Three months ago, I knew very little about Crete beyond its status as the largest Greek Island. But after spending three days traveling around, I’ve realized just how enormous Crete is. Driving from east to west could take half a day, and a drive from north to south could easily eat up over an hour. Despite its size, however, every inch of the island is incredible, if not slightly redundant.

2. There’s an Off Season

Crete has year-round perfect weather, so I find it surprising that tourists tend to avoid the island during the winter months. As I travel around with my family in December, however, I feel as if the island is ours; I don’t see tourists anywhere. Yesterday was 75 degrees and sunny, but locals were walking around with fur coats and scarves. I’ve been told that the rest of the year is completely different, with overcrowded beaches and overwhelming traffic.

3. The Drivers are Insane

I hear people say this about drivers in NYC, but compared to the locals in Crete, those cabbies are harmless. Cretans are always in a huge rush to get where they’re going, never hesitating about passing a car going only 30 km/h over the speed limit, even if it means risking their lives by crossing into oncoming traffic. “Slow” drivers have the routine down, however, hugging the right shoulder as they drive. I’ve seen hundreds of “mini churches” along the road (they look like elaborate oversized birdhouses), usually positioned on the most dangerous curves–these shrines mark accident scenes, and are installed by the accident victim if they survive, or by relatives if they do not.

4. There are Few American Chain Restaurants

I’ve traveled everywhere from Barcelona to Beijing, and seen plenty of KFC, Starbucks, and McDonald’s restaurants, among others, yet even the capital city of Heraklion has little American influence, at least as far as American chains are concerned. I did see one Starbucks and one McDonald’s in Heraklion, but certainly not in any of the other towns.

5. Nearly Anything Grows on the Island

I wouldn’t be surprised if Crete didn’t import any food at all. Everything is grown, caught, or butchered here, with olives and grapes (wine) being some of the region’s most prominent staples. Nearly every dish is cooked in or prepared with olive oil, from bread to desserts to deep fried mushrooms. Bananas, kiwis, apples, and many more fruits and vegetables are all grown on the island, as are a large variety of herbs, meat, and seafood.

The tasting featured a variety of appetizers and entrees, including Lobster Bisque and Caviar from The Russian Tea Room (definitely one of my favorites), Sunchoke Veloute Smoked Salmon from Gilt, Long Island Duck from Rouge Tomate, a Braised Pork Belly, Peanut Butter & Jalapeno Jelly Sandwich from Blue Smoke, and a Kanpachi Tiradito from Sushi Samba (its neutral flavors made for the perfect palette cleanser before moving on to dessert), just to name a few. Some of the desserts included a killer Peanut Butter & Jelly Bread Pudding from Dovetail, and Carrot Cake Macarons from Aureole (by far my favorite dessert), with many other petits fours available as well.

The mood at the event was generally upbeat, though some guests and former Gourmet editors appeared emotional during the “Golden Fork” presentation, as one of the food industry’s most recognized publications closed its doors. It was an honor to be able to attend tonight’s event honoring these colleagues; I wish the Gourmet staff the best of luck, and hope that they land on their feet, ready to take on a new challenge in our battered, yet still hopeful industry.

Unfortunately this doesn’t apply to Sidekick customers (Microsoft claims that files on both the Sidekick server and its backup server became corrupt), but this is the perfect opportunity to discuss what should be perhaps the most important step in your daily workflow, especially for anyone who uses a computer or smartphone for work (which these days seems to be most of us): BACKING UP! Some Windows-based computer manufacturers make it fairly painless for you to backup your system daily, but for Mac and iPhone users, it’s really a no-brainer. If you’re not using Time Machine and/or syncing your iPhone with your computer daily, then please, for the love of god, start backing up tonight!

My good friend Robyn has called this place home for the last year, serving as a Peace Corps volunteer in nearby Pampas de Hospital, a town of 4,000 that only has running water for a few hours each day, and two paved roads (one of which was recently completed). Cuerpo de Paz placed Robyn in Pampas as a health volunteer, teaching community members about the dangers of AIDS and (a bit) about American culture. This is the real Peru.

