Greekopolis

The night before going back home, Dimitris and I went for a drink at the town of Platanias. Unfortunately, Platanias is heavily exploited by the all-inclusive tourism companies and lacks the character of other parts of the island. But it certainly is a lively place to go at night if you are into fruity cocktails and dancing. That night I was thankful that I had come here. Spellbound as I was about Crete, all I could think of was the oranges of the sunrise at Gramvousa. The juiciness of fresh tomatoes, carefully seasoned with the right amount of oregano and mint. The kindness of every roadhouse, giving us plenty of fresh fruit and Raki after each meal. The grandness of the 4000 year old Minoan palaces, with their mysteries and legends. The breathtaking sandy beaches with their crystalline turquoise waters. And the contagious optimism of Greek people, able to put your own life in perspective.
On the day of my departure, my friend took me to the airport, which is 10 km away from Chania town. Once inside, I examined the board and noticed that my flight wasn’t on it. Then we went to the information counter and asked the woman on duty what could possibly had happened. Still oblivious, I took out my ticket confirmation printout and showed it to her. She entered the number and after a quick search, she smiled and told us that my flight had left at 2:00 a.m. that morning… My friend and I looked at each other, first with a serious stupefied look followed by an out loud laugh. At that moment, I realized that I had mixed up the 12-hour with the 24-hour clock system. My red-eye flight had landed hours earlier.
I unsuccessfully tried to find a seat with a different company but the only affordable possibility was to pay a fee and get a seat on a flight that was leaving a week later. Since my friend Dimitris didn’t want me to spend more money, and his place was too tiny for me to stay there, he asked one of his friends, Maria, whether I could crash at her apartment. Maria was a cheerful Greek woman in her thirties that was living in Chania and worked for a car rental company in Platanias. Becoming my best example of Greek hospitality, Maria, whom I hardly knew at that time, was glad to have me stay at hers. She made me feel welcome, offered me food and introduced me to her friends and family, as well as the lifestyle of middle-class Greeks living in Crete. For now, my secret wish to have stayed a few more days in the island of my dreams became true. I felt relieved.