This is CsLaKoNaS and this is officially my first post on this blog. Both Fairy and I have agreed on having an introductory post about our homes. I come from Heraklion. The fourth biggest city of Greece. One may easily find a lot of information for my home (click here) so I will try to make this post sort of more personal than a typical introduction to the city. I will talk about Heraklion from my point of view. For this reason it is necessary to introduce you to a VIC (very important cat)
This is Sokratis, our cat ! He is a very important part of my family as the guard of the house. He usually resides on my somebody's laps and of course using my bed while I am away. Here you see him in mentally productive moments (with the espresso on the background !). Let me take you down to my room at the door of which
someone usually meets Sokratis! This is his favorite spot. It is next to my room and at the end of the downstairs. From this point he can listen to every movement in the house, while of course the central heating's tube makes it really warm :)
The first thing one notices as he enters my bedroom is this
I have a big collection of cd albums which I am really proud of. I love good music and listen to it every single day. This collection would have been at least double size if it hadn't been for the mp3's... I regret I wasn't born in the LP times, honestly.Let's go outside, shall we ?
I left Heraklion after I graduated from high school, in 2002. Since then, I usually return in Xmas or Summer vacation. Thus the route I recall the most is this from home to school. The 4th United High-School of Heraklion
(artwork by a distinguished former student of this school : 0039split ) !!!!
In these buildings I spent the last 3 years of my adolescence. Despite the hard work due to a really awful educational system, we had our fun!!Both my home and my school lie in the suburbs of Herakion. By suburbs I mean a walking distance of about 20 minutes to downtown. By downtown I mean this:
This is the famous Morosini (or the four lions) fountain, aged since the Venetian times. This is the centre of the city. Any appointment or any date must be at least once given in this spot. Here anyone may meet anyone. From here 6 distinct directions span what we call the downtown.Here let me make an important note. In Heraklion, it is essential for you to "read between the lines". In our case, dear reader, focus on what the photo does not reveal :
So right in front of the fountain is the most famous cream-filled pastry shop in town !! Do not come to Heraklion if you intend not to visit it. Another example is Loggia
The Loggia is also in the centre of Heraklion, a few yards downhill from the Lions. The elegant building of the Loggia is one of the finest monuments of Venetian Crete. It houses our town hall. In this example what one should do is to "follow the red arrow"...
to "PLATEIA", the best grill house for souvlaki or gyros in town !!!!Now let's get back to the serious staff.
Every time I visit Heraklion I take a long hike. I start from my house, walk downtown to the Lions and take a route to the cafeterias. Here, people spend way too much time drinking coffees and chattering about nonsense. I envy them for I cannot do this in the States. I always pass through Koraes cafe
Reading between the lines, I confess that I have never sat here. This is my old primary school. It was almost a 100 yrs old (the oldest private school in the country) before it went bankrupt and was sold and turned to a cafe. Here is a photo of the old times:
I am somewhere there...6th grade.Keep walking through cafeterias (and memories) I will find my self at the "Freedom Square":
This is the other 'hot spot' of Heraklion. It connects the western suburbs with downtown as it is also a way out to the port. Nobody really likes this square because of its shape and design. All in all, an expensive failure !!What is not a failure is the church of Saint Menas, the metropolitan church of Heraklion and the highest orthodox temple all over Balkans (wow !!! )
It lies on a triangle of temples which embrace Saint Aikaterini's square. This is 1. Saint Menas, 2. Little Saint Menas ( the old church that existed before the grand one). 3. Saint Aikaterini (catholic temple aged from venetian times, now used as a museum) .
Heraklion is the capital of Crete. Cretans are considered to be nativists and indeed they are. Either they love too much their island or know nothing else beyond it. I do not like Crete that much. Mainly because of its people. Citizens of Heraklion is the best example. They are just awful. This city consists of a bunch of newly rich, poor-educated and underdeveloped people that what they only really care about is to show off. In fact they are foxy hypocrites. It is a mixture of the inferiority complex of the province towards the capital; and the snobbery of the capital towards the (rest Cretan) province. Simply unbearable.
What only comforts me is the European heritage and the hope that in this blessed land, a wind of change may blow. It better be soon...
Be well !