As I sit in the bus station awaiting my malodorous chariot to the developed world (Guayaquil, Ecuador) to catch my flight back to the States, I see life in the third world pass me by. After just five minutes at the station, it’s clear just how much I take for granted—I see mototaxis rushing customers around town for 1 sol (about 33 cents), corrupt policemen making their rounds, a pair of emaciated dogs, and a small herd of chickens. I see a man crossing the busy Pan American highway while holding an infant and digging for nasal gold (picking your nose is perfectly acceptable in Peru). I see homes with walls of bamboo and mud. I see countless kilos of refuse. But I don’t see tourists.

The city of Tumbes is no tourist destination—in fact, several guidebooks (and plenty of Internet resources) specifically warn against stopping there! Bus passengers pass through on their way to Lima, some 20 hours to the south, but few people who end up in Tumbes do so intentionally. Think Tijuana, but without the Gringos. The city is dangerous (Robyn wouldn’t let me out of her sight the entire week), but my journey to this developing city makes me appreciate the opportunities we have so much more. I know quite a few people, like myself, who would benefit from living here, if only for a week.

Robyn’s site, Pampas de Hospital, is even further removed from the Western world. Her host family shares a bathroom with several neighbors, filling the tub once a day so the neighboring families have enough water to bathe (using a bucket), drink, and use in their kitchens—which would surely violate every NYC health code imaginable. The schools teach English, but I didn’t meet anyone actually able to speak the language, and some students drop out in their early teens, though attrition rates continue to drop. Uneducated children will stay for life, while those fortunate enough to attend college or technical school will be the first to leave, taking their knowledge and valuable skills to Lima.

But this simple, luxury-free lifestyle brings the town together, with a community unlike any found in the States. The people of Pampas are among the most generous I’ve ever encountered, opening their homes to me, making sure I was full enough to burst (Robyn’s family killed a duck in my honor), and making it clear that my visit, let alone Robyn’s, wouldn’t be forgotten. I showed them pictures of Manhattan, as they looked over my shoulder in awe. We are so incredibly fortunate to live in a country where potable water comes from a tap, where people celebrate diversity, where vegetables make it to the dinner table each and every day.

While I wouldn’t suggest vacationing in the city of Tumbes, the department (like a state in the US) as a whole is incredible. Nearby Punta Sal is quite possibly the most beautiful beach town I’ve visited, and the town of Mancora, while technically in the neighboring department of Piura, is swarming with surfing Westerners, there to take advantage of incredible swells and excellent weather year round. If you’re in need of a “serious wake up call,” consider dropping by the city of Tumbes for a few days. I’m sure Robyn would be more than happy to show you around.

Just 30 minutes to the north, Punta Sal is an oasis in the department of Tumbes, offering some of the cleanest beaches I’ve seen anywhere in the world, let alone in Peru. While other beaches in the department are very unsafe and littered with garbage, Punta Sal is simply gorgeous. I spent two nights at Club Punta Sal, which was incredibly inexpensive by American standards ($84 per night for a suite, including meals), but out of reach for most Peruvians. It can be difficult to get to the hotel (the nearest airport in Tumbes requires a connection in Lima and is located an hour to the north), but it’s definitely worth the trip if you’re able to stay for several days. Club Punta Sal is far nicer and less expensive than any resorts I’ve visited in Mexico or the Caribbean, with excellent service and amenities.

¡Cuídate!

Despite the modest turnout due to rain, there were still not enough boxes to go around. The group only prepared a small number of boxes—perhaps 100 in all. The method of distribution seemed quite inefficient at first, and should have been an indicator of the limited supply. An MC distracted people by speaking about the boxes while volunteers walked discretely through the rear of the crowd handing out the treats, four at a time, only to those who were standing patiently, or in my case, unaware. My group was able to snag only one box, so we shared—everything from the David Chang marshmallow/corn flake cookie to the Pascal Barbot egg nog was split four ways. Everything was tasty, but the David Chang cookie seemed to be the highlight. I decided to hang on to the custom multi-layered box, dragging it around the city for the rest of the night.