Day 23 to 25 - 25th to 27th June 2013 - Crete Part 1

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TUESDAY

I HAVE MANAGED TO WRESTLE THE COMPUTER OFF TIM SO I'M DOING THE BLOG TODAY. ITS A BIT OF A BITTY DAY TODAY AS WE HAVE TO BE OUT OF OUR ROOMS AND THE CAR RETURNED TO THE HIRE PLACE BY NOON AND OUR FERRY DOESN'T GO UNTIL 5.55PM SO A BIT OF TIME TO FILL. WE SPEND THE MORNING PACKING AND BEING LAZY AROUND THE POOL. I START MY FINAL BOOK BUT IT ISN'T AS GOOD AS THE REST. IT DOESN'T REALLY MATTER AS WE WON'T GET AS MUCH TIME FOR READING THESE LAST FEW DAYS BECAUSE THERE IS QUITE A BIT OF TRAVELLING TO DO AND WALKING.

THE HIRED CAR IS RETURNED WITHOUT A SCRATCH SO WELL DONE TIMOTHY! A bit of a miracle on Santorini I think.WE BLAG A LIFT UP TO FIRA WHICH IS A 20 MINUTE DRIVE AWAY AND THEN WE GO IN SEARCH OF A BUS TIME TABLE. WE ARE TOLD THAT THE BUS BACK TO THE PORT AT FERRY TIMES GETS EXTREMELY BUSY AND YOU MIGHT NOT GET ON. SO DON'T TAKE THE LAST BUS GET THE ONE BEFORE AND MAKE SURE YOU ARE AN HOUR EARLY FOR IT. OUR TWO CHOICES ARE 2.30PM OR 5PM. WE DON'T WANT TO LEAVE IT AS LATE AS 5PM AS YOU HAVE TO BE AT THE PORT HALF AN HOUR EARLY AND 2.30PM IS RATHER TOO EARLY SO WE FIND THE TAXI OFFICE AND THEY SAY THERE IS NO HOPE OF A TAXI AROUND 4 TO 5PM MORE OF A CHANCE AT 3PM. WE OPT FOR THE BUS RIDE AND GO WALK THE STREETS OF FIRA FOR A WHILE. WE WERE RIGHT TO HAVE EXPLORED FIRA EARLY YESTERDAY BECAUSE AT 1PM THE STREETS ARE HEAVING WITH PEOPLE. WE WANDER AROUND FIND SOME FOOD AND LOOK FOR SHADE. IT IS VERY HOT AND THE MARBLE PATHS REFLECT THE SUN INTO YOUR FACE. To show what trend setters we are, we found some shade sitting on a low wall beside a church. We were the only ones there. By the time we left there was a veritable party going on there.

THE BUS LEFT HALF AN HOUR EARLY AT 2PM AS IT WAS FULL SO IT WAS A GOOD JOB WE HAD ARRIVED EARLY AS SUGGESTED. THE RIDE DOWN TO THE PORT IS THE HAIRPIN BEND ROAD THAT TIM SPOKE ABOUT EARLIER. WE HAD FRONT SEATS AND AS WE WENT ROUND SOME OF THE BENDS THE FRONT OF THE BUS SEEMED TO HANG RIGHT OVER THE EDGE. I DID TRY TO TAKE A PHOTO BUT WITHOUT MUCH SUCCESS. TAKING A PHOTO WITH YOUR EYES SHUT IS A BIT DIFFICULT. THIS BENDY ROAD IS 2 MILES LONG. APPARENTLY IN THE HEIGHT OF SUMMER IT IS COMPLETELY JAMMED UP SO THE BUS STOPS AND MAKES ALL ITS PASSENGERS, LUGGAGE AND ALL WALK DOWN THE BENDY ROAD. THERE ARE NO PATHS AND NOT A LOT OF ROOM IT MUST BE HELL. BEWARE THOSE THAT THINK OF TRAVELLING TO SANTORINI IN THE HEIGHT OF THE SEASON. WALKING WOULD NOT BE A GOOD EXPERIENCE.

