Here We Are in Crete

Here We Are in Crete

Friday, November 3, 2017

Our ferry from Piraeus (Athens) docked at the Port of Heraklion, Crete,  right on time at 6 am. We had slept soundly all night long and happily did not have to disembark the ferry until 8 am. Except for getting lost in the bowels of the ship on our way out, all went smoothly and we arrived on the island of Crete, our fifth of five islands, on a bright sunny morning. We sat on a bench outside the passenger terminal waiting for our rental car. It also arrived right on time and within minutes we were on our way to our first accommodation on the island, Ammos Beachfront Apartment.

It was a short drive, about 15 minutes from the port. In a larger vehicle than we have been driving, it felt a bit more treacherous. They say that Greek drivers are crazy. I think that a tourist who attempts to drive in Greece is even crazier. The best news is that I already know how to drive a standard transmission and I drive an even larger vehicle at home. All will be well. And, along the way, we did find an amazing bakery with everything anyone might want in the way of sweet or savory snacks. The coffee was good too.

We were very pleased with our new short-term home. Three large bedrooms, all with en suite baths, a well equipped kitchen, a comfortable living area and best of all, a deck overlooking the sandy beach on the shore of the Aegean Sea. Our landlords came over to ensure we were comfortably installed and gave us several suggestions of things we might be interested in doing in the area. Sitting on the deck was a high priority for the afternoon. It was a wonderful place to wait for our Australian friends to arrive.

It was also a great place to catch up on laundry. A washer and a dryer for our use (the dryer actually did not work but the deck was a terrific place for air drying our clothes). The afternoon passed quietly and soon enough it was time for us to head to the airport to pick up our friends.

What a grand reunion it was! Hugs all round and then the short trip back to our unit.

Some cheese snacks, wine, beer and lively conversation filled the next couple of hours. It was then time for dinner and we went to a traditional Greek restaurant just down the street. The food was predictably delicious, especially the lamb that Jim ordered. The meat was all cooked on hooks hanging around the perimeter of an open fire. The fat drips from the meat as it cooks, leaving only the meat itself to be served. It was succulent, juicy, tender and delicious.

Back at home, all six of us got out our computers to write diaries, skype children, download photos or check out places we would visit tomorrow. It makes quite a picture as all of us have Apple laptops.

And then it was time for bed.

Saturday, November 4, 2017

Up bright and early, we each made our own breakfast and managed to collectively be ready to leave for an outing at 9 am. We were heading into the centre of Heraklion to visit the Museum of Archeology of Heraklion which has an impressive exhibit of Minoan artifacts from various archeological sites throughout Greece. Urns, burial boxes, frescoes, jewellery, and many more items and fragments were on display. It always amazes me how archeologists can find and identify remnants from past eras and then piece them together to create the entire item as it existed thousands of years ago. The Minoan age dates back to about 1800 BC.

We explored the main level of the museum during the morning and then took a break for lunch at a café across the street. Such a vast menu of beverages, salads, crepes and waffles, most of them savory in nature. Jim and I shared a Greek salad and a ham and cheese crepe. It was enormous. We were glad we had shared one. Others had part of the meal boxed up to take home. The servings were simply too big to handle.

During lunch, we were approached by a pair of young children who were playing accordions. Of course, they wanted some money. Jim reached into his pocket to support these budding musicians. The word must have gone out ... Next two pregnant women approached us with roses for the ladies. One of them did take a photo of our group so we gave her a coin for the favour. But our generosity came to a halt when a young man approached us, identified himself as a member of the Greek Communist Party and asked us for money to support their cause. Getting involved in Greek politics is quite far outside our range of intended activities while in Greece so we sent him away empty-handed.

We returned to the museum for more Minoan culture after lunch only to find that most of the second floor is closed for the winter. We were informed that when winter prices go into effect (we did benefit from the half price tickets), that the less popular parts of the museum also closed. Too bad for us!

Some of our group followed a walking route through the centre of Heraklion. Jim and I did some shopping and then moved the car to a new location close to the end of the walk. Our goal was to park in the Catholic Church parking lot but it was far too difficult to navigate. Such small spaces. So, we meandered through town, often travelling along several extremely narrow lanes with parked cars along one side. No scratches on the car. Whew!!!

We finally parked in front of the fish market left and we remained alone for the next half hour or so. The police passed by twice with lights flashing and siren on but paid no attention to us. Finally, our group reunited and all got in the car. But, someone had by then parked beside us and we could not leave even though we wanted to. Jim had brought me some ice cream and I sat and enjoyed the whole cup while we waited for the other car to leave.

On the way home, we decided to eat in tonight so purchased some spinach pies and stuffed croissants at a local bake shop. We also had leftovers from lunch as well as half of my pizza from last night. With a quick trip to the local supermarket, we purchased the ingredients for a homemade Greek salad and dinner was all organized. Fresh pineapple and pomegranate for dessert.

