European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - February 11, 1969, Darmstadt, Hesse I of Jea u to few a i i pm mfr try caves at Matala on Crete have become Haven from civilization for wanderers from Many nations. Life among the Cavern keepers by Petit Kuhrt staff writer "�w7hat Are you doing Here theft youngster shrugged and scratched his ear before he answered Noth ing really. I just when did you come Here an Bow Long will you be staying been Here Lince the summer he reputed. I m not sure when i want to leave. ,. Maybe in a few weks May be in a few months. Don t really this was our introduction to Matala the Mecca of Cave dwellers on the Mediterranean Island of Crete and it came from an american teenager woo stood on the Beach and munched on an Orange pitting tote into the wind. His name was Jim Mckeeman. He Laid and he waa 18 years old and from mad non Wisconsin and this was Parton his bumming around Europe after graduating from nigh school. Tuesday february 11, 1969 behind him tattered bearded Long maned creatures could be spotted at various Levels of the steeply rising Clif squatting in front of their haunts or Hov ering Over Small fires to prepare their modest meals a scene like Stone age , a stiff surf was lashing the pebbly Beach of the Matala Cove an the wind was playing with laundry Strung up Over the Cave fellow who looked the part of Judas in an Oberammergau passion play peeled potatoes neatly dropping the peels into the sea below instant garbage disposal. Another american one of several in the International Colony of Cave dwell erg at Matala joined fee Eov Satim civilization is coming and it will ruin this Beautiful place he said nod Ding toward a Bulldozer on the Bench which was scooping up fill or a project. During the summer he Saida team from life Magazine had Dis covered Matala with the resulting Story introducing it to the rest of the world As one of the places overseas where Young american nomads hang out " the Story came out too late in the summer to do much harm said the Man who later identified himself a Steve Levy from new York City. But you 11 see next summer the place willbe crawling with tourists it s a shame there was other evidence the greek villagers were already girding or the Golden tourist Bonanza. Amid the ankle deep mud of the town Square a Concrete parking lot had been Laid. Word of the Carefree rent free kind of life in the caves of Matatia gets wound through Ike Grapevine Meeg the longhaired set and ensures year around occupancy tin stars and St pcs no one knows who first Cut the caves to the yielding Sandstone of the Matala Cliff although local legend has it that Ulysses spent a night there seeking shelter and that the ancients used themas burial Sites. At one time it was a Leper Colony. In recent years the 30 to 40 caves of various sizes and degrees of Comfort have become a Haven for wanderers and aimless souls from Many nations americans germans dutchmen Hal Britos hippies College kids drifters sex peace corps types people trying to get away from the pressures of Home and civilization in search of something and want to find out about myself about what to do with my life. What Bette place to do it said Mckiernan whose family owns a big construction business at Home in Wisconsin. He was sharing his Cave with a girls continued of pay it Page 11
