Gillian Winter (British) and Doug Langmead (Australian) met while working in the Middle East, Gillian in teaching English as a foreign language and Doug in architecture and landscaping on large projects. Music brought them together, as Doug gave lifts to members of a choir Gillian sang with.
Gillian has lived in or visited Crete on and off since 2002, settling permanently once she retired. Doug has been living and working in the Middle East since 1979: he has a management consultancy in Dubai and is currently working with Emaar in Egypt, from where he visits Crete frequently.
They both enjoy exploring Crete, spending their time hiking, reading, learning about Crete and its history, and dining out. They are members of the Mediterranean Garden Society, headquartered in Athens, learning about regional gardening techniques and participating in visits to various private and public gardens as well as monthly zoom talks. They are enthusiastic about sharing their love of Crete with visitors.