A huge rainstorm moved in and we were happy not to be going out again this evening. We listened to the waves on the choppy sea and played cards. Laughter and stories filled the evening.

Plans for tomorrow were made and the day came to an end.

Sweet dreams.

Sunday, November 5, 2017

Today was an exciting day. We were going to spend much of the day at Knossos, a well known Minoan ruin that dated from approximately 3500 BC. This site had been discovered in 1878. Excavations began in 1900. Many artifacts and frescoes from this Minoan Palace are on display at the Heraklion Museum on Archeology which we visited yesterday.

The site was only about a 20 minute drive from our ‘home’ and we arrived just as the palace gates opened. A surprise for us was that Knossos Palace has free entry on the first Sunday of the month. So we did not even have to purchase tickets. Sadly, there were no printed guides for Knossos but there were very informative signs at each area of this massive palace. We walked about the site, enjoying the layout, the size and the various rooms. Of course, the entire site had been covered by dirt prior to its discovery. And the walls were caved in and staircases destroyed by the weight of the earth that enveloped them. The leader of the early restoration team added some components to the site as he believed they would have been in 3500 BC. This compromised, to some extent, the authenticity of the palace although it was quite evident which parts had been restored and which parts had been added.

Our Australian friends have much more interest in ancient history than Jim and I do. Consequently, we completed our tour earlier than they did which gave us a chance to visit the café and enjoy a hot coffee. It was a bit chilly today.

When we all reconnected, we decided to take a drive through the vast and mountainous countryside. We travelled on circuitous roads that wove among the mountains, rising high into the hills and then plunging deep into the valleys. Although all the roads were in reasonably good repair, they were narrow in general and seemed quite treacherous at times. Two vehicles meeting usually had space to meet and pass one another on the road. On occasion, one car would have to pull off to allow the other one to pass by. As long as we were on the inside lane of the road and could hug the mountainside, all was well. It was when we were travelling on the outside edge and looking down into the deep, deep valleys that it became a bit more hair raising. But we lived to tell the tale.

The countryside was spectacular, deep and broad valleys filled with vast numbers of olive groves and vineyards. The olive trees were loaded with olives, ready to be harvested. The vineyards had mostly been harvested and the leaves had turned yellow and begun to fall. Some vineyards still had grapes on the vines, drying in the sun. Some were covered in clear plastic and the grapes continued to ripen more fully. The colours of the leaves varied from deep yellow to brilliant red. The olive groves were green, quite a contrast in colours across the deep and valleys.

A few villages were on our route. The first was Arhanes, a lively village built on a steep hillside. The road descending into the village was extremely steep and narrow with cars parked along the roadside. It was a bit daunting to weave among the cars and navigate the narrow passages that were called roads. At one corner, it seemed impossible to make a right turn so we went left instead and explored the village along a different road.

We stopped for lunch at the first tavern, Ambelos, we found that was open. We were not sure of the customs on Crete on Sundays. It turned out that that particular taverna had a 4.5 star rating on Trip Advisor.  The proprietor was very welcoming to us and suggested we order about 5 appetizers to share which would make a tasty and interesting lunch featuring several Cretan dishes. We followed his suggestion and had meatballs, a bruschetta-like dish called dakos, dumplings filled with local field greens, fried eggplant, and roasted oyster mushrooms. We also had bread to dip into olive oil and balsamic vinegar. It was all delicious and exactly the right quantity for six of us.

We carried on our journey and passed through other villages such as Profitis Ilias, Pirgos, Venerato, and Pelos. Each village had a distinct feel to it, whether it was touristy, agricultural or gentrified. There was always a well maintained church, usually high on a hill in the village. And of course, there was a village square, typically very quiet as it was Sunday afternoon.

The road we were on began as a narrow paved road but soon changed to a well maintained, wide gravel road. As time went on though, we noticed that the quality of the road was deteriorating. Huge potholes appeared and erosion was evident as we travelled along our route. The road continued to be very steep and very circuitous as we wound through the hills and along the valley edges. We had some very exciting moments meeting other vehicles or bouncing through some particularly deep potholes. Driving in Greece always seems to be challenging and adventurous.

We were in search of a winery, several were on maps in the area, but without benefit of the Greek language to read signs and without the knowledge of what a Greek winery might look like, we were unsuccessful in our quest. Maybe another day ….

At sunset we were on our way back to our apartment. Our landlord had made reservations for us at Peskasi Restaurant in Heraklion. It is one of the area’s finest restaurants and we were excited about choosing from their Cretan menu. We each ordered something unique to Crete: I had rooster with homemade pasta; Jim and David had pork cooked in honey and herbs; Sue and John had traditional Cretan meatballs and Barbara had vegetarian stew prepared with local vegetables. The food was all beautifully prepared and presented and we enjoyed it thoroughly. Complimentary desserts and liqueur were served to our table.

