The Cretan way.....

Looking down on Matala  beach

       As I set out on my own I was immediately drawn to the rugged south coast - as it is a bit less accessible it has less tourists and generally a more traditional feel.  One of my first stops was the village of Matala.  The caves of Matala were carved out of the rock thousands of years ago, but they were made famous in the 60's and 70s by the 'flower' children from around the world that came to live in this secluded ideal paradise.  The area really became legendary by musicians such as Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan and Cat Stevens that came and left their cultural imprint on the life in Matala.  Now there is an interesting mix of international tourists and the 'cave-dwellers' that come from around the world to soak up/revive the way of life in the caves that are a bit more off the beaten track.  It is one of those beaches in the world where you meet people that came to visit for a week and have stayed for months or even years -

The caves of Matala are carved into the soft rock like little apartments looking out over the beach with beds and separate rooms inside.

A carved olive tree at Matala

Looking down on the coast & Red Beach

         Just over the hill from Matala beach and a rugged 30 min walk away lies the more secluded Red Beach where inhibitions are left at the trail head ~ the water is more clear, the drinks a bit tastier and the true Crete south coast vibe soothes the soul.

Hand painted signs lead the way~

The cliffs of Red Beach

My favorite time on the beach.... when the sun begins to set and the chairs are empty;)

Sunset over the Libyan Sea

     I originally came to Greece to learn about the traditional herbs and natural medicines.... What I found was that a few of the Crete 'medicines' and secrets to a long and happy life are in liquid form - in no particular order they are the following:  The pure spring water from the hills, the local thyme honey from the villages, the young sweet wine, the amazing olive oil and the local raki.  No matter how hard you try, there is no escaping these (although the spring water is the most difficult to find).  The Cretans are proud of their local products and everywhere you go the local drinks are served before you can even think about whether or not it is 5pm somewhere;)

Homemade wine and raki on tap

 In Crete, raki is not simply a drink, but rather a ritual and a part of the culture of the island.  They say it is good for everything - especially while eating.... you first drink it to prepare your system for the food and then afterwards it helps in digestion (but really any excuse to drink it is used).  It is always offered and people become a bit offended if you do not partake - but I have learned to drink the small shots slowly (even though it is very strong) for if you take it down like a regular shot then the next one will be served before you can say 'Opa!'. 

    Raki is a powerful distilled drink with an alcohol percent ranging from 35-70 (a wide range depending on who makes it!).  It comes pure (the clear) or with honey (the yellow).  It is produced from the residue left over from the wine press. The local raki is usually pretty cheap and consumed in large quantities as people can fill up water bottles around every corner!

 YAMAS!!

(cheers)

Goodbye to the herbs of Maroulas

          The days spent in the village & working with Marianna went by far too fast!  It was hard to tell the family that I had finally decided to say goodbye.  As with any true cultural exchange there is always a balance between the highlights (when I thought I could stay forever) and the not so glamorous parts (where I was daydreaming of other places on Crete).  However, in the end, the highlights trumped the rest and I was sad to say goodbye. I loved spending time with Marianna - whether it be out in the hillsides gathering herbs or chatting over coffee - she held a plethora of traditional and mystical knowledge that fascinated me.

Marianna & I at the entrance to the herbal shop:)

 A peak inside the herbal shop

   During the day the village was always pretty quiet and peaceful - but when Marianna was in the shop anyone walking around the narrow cobbled walkways could hear the classical music that she played loud & clear~ almost as a gift to the people who passed.... Everyone would stop in and chat briefly, sometimes leaving with herbs and oils - but always leaving with a smile.

View from one of the places we stopped to gather herbs

   In the picture above you can see the small village nestled on a plateau (just left of center) where we would go to collect drinking water (the family goes once a week).  The last few years in Maroulas the water has been sub-par due to contamination from a nearby landfill.  So, for drinking water the family goes to nearby villages where the spring water is known to be pristine.

sweet & plentiful spring water~

working on the roof terrace - cleaning and cutting walnut leaves

A view from above the village - the light in Crete seems to always be captured perfectly by the clouds;)

Marianna and her traditional knife- harvesting wild Thyme and Heather on the hillsides

Looking across the valley from another harvesting spot

Maroulas ~ Crete

Looking down on Maroulas

                       For my last couple of weeks around the Eastern Mediterranean I decided to head north and spend time in Greece.  I really wanted to experience the classic village life in Greece so I did a bit of research and found a website where people from around the world post adds looking for ‘helpers’  - I came across a woman (Marianna) living in a small village outside of Rethymno on the island of Crete who was looking for someone to help her with her herbal shop…. It sounded like the perfect fit for me.  The village, Maroulas, sits on a hillside at 300 m – overlooking olive groves and the beautiful Sea of Crete.  The village only has around 200 inhabitants and is ~ 800 years old – originally built around an old olive mill.

