Leaving Crete

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Friday, 9th January, 2009, continued

We relaxed for a while, and changed to go out for a walk and some dinner.

There was a Chinese restaurant just round the corner, so this was our choice for tonight.

We had meal for two, changed a couple of items, and had the following, a chicken noodle and chicken sweetcorn soup, spring rolls, sweet and sour pork balls, chicken in mushroom sauce, szeuchan beef and fried rice. With drinks €41.40.

Pat likes the coffee place, Livingroom, so we had a coffee, and did some people watching for a while, then popped to the supermarket and back to the hotel.

I forgot to mention a couple of the places we visited in Chania earlier today, one was a Greek Orthodox church in the town centre. We had a quick look round as it was open. One of the things that surprised me was the seating which were like individual dining chairs. The other thing we found was a Synagogue in the Old Town.

Saturday, 10th January, 2009.

Sadly it's raining.

Plan for the day, we will drive to Iraklion and then hopefully catch a ferry to somewhere later in the day.

We have decided not to visit Thira, for the time being and are heading for Kos. To do this at this time of year, we will need to go to back to Pireaus, then on from there.

We checked out of the hotel at ten o'clock and put our bags in the car. Decided that a coffee was needed to start the day and we had plenty of time. So we headed to Livingroom and had our usual.

Back to the car and off to Iraklion, an uneventful drive, still raining.

We arrived at the Port area and headed straight to the GA Ferries office. Because of our change of plan, we were going to try and get a refund on our ferry ticket to Thira, on the basis that they canceled the sailing on the 7th.

We Greek parked on the roundabout outside the office and went in and asked for a refund, which was given with no qualms whatsoever and we were on our way in less than ten minutes.

Next stop the Port itself, we knew there were two ferries to Pireaus tonight, one with Minoan Lines, who we have travelled before and the other Anek Lines.

Anek lines is supposed to be cheaper and anyway we wanted to try another ferry company.

We parked outside the terminal and went in to the ticket desks. Anek lines was able to provide a ticket for us at €262.00, this was about €90.00 cheaper than our passage across with Minaon.

So the two us and the car, with cabin are booked on the 2030 hours sailing tonight, Iraklion, Crete, to Preaus, with Anek Lines on the Kriti 1, due to arrive the next day at 0530 hours.

We then walked into the town to have a look around and kill some time. We found the Archaeological museum and went in and had a look at the Minoan stuff. It was only a temporary exhibition, the main museum seemed to be closed. It was interesting none the less, as some of it was from Knossos, which we had visited.

We saw the double headed axes we have heard about many times around the Island.

Pat says that it is interesting to actually see things that we have only been seeing in history books for most of our lives.

It was still raining and we gradually headed back to the Port. We stopped and had a Gyros in a cafe on the way. We arrived back at three thirty.

Then we killed some time in the terminal, loading was from 1800 hours.

Each Ferry Company has car stickers which they put on your car, without your permission, when you travel with them. We have one's for Blue Star Ferries and Strintzis, on the car.

When we travelled with Minoan from Pireaus to Crete, they didn't stick one on the car. I have asked at one or two places, and the Minoan office, but they all said you had to get them off the boat.

So, while we were waiting this afternoon, the Minoan Lines ferry, Festos palace was in, and I took a walk along the quayside and up onto the ship's ramp - you'd never get that near any ship in the UK - and spoke to the Deck Officer, who gave me a funny look when I told him what I wanted, but he popped off and came back with about six for me. I thanked him profusely and went back to the car to stick one on. We now have three and I must make sure that we get one from Anek Lines, before we leave in the morning.

I packed our bag for overnight on the ship and rejoined Pat. We went back to the car, just before six and went through onto the ferry.

We went up into the accommodation to reception, who found our booking and we where taken by a steward and shown our cabin.

Very similar to any other ship's cabin, but we have an outside view, which is great. A few bits and pieces complimentary in the cabin, like fruit. So far we are suitably impressed.

I invited Pat to have a drink in the bar, and a wander. So we headed off and orientated ourselves a little. Then found a suitable bar, ordered a Gin & Tonic and a coke light.

The public spaces are all very nice and look well maintained.

We did a little more wandering, looking at the shops and purchased some internet time. The Dining Room looks nice and looking at the menu, the costs don't seem too bad, so we may have a meal in there later.

The Hotspot seems to work in the cabin, which is even better news.

Our plans at the moment, will be to arrive in Piraeus tomorrow morning, then we have information that there should be a ferry from Pireaus at 1530 for Kos, arriving the next day.

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