And then the fun began. Parking in Heraklion is very difficult to say the least. We had managed to find an angled parking space fairly close to the restaurant. Driving in was easy but we knew that backing out would be much more difficult. To complicate issues, a garbage truck backed up the narrow alley to empty the garbage bins adjacent to our car (yes, a garbage truck at 10 pm on Sunday night!). The road was thoroughly blocked. A passenger vehicle arrived and stopped in front of the garbage truck and locked his car and walked away. All we could do was wait.

Finally, the garbage workers completed their task of emptying all the bins. It was time for the truck to move on but that was not possible due to the car parked in front of it. Both of the workers walked away from the truck, apparently abandoning it while they got a coffee. Soon though, the driver of the car that was parked in front of the truck arrived back on the scene and quickly left. The garbage workers also returned to their truck and began to move down the street. It was my turn now and, with the help of three capable spotters, I got the car pulled out of our parking space and turned around using a 7 point turn to achieve the feat, facing the correct direction. I tried to follow the truck as a way of navigating the maize that forms the centre of this town, but it was moving too quickly and I was not able to keep pace. We meandered through several streets, some busy and chaotic, to reach the roadway along the harbour which is our route home. It was a short drive back to our apartment and we were all glad to be home at the end of a long and adventurous day.

Monday, November 6, 2017

This morning, we packed our bags and left Heraklion behind. We turned the car to the west and headed inland to enjoy more of the countryside and small villages on our way to our next destination, Athina House in Archontiki, just east of Chania. We travelled along more main roads today but still traversing steep mountainsides and passing through quiet villages. The valleys in this area are amazing, so broad and deep. The road climbed high as we passed over several mountain passes. The views on the up and down were spectacular with the green groves of olives and the yellowing vineyards.

We have all heard about Greek traditions, in particular that women wear black. In Athens and other tourist communities, we have not noticed that trend in large measure, but as we move from the main towns and cities and into the countryside, there is much evidence of this clothing style. In most villages we visited today, the women were indeed wearing black. Head to toe … even head scarves at times. Men gathered at outdoor tables at cafes drinking a cup of coffee and chatting with the other men in the village. They too were mostly dressed in black.

Olive groves and vineyards were scattered in every direction across rocky hillsides. Slopes were steep and valleys were wide. As we climbed higher on the mountains, there were fewer grapes and more olives and the landscape became much greener to the eye. There were sheep and goats and an occasional cow in small fields along the roadside.

We stopped for a few minutes in Anogia. This village is known for the stitchwork created by the women – knitting, crochet and embroidery. This began after the village was attacked and pillaged during the second world war. All the men were killed and the women were left with the responsibility of raising their children and finding ways to make enough money to sustain themselves and their families. They began to sell their handicrafts and that became the mainstay of the economy of the village. Word spread, tourists began to visit Anogia and the tradition continues today. As we strolled through the town, several women were positioned inside shop doors working on their stitchery.

While we in Anogia, we were introduced to other Greek traditions as well. A car came through the village with the driver calling out to all who could hear him. He was selling grapes. He parked nearby and opened his trunk. It was filled with grapes, both green and red, as well as raisins, no doubt made freshly with local grapes. Business was brisk as people lined up to purchase the fruit. We followed in kind and walked away with several kilos of red grapes. They were delicious!!

We decided that we would have cheese and bread and grapes for lunch, picnic style. There was a cheese shop and a bakery close by where we selected some local cheeses and bought two baguettes. That was such a good plan. Until …

We all got back in the car and continued on our way. Next stop was Margarita. This town is well known for its pottery and the number of pottery shops along the picturesque main street certainly attests to that fact. As we entered the village, there was a taverna nestled into a tiny square with well shaded porches and cool mature trees that provided a canopy. Our plan for lunch instantly changed as the taverna menu grabbed our attention. A lovely young woman served us and we had a variety of items to share. Good choice for lunch. The bread and cheese will wait for dinner.

While we were eating, a rather large van with doors wide open came along the main street. He was marketing fruits and vegetables. Ahhh, a Greek salad suddenly became part of our dinner menu. Fresh, bright red tomatoes, a long straight fresh cucumber, and some large oyster mushrooms were added to the array of food we were acquiring. Dinner had great promise.

We took a stroll through the town and several pottery purchases were made along the way. And then we set off in earnest for our next destination which was also our accommodation for the next five days. Three bedrooms with en suites, fully equipped kitchen, several indoor and outdoor living spaces and, best of all, a six person spa with a retractable roof and a view of the valley and the sea. Perfect!

We did have some difficulty finding the village, Archontiki. We lost the instructions to the village and the house when Jim’s phone ran out of battery power.  We drove through the village and on to the next town. That wasn’t right. We retraced our steps and once again came to the Kactus Café and turned in the other direction. That led us onto a very tiny and steep street with a particularly narrow passageway part way along it. We knew we were not in the right place this time either. But word was out that we were in town and the proprietor of our villa chased us down the street, got us pointed in the right direction and led us to our destination.

