Chocolate Chunks from Crazy Crete

The people of Crete can be abrupt, shout loudly and gesticulate wildly but you simply need to look beyond their mannerisms, for you will find a race ready to oblige, are polite, honest and their excellent cooking is probably the most underrated in the world. The local grapes are used to make excellent white wines, and with few additives it’s a little difficult to incur a nasty hangover the next morning, unless you imbibe a few too many glasses of the local fire - water, known locally as Raki. My observations have been based on everything from the unbelievable to the unimaginable, thus my crazy tales needed a crazy name. The alliteration in the title seemed apt for this collection, as it is indeed, a selection box of bite-sized treats. I have split the collection into two parts, entitled My Stories and Their Stories. The first, deals, to a degree, with my own experiences. The second, looks at the amazing characters that leap out from around every street corner, every taverna, and on every journey. Everyone has a tale to tell. So sit back, put your feet up, open your box of chocolates and nibble away.