WE ARE IN PORT AT 2.30PM AND THE BOAT LEAVES AT 5.55PM SO WE WONDER HOW LONG WE CAN MAKE A GLASS OF LEMONADE LAST SO WE CAN SIT IN THE SHADE OF A TAVERNA. TWO LEMONADES LATER AND THE BLOG IS UP TO DATE AND IT IS TIME TO GO WAIT IN THE FERRY TERMINAL. IT MADE A CHANGE OF SCENERY. While we were here we discussed what we would do in Crete. I would like to visit the Minoan site of Knossos. Greece's map makers now have a problem as Carol has decided it is now called Colossus. This is a doubly difficult as this was a statue in Rhodes. So all the books will now have to make clear which Colossus they are talking about.

Our ferry the Hellenic Highspeed5 arrived and we are show to our 120 Euro (it still hurts) business class seats by a steward. So far so good. The only problem was we had the only seats in business class that didn't look out of a window. I therefore had to amuse myself by watching the stewards eject people trying to get out of the crowded economy area into our exalted presence. It may have cost a lot more than we wanted to pay for our passage to Crete but I think it was hell back there in economy

THE FERRY CROSSING WAS RATHER CHOPPY TIM SAYS THAT THE STEWARDS WERE HANDING OUT SICK BAGS (Carols eyes were closed) BUT WE WERE FINE. THERE WAS A LADY IN FRONT OF US WHO TIM THOUGHT WAS SNORING I WASN'T SO SURE SO AS DISCREETLY AS I USUALLY AM I HAVE A NOSE AND SHE IS BREATHING DEEP BREATHS, HAS HER FINGERS ON HER TEMPLE AND HER EYES SHUT THEN SHE PUTS HER HANDS OUT IN FRONT OF HER PALMS DOWN TRYING TO KEEP THEM LEVEL I THINK SHE IS TRYING TO STEADY THE BOAT.

WE ARRIVE AT HERAKLION, CRETE ABOUT 8.30PM AND IT IS STARTING TO GET DARK. OUR TRUSTY SAT NAV SAYS OUT OF THE PORT GATES AND TURN LEFT AND OUR HOTEL THE POSEIDON HOTEL IS 400 YARDS UP THE ROAD ON THE RIGHT. WHAT IT DIDN'T TELL US WAS THAT WE WERE THE WRONG SIDE OF A DUAL CARRIAGE WAY WITH LOADS OF TRAFFIC AND THERE WAS A MASSIVE CLIFF WITH THE HOTELS ON TOP AND A MASSIVE AMOUNT OF STEPS TO CLIMB. WE HAVE TO DO AN ALTERNATIVE ROUTE WHICH OF COURSE WAS MUCH LONGER. BY THE TIME WE ARRIVED AT THE HOTEL WE WERE A BIT HOT, SWEATY AND SHATTERED.

THE HOTEL IS NOT UP TO OUR HIGH STANDARDS. THE FURNITURE CAME OUT OF THE 1950S AND THE ROOMS HAVE A SMELL ABOUT THEM. IT WASN'T CHEAP BUT MOST OF THE ACCOMMODATION WAS BOOKED UP IN HERAKLION. It was OK for one night. Much better thn sleeping on the dockside.

WE GO STRAIGHT OUT INTO THE BUSY STREETS IN SEARCH OF WATER, FOOD, AND A RENTAL CAR. FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF HERAKLION. A HELL HOLE BUT IT IS DARK AND WE HAVE NOT FOUND THE OLD TOWN YET. The traffic is incredible. We had to wait several minutes to cross the road. WE ONLY WANT A SMALL HIRE CAR BUT THEY ARE APPARENTLY ALL HIRED OUT BUT THERE IS A SPORTS CAR AVAILABLE BUT THE ROOF IS BROKEN AND SO STUCK OPEN. IT WILL ONLY COST 42 EUROS A DAY! JUST IMAGINE TIMS FAIR SKIN AND NO AIR CON. WE DECIDE TO LEAVE CAR HIRE UNTIL TOMORROW. WE OPT FOR A TAKE AWAY MEAL BACK IN OUR ROOM RATHER THAN BREATH IN THE FUMES OF THE BUSY STREETS OF HERAKLION. Thank goodness for Grandma's Pizza takeaway.