What a fantastic place!! An old traditional building with all the modern conveniences you could imagine from fancy showers and a steam room to an espresso machine and a juicer. Our host even provided a delicious birthday cake in honour of our three men, all of whom turned 70 this year.

The table was loaded with baskets of fresh local fruit; a tray offered local honey, homemade olive oil and balsamic vinegar, and there were 6 adorable little glasses into which we could pour the Raki. A bottle of wine in the fridge awaited us.

Once we were settled, we all gathered in the spa to watch the sun go down, marking the end of another day. We ate our dinner - wine, bread, cheese, Greek salad, fried oyster mushrooms, grapes, local honey – and spent a quiet evening playing cards.

One more great day in Crete drawn to a close.

Tuesday, November 7, 2017

We had a leisurely morning in our apartment today. It was nice not to have to rush to go somewhere. We all took a stroll around this very small village, stopping to admire an amazing view from a nearby churchyard. The hillside below us fell away and became a broad valley filled with olive groves, vineyards, herds of sheep, tracts of forest, rugged hills, stone fences and, in the distance, the Aegean Sea. All this under clear blue sky and warm sunshine. It was idyllic.

Archontiki is a very small village. It is primarily a residential area now. Many homes seem to be unoccupied, either empty because people have moved away, or empty because they are rental accommodations most often booked during tourist season. Sadly, there is no tavern, no café, no supermarket and no other store. As it is still warm enough to have open doors, often older women dressed in black at seated at the doorways or walking along the streets. As in other parts of Greece, the local folks are extremely friendly and try to engage us in conversation. Our Greek is limited to good morning (calimera), good afternoon (calispera) and thank you (efehistra). This in no way limits their willingness to tell us about the village or any other information they feel we might need. They smile and touch our arms and point in various directions, all the while missing the fact that we have no idea at all of what they are saying. We simply nod and smile and at the end of the conversation, touch their arms, tilt our heads and say efehistra. And head off on our way.

Archontiki is in a significant olive growing area and it is harvest season for olives. The traditional way to harvest olives is to spread a large mesh beneath the olive tree, climb to the top of the tree and shake or hit or shake the branches. The olives would fall on the mesh and be collected in large cloth bags for transport to the olive processing plants. A newer technique begins in a similar way by spreading the mesh under the tree. Now, though, a piece of equipment that looks a bit like a weed-eater is used to brush the olives off the branches. This tool has a long handle so that both high and low branches can be reached. There are prongs on a cylinder at the end of the handle that spin. When held up in the tree, this action causes the olives to fall to the ground where they will be collected and bagged for shipment. This process is much more efficient and a lot safer that the traditional tree climbing harvest. When the olives in bags and safely fastened, the bags are loaded into pick-up trucks and transported to a central location for processing.

Most households in villages in this area have at least one olive tree and harvest the fruit to produce their own olive oil. In general, tavernas also process their own olives into oil. There is a significant difference in the flavour and density of olive oil in different tavernas.

Another product that is prevalent in this area is honey. Driving along the roadways, it is not uncommon to see a hundred or more beehives in a single location. The beekeeper will tend to the bees and collect the honey from the hives, fully decked out in protective clothing. Honey, like olive oil, tastes and looks different from place to place as individual tavernas or cafes collect their own honey and serve it to their guests.

Because of the prevalence of vineyards in this area as well, local wines are widely available. In our limited experience, we have not identified a Greek wine that we like well enough to purchase again. Grapes that are produced as eating grapes are delicious, however, both red and green. We have been enjoying nibbling sweet and freshly picked grapes as snacks throughout the day.

Other fruits such as oranges, pomegranates, apples, persimmon, quince and even some bananas are grown locally. When the travelling fruit/veg car is in the village, we are sure to be found purchasing tomatoes, cucumber, grapes and other local products.

We have fallen into the pattern of eating lunch in a taverna and eating dinner in our apartment. We always have a form of Greek salad, some Greek cheese and bread, a vegetable or two (eg eggplant, long beans, oyster mushrooms,) along with the olive oil of this house and sometimes balsamic vinegar. Tonight we also had spanakopita (spinach pie) as part of our menu. So far, desserts have included fresh fruit, birthday cake and, tonight, baklava.

After exploring our village, Archontiki, we all loaded into the car and went for a drive to some nearby villages. An excellent restaurant had been recommended to us for lunch but, alas, it was closed for the season. We poked around the village, looking in the shops and watching the men drink their morning coffee. So many Greek men gather at cafes for coffee while the women are either at home or collecting herbs for cooking, doing laundry, shopping or bargaining with the mobile vendors who come through town on a regular basis – grapes, fruit/veg, household products, shoes – I am sure the list is a lot longer than that.

