We came as strangers, we left as dear friends. The hospitality of our host was truly extraordinary. It was not only the beautiful house and yard that Maria maintains with her close friend Aleco, a true sample of Maria's passion for the architectural heritage of Crete and of her environmental sensibility. It was not only the various treats that she offered us, such as a steaming bougatsa and a tea with herbs from the slopes of the nearby mountain. It was not even the intellectually refreshing conversations that we had with her, Aleco and their friends. The genuine, radiant kindheartedness of Maria and Aleco was what made us feel so welcome there. We spent a truly memorable extended weekend and we are eager to come back at the first possible opportunity.