WEDNESDAY

OUR PLAN IS TO GO DO THE SIGHT SEEING BIT OF HERAKLION, GET SOME BREAKFAST AND HIRE A CAR FOR LESS THAN 42 EURO WITH A ROOF AND GET WELL AWAY FROM HERAKLION.

LOGIC MADE US WALK ALONG THE PORT ROAD (THE DUAL CARRIAGEWAY) AND WE MUST COME TO THE OLD HARBOUR WITH A CASTRO AND THE OLD VENETIAN WALL AND OLD PART OF THE CITY. At least there was no significant hill for a change. IT WORKED, THERE WAS A ROUNDABOUT WITH A FOUNTAIN, SOME BIG ARCHES, A BIG WALL AND A NICE LITTLE GREEKIFIED HARBOUR WITH A CASTRO. FISHERMEN WERE ON THEIR BOATS SORTING THEIR NETS SO I TOOK A PHOTO. WE WALKED UP THE MAIN STREET WHICH WAS BUZZING WITH ACTIVITY AND BEGGARS. Heraklion during the day, particularly the old sector, it a much more welcoming place during the daytime and there is much less traffic.

WE ARE LOOKING FOR SOME BREAKFAST. IT CANNOT BE THAT HARD EVERYWHERE ELSE WE HAVE BEEN HAS TAVERNAS THAT DO BREAKFAST. FAILING MISERABLY WE OPT FOR CROISSANT AND COFFEE. YOU MIGHT SAY THAT IS BREAKFAST BUT WE WERE IN NEED OF OMELETTE OR EGGS AND BACON. We eventually notice the first place we walked past did such breakfasts.

WE DO A DEAL TO HIRE A MATIZ FOR 25 EURO A DAY AND WONDER WHAT SORT OF HEAP WE WILL BE GIVEN. HOPE IT DOES MOUNTAINS WITHOUT HAVING TO GET OUT AND PUSH. WE GET A RED ONE WITH A FEW BUMPS AND SCRAPES BUT GOOD TYRES. RESULT!

OUR PLAN IS TO TAKE THE NORTHERN COAST ROAD PAST RETHMYON AND CHANIA THEN CROSS THE MOUNTAINS TO THE SOUTH COAST AND VISIT PALEOCHORA WHICH IS WHERE WE STAYED WHEN WE LAST CAME TO CRETE IN 1996 WITH JAMES AND SAMMY WHEN THEY WERE YOUNG.WE KNEW THIS JOURNEY IS ABOUT 200K SO WE PLAN TO STAY 1 NIGHT IN THE MOUNTAINS IF WE CAN FIND A ROOM TO RENT

THANKS TO THE EU NEW ROADS HAVE BEEN BUILT AND PROGRESS IS MADE MUCH QUICKER THAN WE REMEMBER. THESE NEW ROADS HAVE LARGE SIGNS STATING THAT THE EU HAVE FUNDED THEIR CONSTRUCTION. EACH ONE OF THESE SIGNS ON CRETE THAT WE HAVE SEEN HAS HAD A LARGE HOLE THROUGH IT WE GUESS SOMEONE WITH A SHOT GUN HAD FIRED THROUGH IT AT CLOSE RANGE. THAT SHOWS HOW MUCH THE GREEKS LIKE THE EU.

WE PASS THROUGH SEVERAL MOUNTAIN VILLAGES BUT NO ROOMS TO LET SO PALEOCHORA IS OUR DESTINATION. AS WE DRIVE WE CAN SEE HOW MUCH OF THE MOUNTAINSIDE HAD TO BE CARVED AWAY TO MAKE ROOM FOR THE NEW ROAD AND WE WONDER HOW THEY SHIFTED ALL THE ROCKS AND SOIL. ROUND A SHARP BEND AND THERE IS A TRUCK ACROSS THE ROAD AND 3 GREEK WORKMEN, TWO TELLING US TO STOP AND THE OTHER WAIVING US THROUGH. WE STOP.THE LORRY IS FILLED WITH ROCKS AND BEHIND IT IS A LARGE LANDSLIDE COVERING HALF THE ROAD, HOWEVER WHEN WE LOOKED UP WE SAW A DIGGER HALF WAY UP THE MOUNTAINSIDE KNOCKING THE ROCKS DOWN ONTO THE ROAD. SO THAT'S HOW THEY DO IT. The motorcyclist travelling behind us had to eat our considerable dust plume. We didn't see him again.