We finally decided to have lunch in the next village, Argyroupoli, at the only taverna that was open. It had a very limited menu. I am sure they were not expecting six customers to come in for lunch. We could choose Greek salad, a pork chop, meat skewers, and/or potatoes. We all decided to share a Greek salad and three of us had pork chops and the other three had meat skewers. We all enjoyed our food and beer but I have to give a special commendation to the lady who cooked our pork chops – they were superb, large, lean and juicy. And the only thing on the plate. On large pork chop. That was lunch.

After we ate, we drove down a very winding road to an old bridge and a steep laneway leading to a large tree with an arch carved through it and the location of the Church of the Holy Five Virgins in Argyroupoli. This church is one of the most important shrines of western Crete, with a long tradition of worship. I chose to stay in the car and read my book (set in Crete) while the others made the long trek to the church and the tree. Sometimes it is refreshing to take a break from active touring and have a few minutes to refocus. I find that reading books helps with that.

Once our group had reassembled, we headed for home where we enjoyed relaxing in the spa, indulged in a lovely home made dinner, and spent the evening playing cards. Somehow, I also found time to process some photos and catch up on this blog. A good day, indeed!

Wednesday, November 8, 2017

We got ourselves organized this morning and left the house just after 9:30 am. First stop today was the Cretan Epicurean Centre in the next village. We had been told by a local villager that it was open daily from 10 am to 1 pm. We wanted to be there promptly at 10.

Well, we were there … but it was closed up tight as a drum. Not just for today but the Centre had clearly been closed for months, maybe even years. The only orderly thing about it was the series of signs that led you down into the village from the main road high above. We climbed back up the hill and proceeded on our way. Oh well.

That hill should have been a herald for the day to come. We were on more steep and winding roads that I ever knew existed. The guidebooks promised an exciting and adventurous day and that is exactly what we got.

We started by driving up a long steep slope, heading to the saddleback at the top of a mountain. The road was in good shape and wide enough so that two vehicles could meet and pass one another with no problem. There were guard rails and often a yellow line in the middle of the road. The only intimidating thing was the amazing valley that was broad and beautiful and rugged and feel straight down from the edge of the road for several hundred metres, ever further to the bottom as we climbed higher and higher. We had a very good view of the valley because we were travelling in the right hand lane of the road right beside the guard rails. No shoulders on this road. Oh … and did I say that I was the driver?

Occasionally, our group would request a photo stop so I would choose a section of road where cars coming from either direction could see us. Everyone would clamber out of the vehicle and take their many photos. I would quietly sit in the driver’s seat and hyperventilate until everyone got back in and we carried on.

Finally we reached the saddleback and crested the mountain and, guess what? An equally steep but less well maintained road lay ahead of us. Yikes!!! The good news was that at least we were travelling in the lane that hugged the mountain. It felt a bit safer until we started to notice all the rocks on the road. And where had those rocks come from? From the slopes above us, of course. Big rocks and little rocks, single rocks and multiple rocks, occasionally a boulder or two that may or may not have pushed the guard rail out of place. It seemed that there was the potential of a veritable hail storm. Nonetheless, we proceeded and made the necessary photo stops until we reached a tiny village near the bottom of the valley.

The village, Kalikratis, was very tiny … but it had a taverna filled with friendly people who were willing to prepare coffee and a snack for us as well as provide a much needed bathroom. We sat at a crowded table on the narrow front porch. Orders were taken – 5 Greek coffees, no sugar and one peppermint tea. Heresy!!!! No one, I mean NO ONE, drinks Greek coffee without sugar!!! We insisted and the coffees were made and served, along with a little pot of locally produced honey just in case we changed our minds.

We also ordered sfakiani pie, mostly because we did not know what it was. One pie for six people, a taste for everyone. Sfakiani pie has a 2 thin crepe-like layers (thinner and lighter than crepes) with a soft cheese filling in between. It was slightly sweet – just a hint and is usually eaten with a drizzle of honey on it. It was so delicious that we ordered another. Yum!!

One of the people in the taverna spoke reasonable English and wanted to know how we had ever found this place. It was clear that tourists were not a part of their regular trade. We said that we had simply followed the signs to the village, a slight bit off the main road, but well worth the trip.

A friendly dog and many, many sheep and lambs and goats and kids occupied the rugged fields around the tavern. It was precious to see the kids and lambs, so tiny. One had clearly just been born as the mother and lamb were segregated from the rest and kept in a straw-based pen under a tree.

Goats and sheep are both raised for their milk which is used for the production of local cheese. As we travelled along the various roads today, we were aware of the many flocks of sheep and goats that were on the rugged mountainsides that we were driving through. And how nimble goats are, able to jump, leap and climb with stability and grace. And how small-brained sheep are, leaping out in front of a moving car, following another sheep into the path of a car, and remaining in the middle of the road staring at the driver until the car is forced to come to a complete halt.

