March 2006
Dear Yannis,
I just wanted to tell you how much I look forward to receiving your paper every month. I am an American that was stationed at the Air Base from 1985 until 1989 and loved every single second I lived on Crete. I seriously miss the base and the people of Crete. I have yet to live in a place that is even comparable. I noticed in your February edition that you would like to see pictures that Americans took while stationed on Crete. There is a website, https://crete.sccomm.com that contains tons of pictures.
Once again, I appreciate your paper and will definitely use your sponsors and advertisers when I plan my trip back. I especially love your photos of the base as it is today, even though it saddens me to see it that way.
Thank you!
Robert Wallace
Roy Utah, USA
Dear Roy,
thak you for contacting us. The site you mention has some very interesting photos from the past of Crete in it.
Best Regards,
Yannis
Dear Cretegazette readers,
I read with interest all the articles in the “Cretegazette”, but especially the above mentioned article draw my attention.
Not only because of the contents, but especially because of the apparently negative reaction of ”local organizations and individuals who state that the building of a casino will scarcely benefit tourism, while local people will rush to try their luck and lose their money….”
I travel a lot in Asia and would like to give as an example the island of Macao….The casino(s) in Macao have brought a lot of tourism and money to this island…and I can assure you that no tourist coming from Europe will “just fly to Macao to play in the Casino”..of course you visit this island, make a stop have lunch in a restaurant, stay over in one of the very good hotels etc….
Yes, the Hong Kong people go there over the week-end, they as well spend money, of course in the casino, but as well in the surroundings…
The Chinese for their part will certainly not fly from Greece to Crete just to play in a Casino!!
Of course they will visit and of course they will buy things, as this is one of their main “hobbies” when they are abroad.
In my opinion it is a bit shortsighted to react this way. As for the locals and as for gambling: what about the Propo, the Joker, the Lotto etc??? And the casino in Athens??…
And, as far as I know, casino’s have certain regulations, so I would not worry too much about these kind of “side effects”.
I think it would “pep up” our tourism which is on the brink of a real decline.
LaiWah Chow
Dear LaiWah,
thank you for contacting us. I respect your opinion although it doesn’t relax my worries about the effect on the people of Crete. About 100 km west of Athens there is the casino in Loutraki. I remember a good friend losing repeatedly a big amount of money there. It is my personal opinion but I wouldn’t like to see other people in Crete getting into the same kind of problems due to the new casino.
Best Regards,
Yannis Samatas
Dear Mister Samatas,
or should i say Yannis? I just have to say a big, big thank you for your site Explorecrete and also for Crete Gazette!!
In 1985 we arrived the first time at Heraklion Airport and immediately we get an virus called Crete in our brain.
If I think about this time, i allways smell mixture of Kerosin, sea, air, [some people :-)] and……..the special perfum of Crete.
Since this days we spend most of our hollydays in Crete. In this year we went to Crete for the 20the anniversary.
And all the times we don´t stay in Apartements, to have a close contact to the people and the Country of Crete. And let me say: WE LOVE CRETE
Maybe you want to see some fotos of me and my family? so please take a look at https://home.arcor.de/ewald.ilgen/Kreta-Virus1/. I´m realy sorry, but it´s only in german. My english don´t be perfekt to translate it…………………….So if you find some mistake in this Email think “den pirasi!”
With kind regards from Stuttgart / Germany to all of you and Crete
Mit freundlichen Grüßen
Ewald Ilgen
Dear Ewald,
I am glad you enjoy both www.explorecrete.com and www.cretegazette.com.
Positive feedback like yours, is very important because it shows that my efforts are not unnoticed. Crete is a special place and it deserves every promotion it can get. Personal pages like yours are very important because they are sincere efforts to describe the beauty of the island.
Regards,
Yannis Samatas