WE ARRIVE AT PALEOCHORA AT 3.30PM THE CHALLENGE IS TO FIND A ROOM AND BE IN THE SEA BY 4PM. WE FIND THE OLD PLACE WE STAYED IN. OUR BALCONY THEN USED TO LOOK OUT ACROSS A PIECE OF WASTE GROUND TO A LAUNDERETTE RUN BY AN OLD MAN AND OLD LADY WHO EVERY LUNCH TIME USED TO HAVE A HUGE ROW. IT IS FUNNY WHAT YOU FIND ENTERTAINING WHEN YOU ARE ON HOLIDAY. THIS HAS GONE NOT AND ANOTHER APARTMENT BLOCK HAS TAKEN ITS PLACE WITH A POOL. APART FROM THAT PALEOCHORA DOES NOT SEEM TO HAVE CHANGED MUCH SINCE WE WERE LAST HERE.

After looking at a few places we opt for the Ostria Rooms next to the sandy beach. The room is above a bakery. Really, a man of my reputation? Not far to walk in the morning then.

BY 4PM WE ARE ON THE BEACH. IT IS VERY WINDY AND THERE ARE HUGE WAVES. THE WATERS EDGE IS STREWN WITH ROCKS AND IT WAS A BIT OF AN ISSUE GETTING IN. US BRITS HAVE SOFT FEET AS YOU KNOW. WITHIN ABOUT 30 SECONDS I PUT MY FOOT DOWN A ROCKY HOLE AND GET KNOCKED OVER BY A WAVE. FIRST THINGS FIRST CHECK MY BOOBS NO THEY HAVE NOT POPPED OUT OF MY COSSIE (just caused a tidal wave) THEN OUCH I'VE CUT THE SOLE OF MY FOOT. HOPE ITS NOT MUCH AS WE WANT TO WALK THE SAMARIA GORGE. TIM ALSO CUTS HIS TOE ON A ROCK BUT CANNOT STOP LAUGHING AT MY MISFORTUNE. WE DO LOVE ONE ANOTHER REALLY AS YOU CAN TELL.WE WALLOW IN THE SURF, TIM FANCIES HIMSELF AS A BIT OF A MERMAID. (A merman actually) A RATHER CHUBBY ONE I THINK (mermen always look like that, haven't you seen seals.) I DO WORRY ABOUT HIM SOMETIMES.

IN THE EVENING WE WANDER AROUND THE VILLAGE. IT IS MUCH AS WE REMEMBER WHICH IS GOOD. WE CHECK OUT THE TRAVEL AGENTS FOR TRIPS TO THE SAMARIA GORGE. IT IS ABOUT ONE AND A HALF HOUR DRIVE TO THE TOP OF THE GORGE THEN A 16K WALK TO THE BOTTOM ONTO A BEACH. THERE ARE NO ROADS UP FROM THE BEACH SO YOU THEN HAVE TO TAKE A 2 HOUR BOAT BACK TO PALEOCHORA. WE ARE TOLD NO TRIP UNTIL SATURDAY. THAT'S NO GOOD TO US AS WE WILL BE GONE ON SATURDAY. MAYBE WE CAN CONCOCT A DIY TRIP IE CATCH A BUS.

WE FIND A LOVELY TREE RIDDEN TAVERNA AND HAVE BONE OF LAMB (NOT WHAT IT WAS CALLED BUT WHAT IT WAS) WITH TINY BITS OF MEAT ON IT IN A TOMATO SAUCE. THE SAUCE AND CHIPS WERE NICE! I think spine of Lamb would have been a better description.