We carried on from the taverna in Kalikratis and once again began to climb the side of another mountain. Up, up, up we went. At one photostop, the wind was blowing so hard that we thought we would get blown off the mountain. The road zig-zagged to the top of this mountain (first gear was my best friend) and we crossed over to the other side. This time, I gasped out loud at the road that was ahead of us.

We were now in a national park and the road was narrow. It was in excellent condition though, in spite of the number of small rock slides that had deposited debris along the road. No guard rails and the steepest slopes I have ever driven … yes, even steeper than the road Jim took me on in Santorini. It really did feel like it was straight down. A long way down …. 850 metres to be exact. Sheer cliffs marked the gorge we were following and tight hairpin turns at each switchback - 33 in total. Sometimes were on the inside lane against the mountain and other times were on the outside lane, the precipice. It did not seem to matter which lane we were using, there was not space for two vehicles to pass one another. A few times, more local vehicles came up behind us and had to patiently way until the road widened ever so slightly and they could go past.

Once again, the gorge we were following was a thing of beauty. Rugged walls, bonsai plants, changing vegetation, rock cuts of red and gold, sheer cliffs, it was all there for us to drink in. Absolutely magnificent and terrifying at the same time.

Partway down the mountain, we encountered two young men who were preparing to go para-sailing. The wind currents would be amazing from that height and the flat valley and seawater were far below them. With cooperation from the wind, they could potentially have amazing flights.

We also encountered a young woman who was biking up the road. How she was going to achieve that was far beyond my imagination. Physical fitness and stamina would go a long way but the mental will to succeed had to be incredibly strong as well. We quietly wished her well as our car passed by her on our descent.

After what seemed like an interminable time, we finally did reach a more flattened area where there was a village with a tavern. Time for lunch!!! Time for me to get out of the car. We ordered a mesa lunch – dakos, tzatziki, meatballs, spanakopita, mountain greens, and …. Drum roll please …. Sfakiani pie with honey!! Again.

We enjoyed a leisurely lunch looking down onto the south coast of Crete over the water that is known here as the Libyan Sea. The village of Frango-Kastello lie before us with the outline of the local castle clearly in view. Clouds hovered over the sea water and even looked like they were producing rain in places. Happily those clouds never impacted us. It was sunny all day.

After lunch we descended the rest of the mountain onto a large flood plain. Once down, we looked back at the road we had just descended. It was breathtaking in its beauty and its danger. We are definitely not returning home the same way we came.

We visited another town, Plakias, which is a true beach town, although quite quiet at this time of year. I waded into the seawater (the Libya Sea) and found it to be pleasantly warm. Nonetheless, I was not tempted to go in further. The swimming season here runs from April to October. Much of the town was closed for the season and only one small boy was on the beach.

As the afternoon was wearing on, we stayed in Plakias a very short time, wanting to make it home before sunset. More rugged roads, switchbacks, steep slopes, some up and some down. It was a tiring drive after so much of the same all day long. This time our main route took us through another gorge but this one was so high and so narrow that the sides of the gorge almost touched one another at the top. Spectacular scenery to say the least. One feature that was remarkable was a church that had been built into the rock face part way up the mountain. It was stunning, complete with a sanctuary, church bells and a place for worshippers to gather. What an unexpected structure to find in such a daunting location.

Between the walls at the top of the gorge, we began our descent for the final time. We were only a few kilometers from home but it took quite a while to get there due to road quality and route. It had been a great day with spectacular views, great food and best of all, terrific company.

At home, we relaxed and made dinner – Greek salad, of course, spanakopita, cheese and bread, long, tender green beans and finally, baklava for dessert. Good conversation and some quiet time brought the day to an end. And what a wonderful, adventurous day it had been!

Thursday, November 9, 2017

We were a bit slow to get started this morning. I think the residual effect of a long driving day yesterday may have taken its toll. We were also beginning to think about being organized for our Saturday departure and that involved doing laundry in a very slow machine. Two of us ran loads this morning and I will do mine later. There is no dryer so we have to rely on the Greek sun to dry our clothes.

We eventually got ourselves organized and out the door. Our destination today was Rethymno, the third largest city in Crete. It is a short distance from Archontiki along major roads. Our travelling companions wanted to visit the Venetian Castle that guarded the port while Jim and I were more interested in exploring other parts of the city. We dropped them off at the castle and ventured into the busy city traffic with the car. We managed to get to the market, the main shopping street, the boulevard of hotels and restaurants on the waterfront. We parked near the Venetian Harbour, saw the lighthouse and strolled along several little alleyways in the old city. Pedestrians only allowed. There were residential streets with quaint old buildings filled with apartments. And there were commercial streets peppered with cafes, restaurants and tourist shops. It would have been fun to have a whole day just to explore. It is absolutely certain that you would get lost.

