History
Many invaders have occupied Crete seeking to dominate the strategically important Aegean region. Essentially the island has not been “Greek” for all that much of the last 5000 years with Minoans, Romans, Byzantines, Arab Saracens, Venetians, Ottoman Turks and Egyptians all in control at one time or another. Full union with Greece did not come about until 1913.
Today with Greece part of the European Union another invasion has occurred; that of the sun-seeking tourist and ex-pat. But this invasion, principally led by the British, is a peaceful and mutually beneficial one and you may be sure that, as a visitor, you will find a warm and genuine Cretan welcome.
Folk
The people of Crete have a way of life steeped in rural traditions. A villager will normally keep chickens and rabbits for the table and be more or less self-sufficient in vegetables and fruit from their garden. Almost everyone has a few olive trees and will take their harvested olives to the communal press to obtain oil or they preserve them in salt or oil. They will also have grapevines to make their own wine and rakki. Some still own and ride a donkey and may keep a flock of sheep or goats on land handed down through many generations.
Ask a Cretan to dinner and they will arrive laden with gifts and contributions to the meal. This goes back to the mutual support that was a practical feature of village life.