             The herbal shop is pretty much the only shop in the village – sitting beside the one café and a few doors down from the ‘Taverna’.  Also, a few steps away from the shop is Marianna’s lovely stone house where I have been living the past week with her family (two sons, 12 & 21 and the father George).  My typical day in the village thus far is as follows:  I wake up around 7 am to have tea on the balcony with Marianna and George – waking up slowly with the quiet morning light.  Then, I join George on the roof for a session of Tibetian rejuvination excercises (similar to yoga).  After a shower, Greek coffee and a small breakfast I begin working with the herbs~ cleaning the various dried herbs that have been collected, helping make large batches of various teas and then packaging the teas.  Later in the afternoon I help out with lunch (the largest meal of the day) and then everyone goes their separate ways to relax for a bit – I usually take some reading to the rooftop or go for a walk in the village.  As people regain their energy, the early evening is usually spent doing a bit of work with the dried herbs or gathering fresh herbs in the surrounding hillsides.

                The village life has been treating me well – and after a hard last push to finish my research in Israel, this is exactly what I needed.  Staying with the family and working with Marianna has been a great experience and I have learned a lot about not only the herbal healing properties– but also how the relaxed culture can rejuvenate & heal as well;)

                 Within the next few days I will say goodbye to the family and travel around the island for a bit before I head home!  Here are a few pics from around the village.... I will include more of the family and herb shop in the next post:)

The local cafe~

'Main street' with the herbal shop right on the corner

View to the East from above Maroulas

The Dead Sea

Salt crystals along the shore

       The Dead Sea is one of the most unique places I have ever been.  As you approach the sea on the highway you are consistently reminded of the declining elevation until you finally arrive to the lowest point on earth at over 400m below sea level!  The landscape around the Dead Sea is mainly comprised of the harsh Jordan Rift Valley - an extremely arid and sparse landscape with silhouettes of jagged crumbling mountains.  The salty sea itself is peacefully flat and calm, offering the wonderful feeling of weightlessness - as you don't really swim, you more or less bob like a buoy.

what a good excuse to play in the mud;)

My favorite part about the Dead Sea was the mud..... healing in humor and mineral therapeutics:)  You have to feel around a bit before you find the perfectly smooth mud, which feels kind of like a slimy clay.  As the Dead Sea salt and mud are packed full of important and somewhat rare minerals, it has been touted around the world for its healing properties.  The 'commercial list' of benefits is quite extensive as they claim the minerals are anti-aging, helps skin rashes, detoxifies your body and even slims you (yeah right)!  But regardless of what has been commercialized, I will admit that the combination of mud and salt on your skin has an amazing feeling of exfoliating and smoothing - if only there were more do-it-yourself outdoor spas!

      I was able to go to the Dead Sea twice during my stay in Israel - the first one had so much build up that I was bound to be a bit disappointed.  Two things were done wrong: 1) We went in the late afternoon when it was still pretty hot outside - and to say the least the Dead Sea water is not 'refreshing' at all - it was like stepping into a salty hot-tub.  2) Our visit was right after a somewhat rugged hike where minor scrambling and bushwhacking offered better views, but left us with minor scratches and scrapes.  This is NOT a good idea for the salty sea - the sharp stinging of the salt hits you right away.  I kept on pretending that my friend stray was there to jokingly say 'beauty hurts' over and over again.  Why on earth do we have the idea in our head that if something stings it is probably working?!  Needless to say, we didn't really stay too long for this first visit.  The second one (the above pics with the mud) was strategically set with going late in the evening with no open wounds.... the winning combination;)

floating in the buoyant water~

The Wall

Separation Barrier, Apartheid Wall, 'Security' Fence, The Wall......... regardless of what name it is called by, its presence is undeniable in Israel. The first day I arrived in Jerusalem I remember saying "So that's it?! That is THE wall?" I can see it clearly on my daily walk to school - the massive concrete blocks adorned with razor and barbed wire.  It is a stark reminder of the ever-present 'us vs them' perception ingrained into this society. 

      The wall has served as an open canvas and thus a large protest banner on the Palestinian side.  The artist's graffiti can speak for itself....  

    

People always remark 'if only the walls could speak'..... when the real question is, if walls could speak - would we be able to listen?  For this wall does speak and the lives within which it surrounds are expressed through the images and the words that strive to be heard. The paint and the passion slowly seeping through the concrete cracks until the other side can see that it is just an open hand and a lost gaze that holds the paint and meets their gaze...