During our time touring the city, we encountered the police who made it clear that we could not park where we had planned to leave the car. Other cars were also parked there and as soon as the police arrived, the drivers scurried to their vehicles and drove away. We were glad we were still in the car when the police came by because we understand that if you are illegally parked, they remove the licence plates from your vehicle and charge a lot of money to get them back.

We also had an interesting interaction with the military. We were looking for the restaurant, Prima Piora , where we planned to eat lunch and wanted to make a reservation for a table close to the water’s edge. We identified the location and drove along the main street into town to find it. It was on a diagonal street to the right of the main street. So, we drove down a diagonal street that fit the description only to discover that it was a short road with a gate across the end and military personnel with guns patrolling it. Yikes. In a very tight situation, we managed to make a fast three point turn and exit as we had entered. Just a short way along t was a second diagonal exit from the main street and there, we did find the restaurant we were looking for.

We had agreed to meet our friends at the drop off point after 2 hours had passed so we returned to that location. Before long, they also arrived having visited the castle and explored some of the old city. We had all enjoyed our time in Rethymno.

Off to the restaurant we went. This time we entered via the correct diagonal street. Our table was waiting for us under a lovely canopy, the closest table to the water. It was an amazing setting. Primarily a seafood restaurant, it is not surprising that we all ordered some form of fish for lunch. I started with ceviche followed by an octopus salad. Both were spectacular dishes. Jim had smoked sardines followed by fish and chips, also delicious. Others in our group enjoyed fish soup, seabass carpaccio and mussels. Every dish was beautifully presented and delicious. What a great choice of restaurant. If you are ever in Rethymno, keep the Prima Piora in mind. Just avoid the military base on your way.

After our late and long lunch, we headed back to Archontiki and enjoyed some time in the spa. Earlier in the week, it had been quite chilly but we discovered how to get it to warm up and today it was at a perfect temperature. The sun set over the mountains and dark fell. The lights of nearby villages began to come on. We turned out the lights around us and enjoyed watching the world slowly transform from day to night. A luxurious time with friends, to be sure.

Dinner tonight was again at home, light due to the lunch we had had earlier. Always a Greek salad accompanied by other vegetables and bread and olive oil. Wine was a companion, of course. We finished out the day playing a card game call Joe, very competitive and a lot of fun.

I stayed up later than others to catch up on this blog and also to create much of our Crete photo book. It felt good to be on top of things again.

Friday, November 10, 2017

Today is our last full day on Crete. There are so many things we have not seen or done. So we set off to make this another day filled with activity.

Our Australian friends are serious walkers and they headed off on a footpath to the next village where we were to meet them with the car in abut 30 minutes. Well, 25 minutes later they called and said they were lost and really did not know how long it would take to arrive at the designated meeting place.

We decided to go out and do a bit of exploring ourselves but it was difficult to get away. First, the fruit and veg truck arrived and we took the time to buy some tomatoes and apples. It is such a fun way to do the shopping. Then, the old lady dressed in black who lives nearby came out to greet us. She wanted to talk to me – in Greek of course. She is so friendly and warm, it is hard to pull away from her. After two sets of ‘cheek kisses’, we tried to leave but she signalled for us to wait for a moment. She went into her house and brought us back a bag of cookies that are made with sesame seeds and cinnamon. She insisted we take them and dip them into coffee. I was really touched, even more so since she let me take her photo as well.

We headed off in the car through the next village Episcopi to descend a road that we believed would take us to an agricultural area that spread out below our apartment. Along the way, who did we see but our Aussie friends. Indeed, they had walked a long, long way to cover a short distance, much of it down a steep slope and then back up a steep road. But, they were determined to complete their walk so we left them on the road to continue and we carried on until we found an old stone road that looked like it would take us into the olive groves and the old stone fields. It was another interesting road to travel on – rough, bumpy, narrow with occasional huge rocks in our way. We were in olive groves and we could see many stony fields but eventually we had to turn around to avoid having to back out the entire distance we had come. Fortunately, we found a somewhat wider space and an artful three-point turn occurred. Except …. that a pile of rocks was dislodged in the process and one of the larger rocks got wedged under the car. With Jim’s help, I was able to rock the car gently while he removed the rock and we were on our way again. There were a few worried moments in that situation.

We made our way back to the main road and headed up to the Kactus Café where we were meeting our friends. They arrived at exactly the same time that we did. Perfect! We all sat down for a coffee and chat about our different experiences. Then we piled into the car to visit a couple more villages in the hills that are visible from the back of our village.

Winding roads took us high into the hills again. The scenery never ceases to amaze and dazzle us. It is truly beautiful – hillsides, small villages, high mountains and the sea all in the same sweep of the eyes. We passed by many olive groves with pickers hard at work. We traversed paddocks of sheep, goats, piglets and chickens; we passed gardens of aloe vera, vegetables and trees  loaded with apples, persimmons and quince. We followed the truck that was selling huge bags of potatoes to local residents, his loud speaker blaring as he announced his arrival in each village.

