Author Archives: Jean

Flower of the month | June | Nerium oleander – Oleander

Posted on 08/06/2013 by Jean

Oleander is a native plant of Crete and is very commonly found in watercourses, even when no water is flowing. The flowers in the wild are pink. Oleander flowers from April to July with its peak around June. This is … Continue reading →

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Hope is in the air

Posted on 19/05/2013 by Jean

The 2013 tourist season is now well under way and all the signs are looking good. Despite Greece now being in its 5th year of recession (with catastrophic results for a significant part of the population) there was no social … Continue reading →

Posted in The Greek crisis, Tourism | 2 Comments

Flower of the month | May | Ebenus cretica – Cretan ebony

Posted on 14/05/2013 by Jean

Despite its name Cretan ebony bears no relation to the tropical tree of the same name. Ebenus cretica is a Cretan endemic flower that can grow in large populations on some hillsides (for example on the way to Sougia) as … Continue reading →

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Flower of the month | April | Cistus creticus

Posted on 08/04/2013 by Jean

Deciding what the flower of the month for April should be is quite hard as there is so much choice. April offers possibly the most variety in Cretan flowers, especially if you factor in all the orchids and ophrys. For … Continue reading →

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In the news | Links to current news articles about Crete and Greece

Posted on 07/04/2013 by Jean

New research confirms what the Greeks have known for thousands of years Cretan village stays way ahead of the recent nonsmoking trend The Kimolos coast guard Crisis-hit Greeks chop up forests to stay warm How could I silence myself on … Continue reading →

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A new map of the White Mountains

Posted on 19/03/2013 by Jean

The Greek map company Anavasi has recently published a new map of the White Mountains and the region of Sfakia. Most people who walk in Crete will already know the 1:25.000 Anavasi maps of the area of Pachnes (Central White … Continue reading →

Posted in Tourism, Walks | 3 Comments

Flower of the month | March | Euphorbia dendroides

Posted on 19/03/2013 by Jean

Euphorbia dendroides or Tree spurge is at its most spectacular in March where whole hillsides can light up with the flowers of this large bush.  

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Flower of the month | February | Oxalis pes-caprae

Posted on 15/02/2013 by Jean

Oxalis-per-caprae or Bermuda buttercup is not a native Cretan flower but originates from South Africa. It is a highly invasive flower and is fast taking over large tracts of cultivated land. Right now, in February, where few native plants are … Continue reading →

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Five new short videos of Chania

Posted on 01/02/2013 by Jean

Five new short videos of Chania have just been published by the prefecture of Chania to promote the region. Titled collectively “Chania: a journey to your senses” they present the town and surrounding area. I am not sure about the … Continue reading →

Posted in Places, Tourism, Videos | 1 Comment

Flower of the month | January | Androcymbium rechingeri

Posted on 16/01/2013 by Jean

There are not too many plants flowering in Crete in January (if you exclude the ubiquitous Oxalis) but the few there are include one of my favourites, the rare Androcymbium rechingeri.  It grows mainly on the islet of Elafonisi and … Continue reading →

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