Earthquake activity in September:
Although the main reports here refer to Greece, following the devastating Haiti earthquake in January, February brought a second devastation, this time to Chile (Read wikipedia Summary). March brought a third 'quake, this time with a magnitude of 6.0 Richter to the Basyurt area of eastern Turkey, killing 42 villagers and injuring  at least 60 on March 8th - USGS report.

But there were no earthquakes of note in Greece in September.                                                                               
Although earthquakes most certainly are a common feature of life in Greece. It is however, unusual for deaths, injuries and or damage to buildings to occur, which could lead to a false sense of security.

The author of a ten year study at the National Technical University of Athens says that Greece is sitting waiting for the next major earthquake without doing anything to mitigate it's effects. (Our italics).                                                   Link to Report.

There are certain existing buildings considered to be at risk from major earthquakes.  Link to story. These buildings, which include a number of schools, are being investigated with the objective of safety. Link to story. Engineers have also called upon the government to institute checks on old bridges in Greece. Link (Item6.)
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A Little Extra News....
As regular readers of this column will by now know - the news being, in my hands, usually late - I am back in the editors chair! Ann and Richard have returned to their normally hectic own village life in north western Crete, taking with them my very sincere thanks for a superb job, superbly done. But I really can't understand how they manage to do everything when it should be done. Will they one day be late, like me, I wonder...

I was also wondering just what extra news I would be able to offer, but I quickly found out when I saw the pile of mostly Cretan news. Too much for the regular column above. And not all of it was good. Commencing with the Turkish passenger ferry collision at the port on the island of Kos, Greece - in which Britons may have been injured. The Turkish flagged 'Aegean Cat' catamaran with 20 passengers, mostly British, when it was in collision with a jetty (twice). It was chartered for a day trip from Didim in Turkey.  Link.

Back in Chania the bomb squad defused an explosive device place outside a cafe on Saturday morning (Sept 18th)  Link to Story (item 2). While Iraklio police arrested 6 Albanian nationals, resident in Greece for several years, who are believed to be the core group of a gang responsible for a string of robberies on Crete. Link to Story (item 6).

Chania police arrested two Albanian nationals on Sept 28th suspected of being members of a local drug dealing ring - cannabis, heroin, and a 22mm pistol were found after searches of their homes. Link to Story (item 5).

Rape charges were brought against three British men - again in the resort of Malia - after a female compatriot alleged that they had tried to rape her on Sunday (26th Sept). Link to Story (item 5). Whilst the very next report on the same link (item 6) was about a Syrian man who died in Iraklio Hospital on the 27th Sept after being beaten by unknown assailants...

Meanwhile Iraklio police were questioning a 42-year-old man suspected of a hold-up at a kiosk in the village of Voutes - using a pair of garden shears! Link to Story (item 5).

And, Rethymno coastguards found that they had a stolen yacht on their hands, taken from the mainland port of Rafina in August, when it suffered engine trouble off Crete. The Turkish crew claimed to have purchased the vessel from a fellow Turk and that they were on their were on the way to Tunisia when they had engine problems. They were towed into port at Souda Bay. Link to Story (item 4).

Anyone reading the news items this month could well be forgiven for believing Crete to be an island of undesirables. Rogues and criminals, bent on gaining as much as possible from apparently senseless activities such as robberies, drug dealing, playing with guns and explosives - varied with the occasional variation into kidnapping, actual bodily harm, attempted and actual murder. Violent to the core.

The truth of the matter is that the Cretan people are amongst the most friendly and likeable people in the world. Perhaps a little restless, often a little mercurial by nature, but dependable and generous to a fault. When family and other feuds do exist, and sometime develop into vendetta, it is probably because they have been made to feel so strongly let down by someone they trusted. Such feuds rarely involve non-Cretans - to whom the extension of hospitality is more often than not a matter of honour.

A look then, at where the violence is arising readily indicates that most crime is committed by non-Cretans. Even British holiday-makers, albeit mostly the younger ones, make a not insignificant contribution to Cretan crime statistics every year, although most are probably the result of imbibing rather too much alcohol or drug use. No different to the weekend night scene in Newcastle, Hull, or Manchester or London (for example) city centers.

