Love, Only Love.

Χανιά (Chania, Crete, Greece)

April 17, 2023

Manolis was born and raised on the island of Crete. While he is 65 years old now, he has been coming to Nea Chora Beach along Akti Papanikoli Street for decades.

The warm season is just beginning for tourists in Crete, but Manolis knows these waters intimately.

Familiar Waters

Manolis emerged from the water and greeted me with a smile. He spoke of his love for the mountains and the sea, and how he aims to feel good every day of his life.

The saltwater here is familiar to him. When he was just a 20-year-old boy, he fell ill with a fever but spent all week out of school and by this beach, the Nea Chora, to help him heal. He also spoke of another pivotal moment in his life when he spent 37 days in the hospital with a severe bacterial infection, isolated from his peers.

Manolis described the feeling of becoming reborn after this period and found hope through the simple, quiet life he has kept on this island.

Love, Only Love

When asked about what life advice Manolis has, he said warmheartedly that it’s “Love, only love.”