Crete Greece

I am writing this post over a month after returning from Crete, Greece. I spent two weeks there over the Christmas holidays, and it was lovely. But the political shit occurring in my American 'hometown' of Minneapolis is making writing about my travels feel like a chore. I wake in the morning to news I do not want to read, and spend evenings talking to friends fighting the good fight. Travel has taught me the most important thing in life: History repeats itself if you do not learn about it. The majority of Americans are so isolated in their mini-world they cannot understand what many of us who travel and/or live in other countries understand: What is happening in America is not good. I hope they figure it out soon.

On to Greece. I spent the two weeks in Crete with Oliver. Oliver first showed up on my blog in February of 2025, when we visited Mallorca together to celebrate his birthday. We met in a pub a month earlier on New Year's Eve, and at the end of his ‘elevator speech’, he said “…and I am retiring in Greece.”  I grabbed a pub coaster, wrote down my number, and said, “Call me. I want to retire in Greece.”  He did, and that is why we spent our final two weeks of 2025 in Crete, Greece - shopping for a home.

It was the most 'mellow' holiday I have ever taken. We would spend our mornings sleeping in and enjoying our breakfast outside while we soaked up the sun before it disappeared from our Airbnb yard. We would then drive around the island, checking out cities and villages and attending home showings. We would return to our Airbnb, where we talked more about the homes and drank a ridiculous amount of amazing Cretan wine (that cost only €2.22 per bottle!). 

Retiring in Greece has always seemed like a dream to me. A good dream. But I have several hurdles to clear before I can make it happen. I need a visa that will allow me to stay in Europe without being connected to my job. The easiest part of getting that visa is simply staying in the Netherlands for 5 years (I reach that on October 31, 2028). The more difficult step, though, is passing five exams. Four exams show that I am proficient in Dutch, and one is about their culture. I have taken two and learned I passed one; the other has not been scored. I will take two more language exams in March. It is hard. Really hard. I mean, super duper uber hard. 

Crete is an island in Greece that thrives on tourism. Tourists like it for a reason: the beaches are beautiful, and the water is absolutely spectacular. It was quiet for the two weeks we were there because of the lack of travelers, but we got a good feel of what life is like in December on the island of Crete, Greece. We both agreed we could suffer through it in retirement.

I just booked a month in June to see what Greece is like in the summer. It gets hot - really hot. I love the heat, especially while at the beach or on a boat, but living there full-time in the heat is different than being there on a holiday. I will work from an Airbnb, while getting to know the culture more, and enjoying the beach. I am excited to return. 

For my American friends who are protesting the paramilitary occupation of Minneapolis, please be safe. Thank you for learning from history that hate, prejudice, and racism do not make the world a better place. 

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