THEY’RE BAAAAACK! THE STINKBUGS OF CRETE

It could be the wind. Or the falling temperatures. (OK, the temperature hasn’t dropped that much; we’re still wearing shorts and T-shorts most of the day.) Or the fact that most of the resort-style tourists have left Crete until next spring, taking their own unique scent back to the colder climes.  Regardless of the cause, another member of Crete’s bounteous and unique  fauna population - the “stinkbug”, aka “stinkworm”- has returned.

If you are from Britain or Myanmar, or more recently from the middle U.S., you are likely familiar with stinkbugs and the becoming aroma they can being to your home – kind of like the smell of a rotting corpse, I’m told (although I cannot confirm this: I’ve never been near a rotting corpse). However, this unusual member of Crete’s bug family is not the shield-shaped insect that infests houses in these parts of the world.  This guy is definitely a millipede of some sort: slow-moving, zillions of legs, brown, about 3 inches long, and often found making curious shapes on walls.

Crete Stinkbug

Another Crete Stinkbug

When we first arrived in Crete, I was told by my landlord at that time to not, under any circumstances, kill it by squishing.  If we were to find one in our apartment, we were to carefully pick it up with a tissue to protect our hands and deposit it, alive, back outside where it belongs.  Even the cats avoid them, and we know how cats love to eat bugs.

About one month later, I headed to the bathroom one morning to neaten it up after we’d finished our morning ablutions and was assaulted by one of the worst smells I have ever experienced.  Did the sewer (sewer? in rural Crete?) back up? Had an incredibly odorous form of mold suddenly grown in the damp of the shower?  Or had someone just left a malodorous methane “gift” after using the toilet?

I searched around the bathroom to find the source.  I peered into the corners of the shower and thoroughly cleaned the toilet.  No luck.  Just as I was about to give up, I lifted the shower mat from the floor and saw the squished remains of one large stinkbug; he had crawled under the mat and someone had stepped on him. I rushed outside with the mat and hosed it down, and then proceeded to disinfect the bathroom floor and make my contribution to the hole in the ozone layer with a good douse of air freshener.

So that was my first experience with the stinkbug’s stink.

By my nature I am curious, and always want to know the facts, background and/or history of anything new that I come across. A new bug?  What is it called, where does it live, what is its lifecycle and what are its natural predators? My step-daughter has a Cretan friend, Stavros, who is a walking encyclopedia of the plants and animals of Crete.  Unfortunately, he was not around, so off to the internet I went.

Hours (literally) later, I was still stumped. I found plenty of information on the better-known shield-shaped stink bug, like that in Britain and the U.S., but nothing about our Cretan version.  Finally I came across a great website, whatsthatbug.com, that has as much information in once place about almost any bug you can imagine.  And they have a service where you can submit pictures and descriptions of a bug, and they will try to identify it for you.  I snapped some great photos and sent in my request.  Maybe someday I will get a response, but not yet.

So here we are, with more of these buggers hanging around, and wads of tissue wasted on their gentle removal from the house.  And I still don’t know exactly what they are.  Drop me a line if you happen to know…

…but they do make interesting shapes on the walls!

 

When my husband and I came to live in Crete, Greece in September, 2010, one of the hardest things we had to do was leave our 17-year-old cat with my mother in Boston. 

Yes, I admit it: I am a cat person.  And a dog person, and pretty much an animal lover in general.

So, when we arrived at our new home in Akrotiri, Crete to find that we had inherited a small cat family, we were excited. Our first sighting was when we arrived home one night from dinner out in the local metropolis of Chorafakia.  Walking down the sidewalk to our front door, we were surprised to hear a wet hissing accompanied by a bunch of furry balls scampering into the surrounding brush.  By the end of that first week, we realized we had a feral cat colony consisting of a mother, 5 kittens and one adolescent, all completely terrified of us (of course).  As animal lovers, we decided to somehow improve their lives because without our intervention not only would they likely suffer, but the colony would only grow and create a practical problem as well: cats have two litters of kittens a year, and if we did nothing, they could soon overtake the property.

Why the concern about suffering? During our travels in Greece, including Crete, I have been disturbed sight of cats – and dogs - roaming the streets, hanging out at archaeological sites, begging for food at tavernas and, worst of all, lying dead at the side of roads having been killed by cars. In fact, there is not one day that goes by when we don’t see at least one dead cat or kitten left by the roadside, or hear stories of abandoned or tortured animals. Generally speaking, those of us from North America and Western Europe are surprised to see that the Greek attitude towards animals that we consider pets is neglectful at best, and is surprisingly uncivilized for a place considered the “cradle of civilization.” If fact, most Greeks do not value cats and even consider stray and wild/feral cats to be vermin. They are preyed on by dogs and other predators and killed by people whose property they invade.  But that is a subject on its own for another time….

