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When people ask me how I know Crete so well, the answer is simple. I didn't experience the island from just one place. Over the years I worked in many different jobs, and each of them opened another door. Like many people who move abroad, I started in hospitality. Working in a bar, restaurant or a hotel taught me not only the language but also the rhythm of Cretan life. Hospitality here is more than service—it's part of the culture. Later I spent several seasons guiding Frenc

People often ask me why I stayed in Crete. Most visitors come for the sea. I did too. The beaches are beautiful, the water is clear, and even after all these years I still love walking along the shore collecting pieces of driftwood shaped by the waves. But the sea is not the reason I stayed. The reason I stayed was the mountains. I grew up in the Czech Republic, where winter can feel long and grey. When I arrived in Crete, I discovered a completely different world. Winter was

When people hear that I work with beads, they usually imagine glass. I do love glass beads. Their colors, their sparkle and the endless possibilities they offer are a big part of my creative work. But my interest in beads started long before I discovered glass. As a child, I collected things. Seeds, nuts, interesting stones and anything that caught my attention during walks in nature. My grandmother had a large herb garden, and I grew up surrounded by plants and people who pa

When I hear winter I imagine Christmas and snow, it is like this since I was a child, good is, that Christmas come every year, because the snow situation has changed, back in Czech is no snow and I moved south. Luckily I moved south to Crete, where mountains are so high that the temperature drops and where every year snows. Snow is something that visitors of Crete do not see so often so here I share with you some pictures from my collection. When I lived in Malia, I used to g

he Paleochora Art Week will take place once again from 8th to 22nd June. This year, around 25 artists will participate in the exhibition, presenting paintings, photography and sculpture. Alongside the exhibition, visitors will be able to enjoy a variety of events throughout the Art Week: Artist at Work – Watch artists at work and discover how their creations come to life. Art for Kids – Creative workshops led by participating artists. Opening and Closing Parties – Celebrating

Food was one of the first things that helped me understand Crete. When I first moved to the island, I quickly realized that food means something different here. People talk about ingredients, seasons and family recipes with genuine passion. Many of the older women I met could identify dozens of edible plants growing in the countryside. They knew where to find them, when to collect them and how to prepare them. I was fascinated. Slowly, I began learning about wild horta, mount

Petros wasn't planned. Stickmen Petros brings Christmass tree One day in 2012 I picked up a piece of driftwood, gave it arms and legs, and somehow he became a character. I posted a photo of him getting a Christmass tree on Facebook and my friends immediately adopted him. Since then, Petros has been quietly accompanying me through life on Crete. He has celebrated Christmas, visited mountain villages, sat in cafés, watched the sea and occasionally got himself into trouble. He h

When people hear about olive oil soaps, essential oils and mountain herbs, they often assume I discovered these things after moving to Crete. The truth is a little different. I grew up surrounded by herbs. My grandmother had a large herb garden, and making syrups, drying plants and using what nature provided was simply part of life. Long before I knew anything about Crete, I already knew the smell of chamomile drying in the house and the pleasure of picking herbs at the right

Driftlove gets half of its name from driftwood. For me, driftwood is much more than a material. It is a symbol of life's journey. Every piece of driftwood was once part of a living tree. At some point it became separated, carried away by rivers, storms and the sea, travelling far from where it began. Over time, the forces of nature shaped it into something new. Whenever I collect driftwood on the shores of Crete, I find myself wondering about its journey. Where did it come fr