Crete’s Instense Blue Sea and Sun Was Just the Boost I Needed

Paris was cold and grey on an early October morning as my flight took off from Orly, heading towards sunny Crete.

I was craving a deluge of Cretan sun to offset my annual slow descent into a seasonal mood slump. This usually occurs around mid-October from dwindling light.

 

Fall is also the best time to visit Greece, when the hordes of summer tourists have left and the surrounding sea remains at its warmest.

Blues are the predominant colours of Greece, from the seas, even at night, to the cute miniature chapels that dot the coastline.

Cretan people, like the majority of Greeks have a friendliness full of exceptionally generous hospitality, which must be in their DNA.

Flying towards any of the southern Greek islands makes for beautiful sea views dotted with multiple mountain-capped islets.

Crete, being the third-largest island in the Mediterranean, looks very mountainous from above as the plane approached Heraklion.

The landscape was carpeted with bushy dark grey green olive trees that dotted the arid brown ground, as the plane approached from the cerulean blue sea, which my photos don’t do justice.

Stepping out of the plane, the first thing I noticed was the intensity of the super bright sun that burned on my skin.

Even in October, it was in stark contrast to the pale Parisian sun , when there is some.

The ride along the coast towards my destination offered wonderful beach views till you reach the main tourist drag of Heronissos, a popular seacoast village that draws lots of mostly young European sun and fun seekers.

I was returning to a wonderful small apartment hotel in the quieter part called Limenas Cheronisso.  The Arlen Beach has fabulous sea views plus a huge pomegranate tree in the back by the pool. 

The incredible blue of the Cretan Sea from my balcony was mesmerising against the swaying palms, sea daffodils and what looked like sea oats.

As I stared out into the vast changing colours of the sea, from turquoise to cerulean blue, I felt lost in its beauty.

A different palette of blue shades was enjoyed from sunrise to dusk with a full moon hanging in the sky.

Dinner by the sea made for a tantalising display of dazzling rippled colours from lights just above.

Since my room was only about 15 meters from the ocean, the sounds of the surf was an ever-present luxury, enjoyed like a lullaby as I fell asleep.

I have admired ocean colours all of my life.  The intense, deep blueness of the Mediterranean appears accentuated in Crete.  Maybe it is the angle of the sun or the seabed.

Last year, I spent time in Chania, at the other end of the island, but apart from its lovely Venetian harbour seen here, I felt drawn towards returning here.

Maybe it was the ancient call of the Minoans, who are credited with establishing the first Western European society around 15,000 BC.

This peaceful matriarchal society built palace-like conclaves around Heraklion, the most famous being Knossos and Malia.

They were extremely skilled shipbuilders and seamen who established powerful trading routes in the southern Mediterranean.  They loved blue dolphins too.

Their demise is believed to have started with a catastrophic volcano before being further destroyed by warring tribes from the mainland.

Each time I go to Crete, I indulge in the wonderful Cretan seafood, especially octopus, squid, fried red mullet, and swordfish.

The Cretans like snails too, and eat a lot of wild greens that appear on fall menus.  You can also try flower bulbs that they depended on during the severe famine of World War II.

Their Cretan red wines are generally full-bodied, perfumed grape varieties like Kotsifali, which one doesn’t find elsewhere.

The whites are crisp and fruity with lovely citrus and vanilla overtures that finish with light minerality; a perfect accompaniment to the salinity of their grilled or fried seafood.

The Mediterranean has a higher salt content than the Atlantic or Pacific, perhaps giving its seafood that extra taste.

The island’s many stray cats are well taken care of by the community and tourists who often have a feline eyeing their meal.

An example of Cretan hospitality and generosity is at the end of a restaurant meal, a small bottle of raki, a potent eau de vie is offered along with fruits and cake.

I like slow travel when time permits, so my only goal was to luxuriate in sea views, sun and sea.

So far, Crete has proved to be the perfect fall boost of super sun rays I needed. Even after the dreaded setback of clocks that I despise, I am still free of my usual slope towards seasonal depression.

By the time you read this, I will soon be heading back to Florence and Rome, not for sun, but to indulge again in a feast of Renaissance art, beauty and Jubilee year spirituality.