A Travel Seminar on the Greek Island of Crete

                                April 6 to 12, 2009

Imagine yourself on a hillside that’s blanketed  with the blossoms of tiny endemic orchids, wildflowers and medicinal herbs whose aroma fills the air.   As you savor a picnic of cumin-spiced stuffed grape leaves, salty olives, goat cheese, and freshly baked village bread, your eyes feast on the brilliant blues of the Sea of Crete.   The only sound you hear is the wind blowing in from Africa, 200 miles away.     There are no other tours like ours.   We immerse you in an 8,000-year-old culture that is vibrantly alive, where you participate in time-honored ways of gathering, growing and cooking food.   As you absorb the culture, you’ll deepen your understanding of how what you eat supports your well being and enriches your relationship with the natural world.     All of our meals will be inspired by Crete’s extraordinary culinary customs.   From simple lunches  by home cooks, to traditional picnics eaten in the shade of an olive tree, to creative modern interpretations of 4,000-year-old dishes created by innovative local chefs. You will learn the basic scientific concepts of the Mediterranean diet as we show you how olive oil, fish, fresh herbs, vegetables, and other ingredients are the foundation of this health-giving lifestyle.     you'll get to know local residents.   Ask questions of the cooks you'll meet, collect recipes, and gather ideas about how to bring the spirit of Cretan cuisine into your own life. Above all, you'll deepen your appreciation of the important nuances of the ritual of eating.     Our seminars are based in a quiet mountain village.   We honor a relaxed schedule that includes daily lectures and discussions with local farmers, herbalists, vintners, shepherds or café owners, many of whom are leaders in Crete’s growing sustainability movement.     Seminars will introduce you to   Crete’s ancient healing tradition that is based upon         using herbs as food and medicine.   the importance of wild foods in the Mediterranean diet. the distinctive elements of Crete's cuisine. the use of wild aromatic herbs as foods and medicine.      Planned activities include:   Gathering and drying wild herb to take home with you. Guided tour of a modern museum dedicated to the aromatic and medicinal plants of Crete. Visit to a Byzantine Chapel famous for its exquisite frescoes. Explore several archaeological sites spanning the Neolithic to the Iron Age. Shopping in herb and spice markets. Private visit to an essential oil distillery that specializes in native plants. Hiking and plant watching in some of the most beautiful mountains in Europe.     Every detail of the trip is carefully planned and organized by your experienced, knowledgeable tour leaders.   Patricia Kyritsi Howell, Registered Herbalist (AHG), and Clinical Anthropologist Robinette Kennedy, PhD, have been leading tours on Crete since 1997.   Together we have over 40 years of combined professional experience in Greece, where we are part of an extensive network of local archaeological guides, organic farmers, chefs, home cooks, herbalists, shepherds, bakers, café owners, innkeepers, artists, and friends who will generously share their knowledge with you.    Contact us for complete details, or explore our website....

 

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