CRETAN LIFESTYLES
Where ever you travel in the world each country has its own life style(s), traditions and a way to handle the daily affairs. The Cretan way is like in many southern European countries " Siga Siga" Langsam- Langsam- Slowly Slowly. There's no need to hurry when the Sun is burning on your body. No need to hurry to get a heart attack. No need to hurry to make more money than you can spend in a day. This philosophy ( life style) you can feel almost daily on the island, although younger generations change it rapidly for a more stressed and material way. 
Crimminality rates are the lowest of Europe, probably the lowest of the world. When something happens here, like for example a big robbery or murder, than it's frontpage news for weeks in the Newspapers. TV channels dont hide the face(s) of the suspected criminal(s) if they get caught. This stigmatizes the crimminal immeadeatly which is noticed by everyone on the island. With my travels I found out that all Cretans are like a big family, so can you imagine what happens when a local is seen on TV, and he is suspected of a crime. Undoubtly here the social control system works were it has been washed away in the big cities and the rest of Europe. Because the Cretans say "ones a thief, always a thief" everybody thinks twice before doing something stupid.
On Saturday night, young girls of 13-18 years, can go out to bars and discoos and their parents dont have to be afraid that anything will happen with their child. If you are a parent than you'll understand what I mean...... There in the discoos, bar dancings, coffee places, etc. the atmosphere is always relaxed, friendly and they can sit there for hours maybe spending only 2 Euros each. There's no force from the owner to spend more money, since you are his guest, not his milk goat.
In shops you seldom find spy cameras watching you, although its changing in the tourist centers where guest continue their "shopping" habbits from at home. When eating out in a non touristical Taverna or a small mezedopolio, you must forget about your MC Donald Watch. 
The food that you ordered must be tasty and grandmother takes her time to prepare the fresh ingredients. Maybe the son of the family must run to the bakery to get fresh bread for your couvert. Siga siga again, but weren't you here on your holidays ?
If you need to be in a governments office, for example the tax office, be prepared that most workers here dont speak English, so take a Greek translator with you, otherwise you'll meet many civil servants before you get what you want.
Greeks like to strike and when they do, they even loose their wages of that day(s). That's no problem, we fight to get what we are standing for in this strike and we are not prepared "to pour water in the wine". For you as a tourist such a strike could be very unexpected and unpleasant and I have met people here that changed their mind about friendly Greece in almost no time. Think about this if you come from 5000 Km to visit the famous palast of Knossos. Once you arrive there the staff of the place has organized a strike. How would you feel on that day ?
I am not discussing here if the reason for a strike is justified or not, but I believe with many foreigners that Greeks use this "Tool of Democracy" sometimes too fast and its not bringing them in the end what they had hoped for.
Cretans dont like the police, but I think that's general around the world, but we all know that they must do their job. In bars and discoos some men drink more than the average alowed promilage of alcohol and than they step in their car to go home. If you are in a Cretan company and you go out, make sure that the driver limits his drinking or drinks no alcohol. There's is a trick that Cretan men use and they say that this avoids them of getting drunk. Before going out they eat dry bread with olive oil and this neutralizes the parts in their body that make them feeling dizzy after consuming alcohol. I dont know if its true, so I choose the first option. Stronger police controls are making the Cretans aware that they bring not only their own lives in danger, but also the lives of their friends or others on the road. It speaks about the previous police force from the island that the government brought extra policemen to Crete from the mainland. This to avoid that "eyes where closed" when friends or family of the local police where on the road with a glass too many.
You might think that with so much local wine and raki = (schnapss) on the island and also some very good Greek beer brands (Mythos and Alfa) that Cretan men prefer this in the bars. Wrong !!!! Greeks and Cretans are probably the biggest average Whiskey consumers of the world. Yes believe it or not... more whiskey is going here over the bar than in Ireland or Scotland. Yamaas = Cheers !!
Cretans always felt themself 100 % Greeks and the reunification with the Greek State in 1913 was made by a Cretan, that later even became a prime minister. They were always supporting and loyal to the democracy, the King and later the President. Still they feel that they want to decide about Cretan rules and make their own politics sometimes. In certain cases this is alowed by the Government in Athens which has apointed a general secretary on the island to lead this process. FAMOUS CRETANS
In many "modern lifestyles" you will notice that Cretans think more conservative than on the main land. For example here its men and wife and no other relationships that are acceptable.
Gay and Lesbian life is hided from the community and many people are even afraid to be excluded from their friends and family if they are suspected or showing that they are gay or lesbian. Young boys and girls even move to Athens or another big town in Greece, to live there a "free live" and to make their coming out. I believe that totals about men and women that have the same sexual preferences are about the same in Greece as from countries where its more accepted. About 1 year ago, there was a big discussion with a TV presentator from the popular programm "Fame Story" in which he was arguing the gaylife from a candidate singer. Well after that season Andreas Mikroutsikos was not any longer the presentator of Fame Story. Another point that specially Cretans didn't like was the election of Mr.Gay Greece of 2004. The winner was a boy from Heraklion...... More recently the film Alexander the Great, from Francis Ford Coppola did make some dust come up. In the film was suggested that the Greek Hero was Bisexual, well if it was for some people here, than the film had never been on screen. Specially Cretans should look more in their history to find out about the love-life from their Mythological Gods and heroes.
Click the link if you look for good gay friendly accommodation
http://www.gaycrete.co.uk/
When young tourist males think that Cretan girls are "easy meat" to date with, well than its better to try your luck with a girl from your own country, because your date will not go further than a drink or a nice meal together with your Cretan friend. If she thinks you are "the Prince on the White horse", than prepare yourself for a deep examination by the parents before going any further. The other way around works there for much easier and if we had to organize a party for all Cretan men that are married to a women from abroad, than we would need a very very big PARTY CENTER...........
Cretans are very proud people and there's nothing wrong with that of course, but people that have been around in the world will make remarks here as is this Turkish coffee ? Or last summer I had to much Raki in Turkey.... or this Gyros looks like the shoarma meat from my favorite Israelian Restaurant. Be careful what you say here, because the older generations consider this as THEIR HERITAGE and CULTURE and specially with the Turks the Cretans were not good friends in the past. Once I introduced here a friend from Istanbul, the Cretans said its not Istanbul for us; its Constantinople, do you feel what I mean.
Mycene, also Greek before 
When I came here 15 years ago Cretans were very friendly although it was sometimes difficult with the language, but with hands and a piece op paper you can come very far. Its hard to believe that this friendlyness is almost ZERO for animals and you will find in many cities and tourist resorts stray dogs and cats.
To see a truck with sheep going on their way to the butcher, is certainly not a touristic picture worthed and its high time that this will change. Maybe the religious Cretans should realize that also animals were God's Creation. Projects for stray dogs & cats and other animals were firstly started by foreigners and they get more and more support, also from the Cretans. The police is slowly starting controls on the people treathing there animals with disrespect. You can support the work of volunteers caring for the homeless animals on Crete.
click: http://www.cawg-greece.com
Times will change also in Crete and if they start looking carefully at the bad and good sides from each new lifestyle, than this doesn't have to effect the friendly character of the locals. Its like always in the world, it will change and there is not even a Cretan that will stop that.
