This was my assignment:
You will be traveling to Heraklion on the island of Crete in Greece.
While there you will be staying at a small hotel that was built during the 1960, it is well maintained but rather austere. I want you to build your hotel room that has a small seating area as well as your bed, you should include a door to the bathroom (it doesn't need to be open). Your build should reflect the Greek (especially Cretan) style but it does not need to scream it.
And you will be the ruins of the ancient city of Knossos as well as the Heraklion Archeological Museum, be sure you see the famous frescoes. You will be there for two weeks.
While there you will be staying at a small hotel that was built during the 1960, it is well maintained but rather austere. I want you to build your hotel room that has a small seating area as well as your bed, you should include a door to the bathroom (it doesn't need to be open). Your build should reflect the Greek (especially Cretan) style but it does not need to scream it.
And you will be the ruins of the ancient city of Knossos as well as the Heraklion Archeological Museum, be sure you see the famous frescoes. You will be there for two weeks.
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My first holiday in Crete did not have a good start. First of all the plane was almost three hours late. It was stifling hot, and the one-hour busride to the village outside Heraklion, was like a scene from the movie “Speed”. The hotel was a huge disappointment, and nothing like the description in the brochure: “[i]Simple and cozy family owned hotel, with large swimming pool and friendly atmosphere[/i]”. In reality it was a big, ugly concrete lump from the sixties, and simple in the sense that it lacked TV, wi-fi and AC. The first thing that met me when I entered the reception area, was the loud bickering of the hotel owner and the travel guide, over the fact that the pool area was closed. Was this an example of the “friendly atmosphere”? I wasn’t much encouraged when I entered my room. It had a “very cozy view” towards the hotel parking area and the next door graveyard, and on the top of everything it wasn’t properly cleaned after the former guest. Great!
Nevertheless, I decided to give the hotel and my Cretan holiday a chance. The travel guide promised me the room would be cleaned immediately, and that I would receive compensation for the lacking swimming pool in form of a free excursion to Knossos. That was not so bad - after all, I was not planning to stay much at the hotel anyway, as I had a long list of things to see and stuff to do. At the top of that list were the famous ruins of the Minoan palace, so I signed up for the excursion the next morning.
I was not disappointed. Even though it was stifling hot and the bus driver was still auditioning for Formula One, the site of Knossos was simply breathtaking. The partially restored (or destroyed as some would say) ruins had a tangible, powerful energy and one could easily imagine what it would have been like in its heydays. The level of comfort at the palace must have been amazing of its time: clever ventilation, fresh water supply and an elaborate sewage system. I couldn’t help thinking about the paradox that the Cretans made such well functioning systems 5000 years ago, whilst the toilets nowadays (including that in my hotel room) was accompanied by an unpleasant waste bin for the toilet paper. And the impressive models of how the ancient public baths once looked like, was without compare to the grim, dysfunctional pool area at the hotel with its broken tiles and cheap plastic chairs. To avoid that depressing image I closed my eyes, and let my imagination flow. In my mind I could see the beautiful and clever Ariadne, as she was secretly passing the red columns on her way to help the brave Theves, who had taken upon himself the impossible task of putting down the terrible Minotaur. I’m pretty sure I could actually see the shadow of the monster hanging over the ruins, as we left the site. But it could have been my vivid imagination of course.
After this positive experience, my holiday was only getting better. I saw other amazing historical sites. Among the highpoints was the Archiological museum, where many of the findings from Knossos is exhibited. My spirit was elevated in ancient temples and byzantine churches. I found a more laid-back rhythm. I enjoyed the beaches and the crystal clear water, perfect for snorkeling. I enjoyed the diversity and wild beauty of the island, perfect for hiking. I made friends, locals as well as foreigners. I enjoyed the food, the olive oil and the white wine. I learned some Greek (“Gia sou!”). I found that I do not like [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tsikoudia]Raki[/url] and [url=http://www.greektravel.com/sifnos/kamakis.html]kamaki[/url]. I adapted to the fast pasted, crazy traffic, on my rented scooter. I fell in love. Not with a man, but in a beautiful 200 years old tower house, with adjoining 31 olive trees.
Now, two years after my first visit to Crete, it is mine. It’s nothing luxurious, in fact it is “simple and cozy”. It has neither TV nor AC, and it definitely doesn’t have a pool. And it is not missed. I have spent my most precious holidays here, because it gives me a component I couldn’t find anywhere else: Peace of mind.
Nevertheless, I decided to give the hotel and my Cretan holiday a chance. The travel guide promised me the room would be cleaned immediately, and that I would receive compensation for the lacking swimming pool in form of a free excursion to Knossos. That was not so bad - after all, I was not planning to stay much at the hotel anyway, as I had a long list of things to see and stuff to do. At the top of that list were the famous ruins of the Minoan palace, so I signed up for the excursion the next morning.
I was not disappointed. Even though it was stifling hot and the bus driver was still auditioning for Formula One, the site of Knossos was simply breathtaking. The partially restored (or destroyed as some would say) ruins had a tangible, powerful energy and one could easily imagine what it would have been like in its heydays. The level of comfort at the palace must have been amazing of its time: clever ventilation, fresh water supply and an elaborate sewage system. I couldn’t help thinking about the paradox that the Cretans made such well functioning systems 5000 years ago, whilst the toilets nowadays (including that in my hotel room) was accompanied by an unpleasant waste bin for the toilet paper. And the impressive models of how the ancient public baths once looked like, was without compare to the grim, dysfunctional pool area at the hotel with its broken tiles and cheap plastic chairs. To avoid that depressing image I closed my eyes, and let my imagination flow. In my mind I could see the beautiful and clever Ariadne, as she was secretly passing the red columns on her way to help the brave Theves, who had taken upon himself the impossible task of putting down the terrible Minotaur. I’m pretty sure I could actually see the shadow of the monster hanging over the ruins, as we left the site. But it could have been my vivid imagination of course.
After this positive experience, my holiday was only getting better. I saw other amazing historical sites. Among the highpoints was the Archiological museum, where many of the findings from Knossos is exhibited. My spirit was elevated in ancient temples and byzantine churches. I found a more laid-back rhythm. I enjoyed the beaches and the crystal clear water, perfect for snorkeling. I enjoyed the diversity and wild beauty of the island, perfect for hiking. I made friends, locals as well as foreigners. I enjoyed the food, the olive oil and the white wine. I learned some Greek (“Gia sou!”). I found that I do not like [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tsikoudia]Raki[/url] and [url=http://www.greektravel.com/sifnos/kamakis.html]kamaki[/url]. I adapted to the fast pasted, crazy traffic, on my rented scooter. I fell in love. Not with a man, but in a beautiful 200 years old tower house, with adjoining 31 olive trees.
Now, two years after my first visit to Crete, it is mine. It’s nothing luxurious, in fact it is “simple and cozy”. It has neither TV nor AC, and it definitely doesn’t have a pool. And it is not missed. I have spent my most precious holidays here, because it gives me a component I couldn’t find anywhere else: Peace of mind.
All pictures as slideshow:
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