Day 27 and 28 - 29th and 30th June 2013 Kastelli Crete

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Saturday

Today we have decided to make the 3.5 hour drive to Kastelli near Heraklion so that we are near the airport for the flight home. The drive over the mountains from Paleochora to Chania is spectacular (TIM LIKES THE WORD SPECTACULAR.) and we add time to the journey by stopping frequently for photographs. Traffic on this road is very light and so on one of these stops I decide to answer a call of nature at the side of the road. I suppose it was inevitable, but at that moment a coach followed by several assorted cars and trucks came around the corner. Cue much honking of horns. It was such a good opportunity that Carol also took a photo despite us having an unwritten rule on this. I have, I'm afraid, vetoed it from the blog. (I THINK THE COACH PASSENGERS FOUND THE PHOTO TAKING MORE AMUSING THAT TIM ACTUALLY BEING CAUGHT OUT.)

The journey along the national highway from Chania is spectacular(SPECTACULAR AGAIN.) but long. At one stage we see a car in front weaving across the road, nearly hitting overtaking cars and traffic coming the other way. I decide to stay behind and we can see that it is a young woman talking on her phone in such an animated way that often she is driving with no hands on the wheel. This carried on for a few miles until she suddenly and without warning swerved off down a side road. We were glad to see the back of her.

Kastelli is a mountain town about 25 miles from Heraklion. It is not really touched by tourism other than the Hotel Kalliopi. This is, as far as we can see the only hotel in town. The hotel has a nice pool and we are shown to rooms in a block away from the pool with good views over the mountains towards the coast. (NO AIR CONDITIONING THOUGH. WE POINT THIS OUT AND THE GUY JUST SAYS IT IS NOT NECESSARY AS UP IN THE MOUNTAINS IT GETS VERY COLD AT NIGHT AND THERE WERE BLANKETS IN THE CUPBOARD SHOULD WE NEED THEM. REALLY WE THINK. WE CHECK OUT THE BALCONY AND FIND WE HAVE A NEXT DOOR BUT ONE NEIGHBOUR. THE BIGGEST SOPPIEST FACED DOG I HAD EVER MET WHO JUST LOOKS AT US QUIZZICALLY FROM HIS BALCONY IN A VERY SOPPY WAY.)

We are pretty much the only guests but the pool and little snack bar is busy as locals make use of what must be the only swimming pool for miles. Parents also bring smaller children to teach them to swim. We later find by talking to staff that this is a major revenue stream for them. It is all a bit noisy but very good natured.

That evening we walk out looking for somewhere to eat. After a couple of laps of the town we discover everywhere is closed. This is a bit of an issue as I have had a couple of beers by now and so the car is out. We go for one last look at a taverna that looked closed on the first visit and thankfully it was open. About 30 tables and just us as customers. We had a nice meal where we also provided the entertainment for the owners two young daughters. Thanks goodness they were open or I think Carol would have resorted to cannibalism. (TIM RECKONED HE WAS NOT HUNGRY AND WOULD NOT HAVE MINDED MISSING OUT ON A MEAL. THOSE THAT KNOW TIM WILL KNOW THAT HE WAS TALKING RUBBISH. I THINK HE WOULD HAVE BEEN A BIT GRISTLY.)

(WHEN WE RETURN TO OUR ROOM WE SIT OUT ON THE BALCONY WHICH IS ONE FLOOR UP AND WE ARE JOINED BY THE SOPPY DOG WHO JUMPS OVER TWO BALCONIES TO GET TO US.)

We sleep quite well until 3am when the numerous nearby cockerels started crowing. This in turn set off all the local dogs. I have never heard such a variety of barking and howling. Never mind, it wont last long, surely? Just the rest of the night.

Sunday

The last day of our holiday prior to flying home tomorrow.

I go off on my normal breakfast errand. I walk right around the town 4 times. Nowhere is open. It is not a completely wasted walk though as I give directions to 4 different cars looking for a nearby village where there must be some sort of function. I had seen a sign they couldn't see from the junctions so it made me feel like a local. (SAD BOY)

I did think of not going back to tell Carol that I had failed to find breakfast. I could live rough on the beach for a few weeks until things calmed down. In the end I was brave and we decide to get something later. (WE LOVE ONE ANOTHER REALLY, I TELL HIM HE DOES.)

We set off to visit Knossos, which you may remember Carol has renamed Colossus. This is an important Minoan era palace excavated in the early 1900's by Arthur Evans. Pretty much all that was left was foundation, roads and a couple of staircases so Evans, with I'm sure the permission of the Greek authorities rebuilt some of it using concrete. To be fair if he had not done this there would not be much to look at above ground. It is a very interesting site but does not have the monumental remains of the sites in and around Athens. (MOST OF THE GOOD BITS FOUND ARE NOW IN A MUSEUM IN HERAKLION AND ATHENS.) Well worth a visit though. It is worth going early. When we got there about 9.30am we walked straight up to the desk and paid. When we left at about 11am the queue to pay was about 50 yards long.

We had lunch nearby in a little snack bar where the owner was making a passable attempt at looking like Jesus. He was a real charmer and spoke to everyone that passed. "Knossos is 50 yards on the left and then have lovely food and juices here afterwards." Many did.

Then it was back to the hotel for an afternoon by the pool and packing. Late afternoon we went for a longer walk around the town. (IT GOT CLOUDY AND THE SUN WENT IN.) It is a mistake to think that the main road is all there is to Kastelli. We walked up the hill and found churches and pretty squares. There is clearly some rural poverty here too and some of the properties could be called ripe for renovation.

For an evening meal we went to a nearby taverna where we had heard the owners having what sounded like a domestic dispute earlier. We thought it should be fun. We had one of the nicest meals of the trip and it was 10 Euros cheaper than many.

We arrived back at our room to watch the sun set over Crete and on our holiday. The light was amazing and the mountain ridges were outlined as if in a pastel drawing. We watched the stars come out (SOME WERE AEROPLANES) and listened to the dogs start howling. Carol, in a case of, "if you can't beat them join them," howled along too.

Tomorrow it is the end of our odyssey. Just the epilogue to go. If you are still reading after a month I think you probably need a holiday. (WE HAVE HAD A THOROUGHLY ENJOYABLE MONTH IN GREECE. WE HAVE PACKED SO MUCH INTO OUR TIME HERE WE THINK I NEED ANOTHER HOLIDAY.)

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Comments

[Ruth]

Thank you!
Hi Carol and Tim (who I have only met the once but feel like a family member now) I have so enjoyed your blog, it has made the Greek Islands come alive and it was so amusing in arts - I even sent David the blog address so that he could read it too. It has made looking at someone else's photographs really interesting - Normally l'm not really that interested in in other peoples holiday photos but the dialogue along with the piccies makes it all very interesting. thank you again Ruth It has been the topic of conversation at many a golfing Saturday. I look forward to your next holiday