We stopped for lunch at a taverna we had read about, the Kala-Kardia in Kournas. It was highly recommended for their meat dishes and the lemon custard dessert. We decided on a variety meat platter for 4 with a side of French fries and a Greek salad. Although there were six of us, we were quite sure we would have plenty of food. The meat was all prepared in an outdoor oven and it smelled incredible. Yum! When the food came to the table, we could only laugh. The meat platter was mounded high, the French fry order was huge and the Greek salad could have served half the village. We were also served 12 slices of toast. Undaunted, we set about enjoying all the food and, at the end of the lunch, it was all gone. Not one more morsel could entice us. We were all very full. And then came dessert – complementary lemon custard and a bottle of raki. Raki is a pretty vile and very strong alcoholic beverage enjoyed by many Greek men. Frankly, only one of us  liked the raki at all and the lemon custard was not very good either. But the main course had been outstanding!!

We piled back into the car and continued our tour. This time we were heading for Lake Kournas, the only fresh water lake in the island of Crete. It is a small lake, quite green/blue in colour, shallow with a rocky bottom and a muddy shore. Not great for swimming to be sure. In the summer season, it must be a madhouse. The access road is cluttered with tavernas, cafes and souvenir shops. Even today, in mid-November, there were seven (yes, seven) tour busses there. So many people, so little to see or do. We did not stay long. I did stick my toe into the water and found it to be quite warm.

The drive back to Archontiki was very pleasant, again along roads flanked by olive groves. It was the end of the day. The sun had set behind the mountains already and the olive pickers were headed for home. Their pick-up trucks were loaded with bags of olives destined for the processing plants. Sometimes there were two or three men riding in the back as well as the ever-present olive picking tool called a Campagnola Golia.

We spent the rest of the afternoon relaxing, some in the spa, some with a book, some playing computer games. Dinner was light and consisted of using food that remained in our fridge – salad, eggplant, bread, cheese and some fruit.

We finished our card game from last night and turned in early. Tomorrow will be a big and busy day.

Saturday, November 11, 2017

The day started with breakfast on the deck under a brilliant blue Greek sky. What a glorious day to recall as we leave this little piece of paradise.

Bags packed, house tidied, kitchen clean, fridge empty … and off we headed toward Chania where we will fly this evening to Athens, the beginning of a new adventure for all of us.

Of course, we did not go straight to Chania (pronounced Honneea). Happily, all of us enjoy visiting rural villages so we created a meandering route in the general direction of Chania and travelled through several small Greek villages. The landscape was rugged with ample olive groves and fields of grapevines. The towns were clean, with narrow roads, colourful gardens and usually a town square. For quite a while we played hopscotch with a fruit and veg vendor who was following the same route as we were. Each time we would stop to take photos, he would pass us. Then we would catch up again and pass him. We finally lost track of him when we stopped for morning coffee.

The roads we had chosen rose high onto the mountainside which provided amazing views of the sea below and all the landscape in between. At one point, we all agreed that it was the best vista we have had in all of Crete. I will try to attach the photo we took.

We had a challenge in one village when Jim directed us onto what he thought was a main road and it turned out to be a very narrow track in between some buildings. There was no place to turn around so we had no choice but to go forward (I had to stop and take a few deep breaths because I did not think we would fit through the space and be able to make a right turn at the same time … it was tight!). Anyway, our friend, John, walked ahead of the car and helped by letting me know if he thought we would fit through the spaces. It was very close in places and  was afraid of scraping the paint on the car on the rough plaster houses on each side of the road. But, we did it!! Whew!

We got back on the main road and began our descent down the mountain. We tend to go slowly because we are always looking for photo stops. At one point, I was startled when a fast-moving bicycle passed us. I looked in the rear view mirror and there were five more bikes hot on our tail. I pulled over and let all of them go by. They were on an uphill trajectory, as were we, and we stayed will behind them while they worked their way to the top. Then, full speed ahead, they simply flew down the hill, around the curves and soon left us well behind. That was the last we saw of the bicycles.

We arrived in Chania just after noon and found a place to park and a nice restaurant on the harbour. We enjoyed our last meal together in Greece, culminating a week of friendship, exploration, adventure and new experiences. We spent the afternoon exploring the town and gathered again at 4 o’clock to head to the airport for our flight to Athens.

When we arrived in Athens, it was hugs all around as we collected our luggage and went our separate ways. In three years, when the women in the group all have a significant birthday, we get to do it again.

Jim and I waited for our hotel shuttle and soon were happily installed in Rafina, in the same hotel we had stayed in for our first night in Greece. Tomorrow we fly to Oslo and begin the next stage of this wonderful trip, three weeks in Norway. Much more about that as time goes on.