The Ko-Go Khronicles



GOURNES BEACH CLEANUP: GOOD WORK, BUT . . . By Lou Duro

	Congratulations to the police and other local agencies responsible for the cleanup of the beautiful beach, considered to be one of the finest in Crete, on the grounds of the former military base in Gournes. After several years of failed attempts, they finally managed to get all those ugly squatter caravans removed – under the threat of imprisonment. Last year there were more than 40 of the illegally parked caravans right on the beach. However, this dilapidated building remains, made even more obvious by the pristine conditions now surrounding it. Suggestion: renovate it as an umbrella/beachbed rental shack – so they can be set up as required, instead of just cluttering the seashore when not in use – which is 90 percent of the time, which is what most other countries do. Wouldn't it be nicer to have an uncluttered seashore, as promoted in all the Greek tourism adverts, than to have one that is an umbrella-ladened eyesore, like those in almost all other parts of our Demos? And, speaking of uncluttered beaches, Stigmes, Crete's Greek/English magazine, in a recent photo/journalism article, featured 42 of the Top Cretan Beaches. Guess what? There was not one umbrella on any of the featured beaches – and not one was in our Demos. "I love this beach now," says Olga, a Russian expat who lives in Gournes with her son, Arten, 7. "We just spread our beach towel on the sand and enjoy ourselves. We hope it stays this way." Everyone, without exception, interviewed by The Ko-Go Khronicles, agreed with Olga. They felt we've made a great start in bringing back what was once considered one of Crete's best beaches – now let's go all the way. The consensus is to keep the umbrella/beachbed franchises off the sand, and perhaps next time Stigmes runs its article this location in Gournes will resume its rightful spot as one of the TOP CRETAN BEACHES. (For an interesting sidebar regarding beach umbrellas, see this issue's Town Buzz column.)