Cavo Sidero

Do you know Bio Aroma? It is an essential oils distillery in Aghios Nikolaos, and is just a delight for nose and eyes to visit. I regret that I hadn’t visited before but, I am now very happy that, through the “Flowers of Crete”, I’ve had a chance to see this really fabulous place.

Sakis, the owner is not only distilling the unique herbs of Crete but, has created an herb garden and a small museum as well with some artefacts over 100 years old. If you would like to know more, please visit his website www.bioaroma.gr or go and visit. Sakis is only too happy to explain and show you around.

But I digress; the reason for my visit to Bio Aroma was one of the monthly meetings of the group “Flowers of Crete”. 12 people attended the meeting and some of the many points on the agenda discussed were the environmental week, the preservation of rare flowers of Crete, discussions about the proposed Cavo Sidero Project and the plea to sign the petition against it. If you don’t know about the Cavo Sidero Project, the proposal is for a substantial hotel complex with golf course and associated facilities in the vicinity of Vai. If you’re interested, please check the website and sign the petition: www.thepetitionsite.com.

The upcoming talk of Nick Turland, an American Botanist on “The Flowers of Crete” was discussed as well. The talk will be on Saturday, 21. March 2009, at 19.30 at Bio Aroma. Everyone is welcome and more information can be found on Julia’s website www.flowersofcrete.info Please let Julia know if you would like to come.

Before I started to write for Stephen’s website I didn’t know that Elounda had so much more to offer than sun and scenery. I hadn’t realised how passionately so many people help and spend their time on so many worthy causes. If it is possible to pass some of this information on to our tourists, perhaps they might enjoy their holidays even that bit more. And if we manage to work and talk with our hosts, the Cretans, as well; then Elounda’s future can only get better.