growing up in Northern California you become quite familiar with a few famous industries that dominate the majority of the state.  Marijuana cultivation, gourmet taco and food trucks, and the wine industry. The wine industry in Northern California, most famously centered around the Napa Valley region and surrounding areas, has become familiar turf to…

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Sustainable Tourism In Crete

Closer to North Africa than to Athens, Crete is a world unto itself.  Landscape and history have collaborated to make it one of the most evocative and multi-faceted of the Greek islands, with a rich tapestry of canyons, mountains, and of course, blissful beaches lapped by crystal-clear water that bring a gurgle of joy to…

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Sorga Chocolate

My last couple days in Bali came to a close last week after a flurry of incredible adventures and extraordinary experiences.  Only three days before my flight to my next exotic location, the island of Crete in southern Greece, I had the great pleasure of meeting Emerald Starr, the “chocolate man of Bali”.  I was…

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