2015
ANEKORAMA |
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home here. The feeling of “coming home”
is unique to Crete. As soon as I get off
the plane and smell the oregano (I don’t
think I imagine it –sometimes the Cretan
air is sweet even at the airport), I feel as
if I am somewhere that I belong.
Why did you choose the most eastern
part of Crete?
It had all to do with Spinalonga. My visit
there back in 2001 made a profound
change to my life. I just happened to look
in a guidebook and see an entry about a
former leper colony and felt compelled to
visit it. As soon as I set foot on Spinalonga,
I had a strong feeling that I wanted to write
about it. The day after I began to make my
first notes about the story.
What is the main difference between
Cretans and the rest of the Greeks?
The most noticeable thing for a British
person about all Greeks is how generous
they are. But I think the Cretans are at
the top of the league. The hospitality in
Crete is astonishing. I have never met
more generous people.
During the promotion of your book
«East», you urged your 1 million
Chinese readers to visit Crete. What
would your advice be to someone
visiting Crete for the first time?
I hope they don’t all come at once! The
Chinese are travelling more now and have
already discovered Santorini, so Crete is
not far away. I would tell them to go into
the mountains, close their eyes and let
their sense of smell take over. The scent of
lavender, thyme and oregano is astonishing.
Will your next book also be taking
place in Greece?
I will certainly be writing another book
and I think Greece will be the setting. But
I haven’t begun yet.
Describe to us a typical day in Crete!
I always start with a half-hour swim
followed by coffee. Then I sit at my desk,
which has an amazing view of the sea, to
do some writing. And then I have more
coffee and maybe spend time reading.
For me, Crete is the best place to read (as
well as write) and during the rest of the
year, I save up lots of books to read there.
To «Nησί» έχει πουλήσει
πάνω από 3 εκατ. αντίτυπα
παγκοσμίως. Εδώ, η Βικτώρια
στα γυρίσματα της τηλεοπτικής
του μεταφοράς. /
«The Island»
has sold over 3 million copies
worldwide. Here, Victoria
visits the set of its television
adaptation.
φίλος μου Λεωνίδας (από τους καλύτερους
χορευτές της Κρήτης) μου μαθαίνει κάποια
καινούργια βήματα. Πλέον χορεύω σιγανό
χωρίς μεγάλη προσπάθεια, αλλά ακόμη προ-
σπαθώ να μάθω ορισμένους δυσκολότερους
χορούς (όπως πεντοζάλη). Νομίζω ότι κάθε
φορά βελτιώνομαι όλο και περισσότερο, παρό-
τι κάποιοι ρυθμοί είναι εξαιρετικά δύσκολοι!
Πίνετε κρητικά κρασιά;
Έχω πάθος με τα κρητικά κρασιά! Κατά και-
ρούς έρχεται κάποιος φίλος από την Αγγλία
φέρνοντας δώρο ένα γαλλικό κρασί. Το βάζω
στο βάθος του ντουλαπιού ή το χρησιμοποιώ
στο μαγείρεμα. Είναι λίγα τα καλά ελληνικά
κρασιά που εισάγει η Αγγλία, ενώ οι περισ-
σότεροι Βρετανοί δεν γνωρίζουν την ποιότη-
τά τους. Θέλω να τους εκπαιδεύσω. Έκκληση
προς τους οινοπαραγωγούς: χρειαζόμαστε πε-