So, what we have on our hands: mother cat, Maman; older sister, Kitty; and five 2 month-old kittens: males ‘Ptsino, Checkers, Tweedle and Turtle and female Effie. After weeks of patience and trust-building, they have become quite accustomed to my husband and I, and arrive at the appointed hours in the morning and evening for food, sometimes playing on our veranda and around the pool during the day.  All but Turtle, who seems to be the wildest, and Maman like to be pet and we can sometimes even coax a purr out of them, although holding them up is not option – their sharp, little claws make sure we understand that!

The current challenge is to find a cat trap to get Maman to the vet for her “procedure,” along with Kitty who will be easier to round up.  Finding a cat trap is a challenge, so if you happen to know of anyone in the Chania/Akrotiri area of Crete, Greece who could lend us one, please let me know!

Weather and Climate in Greece: Part 1 - Winter

Overall, the island of Crete, Greece has a temperate Mediterranean climate. We have hot, dry summers and mild, rainy winters; some of us say that the island has only two seasons: Summer and Wet. And even if during Wet, Crete’s weather can surprise us: as I write this we are planning to spend the rest of the day at the beach – and it is the middle of October!

Due to its southerly location and the surrounding Mediterranean and Aegean Seas Crete has the mildest climate in the country.  However, the weather can vary among the different locations mainly because of the mountains running east to west across the island that block north-western winds and create “micro-climates.”

Winter (December to March) is mild but can be damp and windy, and most of all unpredictable. Most of Crete’s rain falls in winter, and it rains about fifty percent of the time. I find the high winter winds create some awesome storms that weather nuts like me get a thrill watching from rocky coastal areas (my favorite is the Akrotiri peninsula in the north-west of the island), but from indoors of course!  When it does rain, it is pretty steady. Day-time highs are around 16ºC/60ºF, with nights sometimes below 10ºC/50ºF (but rarely below 5ºC/40ºF). We experience the occasional warm day, but if you are visiting Crete at this time of year, do not plan for summer weather: the sea, around 15ºC/60ºC, is okay if you have a wetsuit, but only the bravest souls venture in the water for a polar bear swim.

Winter in Crete: Month-by-Month

December: The weather can be windy or calm, warm or cold, or sunny or rainy.  We wear layers including something waterproof if rain is expected.

January: The coldest, windiest and rainiest month.  Sometimes we benefit from “Halcyon Days,” a one-week respite with warmth and sun.

February: The weather starts to get a bit sunnier and warmer, although it can still be unpredictable.  You will see almond trees begin to blossom.

March: March can be cold and rainy, but you may see some of the heartiest swimmers hit the beaches on warmer, sunnier days.

Winter in Crete: What to See and Do

Although most people think of Crete, Greece as a summer holiday destination, the lack of tourists and cooler weather during make winter a great time to see significant sites without gaggles of tourists, and to see a different side of some of the summer-time attractions.

If you are planning to vacation in Crete in the winter, do plan ahead, however, as many hotels and restaurants outside of the main cities shut down in November and re-open only in April or May, and museum hours may be shorter.  Tours including some of the following activities and sights can be booked through hotels and travel agencies in the major cities in Crete, which can make the logistics a bit easier.

Some other recommendations:

• Check out the agricultural activities.  Winter is time for the olive harvest and for making raki, and for related festivals.
• Walk some of the gorges.  Try Kourtaliotiko, Samaria (accessible only from the bottom in the winter due to safety reasons), Imbros and Aradena.
• Visit world-renown archaeological sites.  In the winter, you can often have all of Knossos and Phaestos to yourself and I have had private guides take me into areas closed to tourists during the rest of the year.
• See the snow!  Take a drive through Olamos and to the start of the Samaria Gorge. Or take a tour to the Anogia Snow Fields.
• Try the museums.  Great escapes from the heat in the summer, the only crowds you are likely to see in museums in the winter are school groups.  Try the Nautical and War Museums in Chania; the Historical & Folklore Museum in Rethymno; the Natural History and Archaeological Museums in Iraklion; or the Ierapetra Archaeological Collection in Ierapetra.

