Spinalonga, Crete

“Life is what happens to you when you’re busy making other plans.”
Allen Saunders, and John Lennon
Interesting day today. So yesterday I had email confirmation of a pickup for an excursion to Spinalonga, popularised by Victoria Hislop in her book The Island.
Had a phone call from the tour operator to confirm I was in position at 8am as the bus approached, driver checked my name on the list and off we went. About an hour later the English-speaking guide got on and outlined the itinerary for the day, which wasn’t the one I’d booked! Apparently the tour I’d booked/confirmed doesn’t run today, but I’m heading for Spinalonga anyway so I sit back and make the most of the journey.
The tour kicks off with a boat trip past Spinalonga to a beach for a BBQ, so I take a short walk beforehand, then we’re off to the main event. The island was used as an isolation colony for those with leprosy until 1957 when the last inhabitants left. If ever a place felt like it retained an emotional charge from those who lived there, this must be it. And on reflection this is one of those photos that reflects how I felt at the time. The entry onto the island is through a dark, narrow passageway – and for many this was a one way ticket, a rebirth into a life of isolation. What must have been even more traumatic is being able to see the mainland a short boat ride away, with no hope of ever going back there. Some of the buildings in the market area have been restored, but for me I preferred scrambling about the rough stoney hillside, buffeted by the strong gusts of wind that whipped my sunglasses off and onto the nearby rocks – Look, take your blinkers off! This would have been what the earliest inhabitants faced when they were abandoned to their fate. But some survived to build a community and a life despite their conditions. Time for a short meditation amongst the ruins of the desolate Venetian and later buildings before heading back to the boat for the next stop, Agios Nikolaos. Not enough time to get under the skin of the place and really look around, and its reputation as a party place doesn’t really interest me so just a fleeting acquaintance. I did try to maintain attention but I think they’d lost me when we did the visit to The Olive Oil processing plant, but then plenty of the others were interested in buying so fair enough, just not for me. Had a good rest on the return journey so I was restored to enthusiasm by the time we got back to Karteros and the bakery – still open at 7.30pm so plenty of time for coffee and cake to wrap up my day. I’m going to miss this place.