The real situation is that the serious violence, involving the use of weapons - guns, explosives and the like, appear to be being carried out by foreign nationals connected to organized crime. And it usually affects only those actively involved.

Crete is still a land of the extended family and of filoxenia - hospitality to strangers. Where almost any Cretan will extend a hand of friendship - unless they have learned at some point that an extended hand is inviting bite. The bad news we read involves but a tiny minority. If you don't believe me come and see for yourself. Make some real friends in the sunshine!

Kalos Ithate Stin Kriti.
WB. Cretanvista. Bringing the sunshine, keeping the rain off!
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Messages.
We receive some brilliant messages - really - and they are very welcome.  We will ALWAYS reply so please, if you have sent a message and not received an answer - resend the message - we either didn't get it or have somehow overlooked it.  Our response time is usually within 48 hours.

Personal Information..
We have been asked in the past to help locate people. We would love to be able to assist but regret that are unable to do this.  

Questions and Answers..
Quite a lot of questions are received here at  Cretanvista and, as with e-mails and other forms of communication, we do our best to supply valid answers.  We never respond "Off the Top of our Heads" but always research the answer - even if we already have one (things change) before passing the information on.  

We provide links to appropriate alternative sources where we have them.  The answers are given with the proviso that recipients are responsible for any action taken by them.
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Site Content:-

Photo Galleries...
Calendar Photo Galleries:
A new one every year for the past decade! The 2010 Calendar gallery is complete and online now.. The 2009 calendar topic was 'Wild Flowers of Crete' (after our wild flower galleries) and the result was superb!  Which is why we followed up the theme in 2010.  Because of our success we have already produced our 2011 wild flower calendar format (and our other themes continue). But we can reprint any issue with next year's dates - whatever year that happens to be! Have a look at the 2010 wild flowers calendar Link.

Wildlife Gallery - the first two pages - 48 unique photographs, including some rare specimens of the Cretan fauna. Some is quite beautiful, some a bit scary/creepy, but all now add to our wildlife page and the ornithology gallery pages.  Remember that it is always worth checking where you walk or sit before you do! Start here.

Chania Photo Gallery.
Our Chania photograph galleries commenced with a presentation from Klaus Dieter Thill, whose photographs of some old buildings in the area of the Venetian Harbour show a little of what we all sometimes miss. Have a look - it's worth it. Start here.

Miniature Chapels of Crete Gallery.
Klaus-Dieter Thill - author of  Minaturkapellen auf Krista, a printed photo album detailing some of those enigmatic roadside shrines of Crete, has now contributed the first page of his Chania on-line gallery.  

Cretan Art and crafts - Weaving pages...
Weaving is in full swing and natural dyes are being made up and the photographs taken to add to this section. We will be adding our pages on our new looms, equipment and new projects started as soon as we can. The weaving tends to take the time right now..

Our very first nature gallery...
Contributed by Anastasios Sakoulis, whose book on Cretan wildlife Moments of Cretan Nature is also on our site as a book review.  Anastasios contributed 18 pictures of birds for addition to a gallery some time ago now. We will attach these to our bird-watching pages as soon as possible.

GENERAL: There are now 20 galleries featuring aspects of Cretan life, including sunrise and sunset pictures; Souda Bay War Cemetery; the gallery of magnificent wild-life pictures by Anastasios Sakoulis; our own wildlife gallery; the wild flowers; Chania; Mhlia (Milia) traditional village; etc.. etc...  

Our improvements continue. We sincerely hope that you notice little - apart from increased enjoyment and ease of use. Keep visiting - your presence is what make all worthwhile.

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The Cretan Vista Calendar Photos - Birds

We are building a specialist calendar of birds - whilst we are building our own library of Bird photographs - contributions are always welcome. They will always be acknowledged and copyright will remain your own and a free calendar is yours....
(Please contact us before sending pictures).
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Bird Watchers' Please Note:

The webmaster is at: Contact Form.