Related posts:

Weather and Climate in Crete, Greece: Spring (forthcoming)

Weather and Climate in Crete, Greece: Summer (forthcoming)

Weather and Climate in Crete, Greece: Fall (forthcoming)

Weather and Climate in Crete, Greece: Microclimates (forthcoming)

An Introduction to the Food of Crete

Greek Food May Not Be What You Think It Is

My first time in a restaurant in Crete I discovered that most Cretan food is not the heavy moussaka, gyro or souvlaki on the menu at my “Greek” restaurant back home.  A classic heart-healthy Mediterranean diet, the food you will eat on your trip to Crete is made of fresh, simple ingredients, mostly vegetables and fruits, and is frequently consumed with bread and olive oil. 

In fact, about 50 years ago the Rockefeller Foundation was invited by the Greek government to study how "the knowledge and skills of industrialized countries might best serve and least injure an underdeveloped area such as Crete. "  Surprisingly, the findings included the fact that the healthy Greek – especially Cretan – diet would be an improvement for the diets of the industrialized nations.

Put a Taste of Crete into Your Diet at Home

Following are some of the ways you can increase the Cretan content in - and the health of - your diet:

·         Use More Olive Oil: use on salads and in place of other fats, such as butter, in cooking.  You will find a bottle of olive oil on tables in every restaurant and home in Crete.

·         Eat Dark, Leafy Greens: for lutein and fiber. Don’t overcook and select local fresh greens, or frozen.  Boiled greens (“horta”) are served at most meals, and are often picked fresh instead of being bought. Cretans think nothing of roaming along roadsides or into desolate-looking fields to pick their own greens and herbs.

·         Load up on Grains: not “multi-grain” or “wheat” – look for whole grains at the top of the ingredient list.  Try “paximadi”, a barley rusk (twice-baked bread) from Crete – it is a perfect part of the Mediterranean diet and is used at breakfast, lunch and dinner and most famously as the base for Dakos (recipe below).

·         Stay Local: local produce hasn’t had the travel time to lose its health benefits, and you can support your local farmers at the same time.  Most of the food sold and eaten in Crete is grown on the island, if not in the backyard. Many rural families have their own gardens, if not also olive, orange and lemon orchards and a few chickens, goats and/or sheep.

Try Some Cretan Food Before Your Trip to Crete

Dakos  (in Greek: ντάκος, pronounced DAH-kohs) is very easy to make. It is an appetizer served with ouzo or beer in most restaurants in Crete, but it is just as good for breakfast, a light lunch or dinner.  You can buy traditional Cretan paximadi in a Greek bakery or the international food section of a large grocery store.  In a pinch, you could also use whole-grain “Swedish toast” found in the cracker section of most supermarkets. If you cannot find myzithra cheese, crumbled feta will do.

Ingredients:

8 paximadi

1/4 cup of olive oil

4 large, ripe tomatoes

oregano

 salt

freshly ground pepper

8 ounces of soft myzithra cheese

Preparation:

Sprinkle the paximadi with cold water to soften, but do not dampen.  Spoon the olive oil equally over the paximadi and set aside. Peel the tomato and chop in food processor bowl, or simply grate it using the large-hole side of a grater (the skin will fall away as you grate). Spoon the grated tomato over the paximadi and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Top with cheese and then oregano, and serve.  

Καλώς ήλθατε!

(Welcome!)

My name is Mo, and I am passionate about Crete.

My husband and I spend part of the year living on the northwest coast of this beautiful island, and the rest at our home in North America.  With Crete Buzz I will share with you the many great, and the few not-so-great, things about Crete based on our experiences vacationing, and now living, here. 



Sunset in our Crete

I hope to make Crete Buzz the “go to” destination where you can find all kinds of information and resources about Crete:

• food
• history
• culture
• way of life
• current events
• where to go
• where NOT to go
• language
• what to see
• where to stay
• shopping
• people
• economy and politics (!)

… and much, much more. 

Along the way, I hope that you will come to appreciate the island of Crete as an amazing place to visit and live, and recognize the people of Crete as some of the most welcoming and patriotic that you will ever meet.  We have found that Crete is our perfect little corner of the world for a happy and uncomplicated way of life. I hope that you will, too.

In my next post I'll tempt you with some of the amazing food of Crete, including a few recipes.

If you have any comments or suggestions, questions about Crete, or want to share your experiences with fellow readers and subscribers, please do let me know!

Until next time...

-Mo