Crete 2016 Blog 7 Paleochora

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Friday 17^thJune: feeling up to a longer drive we headed for Paleochora on the south coast which has a reputation for being quiet and laid back as it’s basically the end of the road. A great drive over the mountains separating the north and south coasts of the island on a very good quality road with very little traffic. We passed though three villages which had been “martyred” during WW2 by the Germans as reprisals for actions by the Cretan resistance fighters: sobering stuff. Paleochora was all that the guide book described and after a late lunch at a beachside café we spent a relaxed afternoon on the beach. After driving back to our hotel and getting changed we took a bus in Chania to collect a pair of specs that Jane had ordered from an optician there when we went to buy my internet SIM card. We waited 25 minutes for the bus to arrive (supposed to be every 15 minute) and got to the optician at 9pm; exactly one hour after leaving our hotel for the 5 mile trip into Chania. Anyway the extremely nice lady at the optician (who had given Jane a free eye test before ordering the new specs) had sent Jane a text saying that she would stay until we arrived. All went well and after collecting the specs we went into the old quarter of Chania and enjoyed a very nice meatball dinner (soutzoukaki) before returning, by bus (unairconditioned) to Agia Marina just before midnight.

Saturday 18^th June: a late start because we slept late. We didn’t leave the hotel until midday and decided to head back to Paleochora because: (1) it’s not too far, (2) it’s an easy, nice drive, (3) the weather forecast was for 30C plus temperatures (86F), so it would be good to have a café near the beach and shade on the beach. In the event it was over 30C when we started off and got steadily hotter. We stopped off at Kandanos, 10 miles from Paleochora, for a drink and to look at the memorial there; as Kandanos had been one of three martyred villages on the road from the north coast to south coast. In addition to the long list of villagers killed there was another memorial displaying facsimiles of the notices placed in the village by the Nazis to justify their actions.

When we arrived at the south coast near Paleochora the temperature readout in the car was showing 42C (108F), and when we got out of the car the wind felt like a hot hair-dryer. Not to be put off by this we parked by the Castello Café on the Sandy Beach and had a drink and a leisurely lunch. Afterwards we commandeered a couple of sun loungers on the beach and placed them in the shade under a convenient tree: one of several growing on the beach close to the sea. Jane went off for a swim while I read my book. When she returned she asked if I intended going for a swim to which I replied that I would be. Evidently not impressed by my assurance, presumably based on previous knowledge of my reluctance to swim in anything less than lukewarm water, she bet me £20 that I wouldn’t go in. Instantly, there was a puff of dust, the patter of feet running across sand, a splash and before you could say: “Money & Cardiganshire” in the same breath Jenks was in the water and heading out into the Libyan Sea (Official version:- in reality I took 10 seconds longer). The water was very pleasant, cool but not too cool, and a relief after the hot wind blowing along the beach; so I stayed in the briny for sometime. After emerging from the sea, and ensuring that my presence in said sea had been duly noted, we swapped roles so that Jane could go for another swim while I guarded the personal effects: probably an unnecessary precaution but a hard habit to break. We stayed on the beach until 6pm then had an another excellent fruit drink at the handy Castello beachside café and headed back to Agia Marina at 7pm to ensure that we had plenty of time to complete the one hour drive in daylight. In fact the drive back was particularly scenic and enjoyable as the early evening light cast shadows which gave greater depth to the dramatic mountain scenery than the bright midday sun. A good day.

Sunday 19th June: the traditional day of rest, so that's what we did. After touring around every day since we arrived we both felt that a quiet day at our hotel would be good. And so it was.

Reminder: there are more photos below and if you double click on any of them you will get an enlarged image and you can scroll all the photos in the photo gallery

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Photos

Agia Marina to Paleochora
Showing the three martyred villages of Kakopetros, Floriaa and Kandanos

E65/75 National Road
Running the length of the north coast of Crete, usually bordered with pink and white oleanders. Not sure if it's 2 lanes or 4 as the right hand lane is sometimes wide enough to accommodate a car and sometimes not. The practice is for slower vehicles to drive in this right lane when it's wide enough and to straddle the white line when it's not; but still allowing room for cars to overtake without crossing into the oncoming lane.

View from road to Paleochora
Endless olive plantations and spectacular views

Kakopetros on the road to Paleochora
The rebuilt village, maybe 15 houses, is in the big bend in the road at the right of the picture

So people won't forget
Kakopetros one of the three martyred villages on the road to Paleochora

En route to Paleochora
Shopping stop. The local lady spoke excellent English and was, like all other Cretans we've met, delightful

Memorial at Kandanos
To the very many villagers killed by the Nazis. The village was razed and all the present buildings were constructed after the war

Reminder at Kandanos
Facsimiles of the notices put up by the Nazis to justify their executions of the villagers and to warn of further reprisals.

Paleochora looking south to the Libyan Sea
Sandy Beach to the right

Paleochora Sandy (west) Beach
The official name is Sandy Beach - no chance of confusion there

Paleochora Sandy Beach
view from the Castello Cafe

The Little Mermaid it ain't
Jenks on the rocks at Paleochora