Paphos International Airport. Ok. We are here. On time. Another trip. From one island to another. It doesn't matter, as long as I am moving. I am flexible. In motion. My style.
And this is the first image of paradise I can see from my small airplane window.
Not bad, right? Not bad at all. But, please do ignore the brand marked on the wing. No place for promotion here.
What is this combination of blue, green and white? Is this some kind of a flag? And it's like 27 degrees out there!
How did that snow get there? I am truly fascinated.
Hi Crete! Nice to meet you. I wasn't expecting you would be so lovely and charming. What a cool surprise.
Did I mention that is summer here?
Very hot. The window is melting. Good thing I have my swimming suit with me. Sometimes you just know what is important to take with you. You know that feeling. Intuition?
Ok. Enough already with the praise. I am not going to tell you where is Crete, how many people live there, which is the main city, how is the economy doing (maybe you don't have to google that one :D) and stuff like that. You can search it for yourself. It's not that important because...
...I would like to tell you how Crete made me feel.
Time for another photo. Right now.
My favourite city in Crete. There is something magical in the air. The streets. People. Atmosphere. Smiles and laughter. Cheerfulness. Joy. Lost parts of forgotten paradise. It seems so eternal. Natural. The way it's supposed to be.
Also... The city is so vivid! All the time! Even on Monday mornings, afternoons, evenings ;). Restaurants and bars full of people just hanging out, il dolce far niente, Mediterranean style. Is it related to the economy in this part of Europe? Nooooooo. Impossible.
It doesn't seem there is a crisis. Maybe I am just not capable of recognizing it? No. No crisis here. Human spirit seems to be quite fine here. General happiness everywhere around me. And nature. Amazing nature. You can have a glimpse of it.
Not now. Not yet. First some advising and good practice examples (checked) :).
The best way to explore the island is to have a car or hitchhike, or have a friend who has a car or something similar. Uf, my point is next: don't use the buses if you want to act as a real traveler ;). Just go places. Buy a map and just wander around. You cannot get lost on an island so don't worry. Please, don't check TripAdvisor, Lonely Planet and all of those tourist security channels. Be spontaneous, be an explorer, adventurer, take some road which you have no idea where it might lead. You will get an opportunity to see much more than you have imagined ;), Trust me on that one. Just be sure to have enough gas and food in storage, you never know...
Now the nature part I promised before.
700 kilometers. Excitement. New horizons. Snowy mountains. Loooooong, sandy beaches. Greenery in between. Greek food - no need for explanations. 4 "big" (it's hard to define this on an island) cities. Lots of happy and chubby stray dogs. That like to cuddle. Comfy evenings with wine on our balcony. Seaview. Lighthouse. The sea traffic controler that made our hotel view fabulous. Pure magic.
I am telling you... There is something special about these islands... They are a reminder of some lost world which we still yearn for... It's not easy to define it. It's just a way they make me feel. Infinite.
Just like this photo...
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