Blue Guide Crete - Paola Pugsley

Blue Guide Crete - Paola Pugsley - 9781905131297

Crete by Paolo Pugsley (Blue Guide, £14.95)

Crete is the largest island of the Greek archipelago. It occupies a particularly interesting geographical spot, with a volcanic ridge to the northeast running from Athens to Cnidos and with a sea depression in the south where the African plate meets the Eurasian plate, explaining the island’s history of earthquakes. This impressive guide provides a colourful history of the island, which was once covered by the sea, with useful chapters on the culture of the island, including the abundance of wildlife and cultural artefacts, such as pottery, that can be found there. The chapters are divided into geographical regions, providing the reader with excellent notes on the archaeology of the island and the notable sites worth visiting. It is aimed at independent travellers with a car. This is supplemented with useful, if rather brief, sections on possible places for people to stay and eat.

Extract
"On May 20 [1941] as many as 160 German planes flew in from the Herakleion direction dropping in paratroopers, most of whom were lost at sea or shot down. The defenders were successful in mopping up the rest and capturing the German commander. The event is commemorated near Stavromenos, the scene of a fierce battle with the German parachutists holed up in the oil factory. The memorial is signed from the old road to Herakleion at the Stavromenos junction."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/artsandculture/7676654/Travel-book-reviews-The-Man-Who-Cycled-the-World-and-Crete-by-Blue-Guide.html