THURSDAY

WE PLAN A LAZY DAY TODAY IN PREPARATION FOR OUR EPIC DESCENT OF THE SAMARIA GORGE TOMORROW. US ATHLETES NEED REST. WE DIDN'T GET UP UNTIL ABOUT 9AM WHICH HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE VERY LATE NIGHT WE HAD LAST NIGHT.

WE WANDER AROUND PALEOCHORA I AM SEARCHING FOR A PARTICULAR HOUSE IN A PARTICULAR STREET WHICH HAD A BOAT OUTSIDE IT PLANTED UP WITH FLOWERS BUT WE CANNOT FIND IT. MAYBE IT WAS SOMEWHERE ELSE.WE RE HIT THE TRAVEL AGENTS TRYING TO PERSUADE THEM THAT THEY WOULD REALLY LIKE TO RUN A TRIP TOMORROW TO THE SAMARIA GORGE.WE ARE TOLD TO COME BACK AT 8PM TONIGHT MAYBE THERE WILL BE ONE OR MAYBE NOT.SO LAID BACK ARE THE GREEKS I LIKE TO BE ORGANIZED, MAYBE IT WILL HAPPEN, I HOPE SO. CHILL GIRL CHILL. I hope so too as the organised trip leaves at 8am and the local bus at 6.15am.

WE WALK UP TO THE CASTRO AND I PHOTO A PILE OF OLD STONES. TO BE FAIR YOU COULD MAKE OUT ROOMS AND WALLS.THERE IS A WONDERFUL VIEW OF THE WHOLE TOWN FROM HERE AND ITS TWO BAYS EITHER SIDE, AND THE MOUNTAINS BEHIND. On a hill obviously, but fortunately not a very big one this time.

THE AFTERNOON IS SPENT ON THE BEACH. IT IS TIM'S TURN TO FALL OVER WHILST TRYING TO GET INTO THE SEA. IT IS A TRIAL BUT QUITE AN AMUSING ONE. AS TIM FELL YOU FELT THE TREMORS ACROSS THE BEACH. LOCALS RAN FOR SHELTER.

TIM WAS CONVINCED HE SAW 3 VERY LARGE JELLY FISH BUT IT COULD HAVE BEEN THE WAY THE SEA WAS SWIRLING ABOVE ROCKS UNDER WATER. PLAYING IT SAFE WE DECIDED TO ALLOW SEVERAL OTHER SWIMMERS TO BE BETWEEN US AND THE SUSPECT JELLY FISH (average age 10) FIGURING THAT THEY COULD ACT AS THE EARLY WARNING SYSTEM SHOULD TIM'S SUSPICIONS BE CORRECT. NOTHING HAPPENED.

YOU PEOPLE WATCH WHEN YOU ARE ON THE BEACH. TIM NOTICED THAT ONE WOMAN CHANGED INTO HER BIKINI 3 TIMES DURING THE AFTERNOON. (Red then brown then white. Why?) TRUST HIM! THERE WAS ONE FAMILY THAT HAD PERFECTED THE ONE LEGGED BEACH DANCE TO PERFECTION. (They were much younger than us.)

THE EVENING AS USUAL WAS SPENT IN A TAVERNA. TIM HIT THE MOUSSAKA AND I HAD VEAL SOUVLAKI. WHEN WE PAID THE BILL WE WERE GIVEN SOME SOGGY CAKE WHICH WAS ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTING SO TIM HAD TWO BITS AND A SMALL CARAFE OF RAKI THAT'S ABOUT THREE GLASSES EACH. I THINK WE HAVE MENTIONED HOW AWFUL THIS STUFF IS SO WE SET OURSELVES THE CHALLENGE OF FINISHING IT. TIM WENT FOR THE VERY BIG GULPS ROUTINE. I WENT FOR THE ZILLION TINY SIPS. MY AGONY LASTED LONGER. WE TOOK PHOTOS OF THE FACES WE PULLED DRINKING IT UNFORTUNATELY I WAS LAUGHING TOO MUCH SO TIM'S WAS BLURRED. I took it like a man, albeit one pulling a slightly funny face.

11PM AN EARLY NIGHT TONIGHT AS IT IS THE SAMARIA GORGE TOMORROW A VERY EARLY START. There are no organised trips so it's the local bus at 6.15am.

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