Phil Butler, Author at Keftiu

Keftiu Ventures: Crete’s Rugged Sougia to Agia Roumeli E4 Trek

For those who love the outdoors and elect to visit Crete, there are unforgettable experiences in the wildest parts of the island. One section of Europe’s E4 trail in the remote southwestern part of Chania Prefecture waits for those who are bold enough to venture beyond the ordinary.

“It’s not because things are difficult that we dare not venture. It’s because we dare not venture that they are difficult.”

― Lucius Annaeus Seneca

One of the most challenging sections of the E4 trail in Crete, the coastal trek from Sougia to Agia Roumeli is as rewarding as it is difficult. For those hikers seeking a captivating experience on Crete, this mountainous trail is right out of an epic film. Sougia is located at the end of a long gorge 75 kilometers Southwest of Chania town. The ride through the White Mountains is scenic and quite windy, so the journey is just over 2 hours by car from Chania.

The Resurrection of Glaucus, Prince of the Keftiu

Science

On Crete, many rare herbs grow in wild meadows or beneath the trees, and some cling precariously to the sheer rock cliffs deep in the mountains. Some of these plants are indigenous only on Greece’s largest island and nowhere else on Earth. One of these rare plants may hold secrets well hidden by the gods over time. We believe a legend offers clues as to the source of creation, life, and rebirth. Now that you are interested, let me share a myth with you.

A Miracle of Keftiu

It was a shimmering Summer day, and Glaucus was playing blissfully with a ball one of the athletes had given him. Tossing and kicking his toy in and out of the columns of the palace temple, the son of King Minos was a picture of Keftiu health, beauty, and vitality. At length, the colorful ball dropped out of sight. Glaucus raced to retrieve it, down a stairway into the enormous storerooms where olive oil, wine, and honey were stored in huge vases or Pithoi. Glaucus pranced down the stairs into the cellar to fetch his ball, and he met the most peculiar sight there.

The Inescapable Mystique and Magnetism of Keftiu Religion

Legacy

Sir Arthur John Evans, the legendary British archaeologist who unearthed the wonders of the Knossos Palace/Temple, had the most profound effect on what we currently understand of the lost civilization he dubbed “Minoan.” As is so often the case, however, true understanding is dynamic. So often, more is learned from our mistakes than from our initial concepts. There’s a saying attributed to Confucious (Kǒng Fūzi, 559-471 BCE) that seems to apply:

“If names are not correct, language will not be in accordance with the truth of things.”

One would think, by now, that the wonderful world Evans and his successors uncovered so far should at least be appropriately named. Perhaps as we begin to better understand their religion, the true depth and breadth of their influence, and their daily routines, their legacy may enlighten us all. In time, the as-yet-uncovered secrets of the Keftiu may reveal an unexpected truth.

The Art of Ariane Torelli

Art

Sitting in the soft sunny glow of light at her ash wood desk, before a red jarrah framed window, Ariane Torelli stares out at the willy-wag-tails and black and red cockatoos socializing in the tall tree across the way. Her inspiration seems to come from the symbiosis of flora and fauna around her little house in Perth, Western Australia. The drawings and paintings, the animations she brings to life, shine with the light of love. Hers is a wonderfully uplifting story that reflects well a commonality of excellence many share.

A 3D visualizer by trade, Ariane is an admitted film and animation addict who wants more than anything to touch people’s lives with her art. She is one of the most expressive people I’ve met in some time. In one interview with her, she told of the deep satisfaction that drives her sweet and thoughtful creations:

“I love to create and breath life into characters, creatures, and environments that impact all the generations of people around the world.”