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Published: September 28th 2012
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Another hot day dawned. Another day that began in the comparative coolness of Chania's Old Town, where breakfast was taken outside. Ham and Cheese spread on the still warm fresh bread was a delight although I was not really awake until my third cup of coffee! With the heat, the only option was to get into the mountains.
Catching the bus, I was soon heading out of town, passing through the orange groves in which those from the white walled prison nearby toil. Here too, a large war memorial, to those Cretans who gave their lives in WWII, bravely delaying the German advance to the mountains and thus ensuring the evacuation of many through the Imros Gorge.
Slowly, the bus climbed higher, the driver cleverly taking the hairpin bends with little effort. Soon, almost unexpectedly, the little village of Laki appeared on the ridge opposite, sitting proudly on its perch, the magnificent church like a beacon in the early morning sun.
Watching the bus disappear, I returned along the road until I found a track heading up into the hills. Someone had built a new house here, which looked out of place amongst the centuries old buildings. Reaching
the first summit, I was greeted by the views over Chania and out to sea, but that wasn't my destination as I turned sharply and continued up to the ridge. Finally, after half an hour or so, I finally crossed the ridge and began to descend. Even so, that too was no my way and I veered away from the descent and began to traverse the hill. On the opposite ridge lay my lunch spot - the village of Karanos. Vines and figs grew along side the track, probably having escaped from the cultivated areas around me, the track swinging round the head of the valley before finally coming out to the Omalos road.
Stopping to have water, I watched the raptors overhead, the occasional vehicle heading along the road and deep into the mountains. I went the other way, across the bridge and down through the trees into Karanos. I stopped at the village tap to refill my water bottle, passed the village washing area with its stone washboards and arrived at my chosen kafenion. Beer and some delightful Greek Salad helped me pass well over an hour in admiring the views towards the coast.
With the
sun still overhead, I returned to the track down to Askordalos, continuing downhill and round the head of the valley through magnificent chestnut trees, cherry trees and olive groves. It is rumoured that the cherry trees were imported by the Turks in the 1830s.
After a long and hot circumvention of the valley, I was now standing on the opposite ridge to my lunch spot and looking back at Karanos. It struck me just how green the valley was, considering the heat and the location. A few moments later, and the scenery had changed dramatically, becoming more barren.
Passing a disused Olive Oil Factory, I doubled back on myself, taking a little track down past some farm buildings before coming to a stop by a gate. Cretan gates are a little different and this was certainly the norm, i.e., a rusty mesh, wired at one end to create a hinge with the other end being secured by a metal loop, a hook or sometimes, just a piece of cord.
Passing through the gate, a set off down a sunken and hidden track, avoiding the worst of the brambles above me, and coming out on the dry river
bed. In the hot sun, with little shade, I hopped from boulder to rock, making my way through the gorge until I found the track taking me back up through the orange grove and on to the road.
My transport was fortuitously parked right next to my exit point and within 30 minutes, I was back in Chania and showered.
That evening, I wandered down to the harbour and enjoyed a meal of Greek Salad, fried Aubergine and okra to start, followed by boureki and raki to finish. Another nice end to another great day!
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