Crete 2017 Again (& again) Blog 3

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Reminder: the panoramic photos at the start of the blog change every 7/10 seconds and give a larger and clearer image than when viewed with the other photos. Also, there are more photos below the text if you want to skip the diary details; and if you double click on any of the photos you will get an enlarged, clearer, image. You can return to the text anytime.



Friday 15th September: the big move from Kissamos to Plakias. After a final leisurely breakfast at the Aphrodite (leading candidate for our favourite hotel ever) we loaded the car and checked out with a fond farewell to the owners and a promise to return next year; hopefully in the Spring. We left Kissamos at 11.15 am heading east along the the E65 north coast highway, past Chania and turning inland at Vrises, a small market town seemingly unaffected and unchanged by the tourist industry. Once through Vrises the road climbed into the White Mountains that separate the north and south coasts of the island. Fortunately the road was really good, well made and well maintained and the driving was pleasant. Just past the high point, at over 2,000 feet, the road led down into a bowl in the mountains called the Askifou Plateau which looks very fertile and well cultivated. Halfway down we stopped for a break at the aptly named Panorama Cafe whose veranda had an unobstructed view over the entire plateau. Resuming our drive the road continued along the flank of the plateau before heading out at the southern end; through the hamlet of Imbros which is the start of the Imbros Gorge. The Gorge is only 8km / 5 miles long and descends nearly 2,000 feet. We walked it in 2016 and enjoyed the hike: much better going down rather than up, as some walkers were doing (and looking quite miserable). The road continued at high altitude along the crest of the gorge until it came to the southern edge of the mountains from where it drops almost to sea level in just a couple of miles, via lots of hairpin bends. After this descent we headed east along the unusually wide coastal plain to Frangokastello which has a picturesque castle on the beach and apparently some of the best beaches on the island. After we quick look around the castle from where we spotted a likely looking place for lunch, on the beach next to the tiny harbour, we drove over to the harbour and enjoyed a very pleasant lunch with a great view along the coast. Afterwards we headed off east for the final 17 miles to Plakias. The first part of the journey was fast and easy, driving along the coastal plain but this ended as the road climbed in the foothills and became increasingly winding. Whenever we came to a village the road narrowed between the houses often becoming just wide enough for a single vehicle; further complicated by some acute hairpin bends as most of the villages were built in narrow valleys on several levels. After one final, very slow, winding descent we got back to sea level at the western end of Plakias Bay and from there it was just a short drive to our hotel at the western end of the bay. We were booked into the Plakias Resorts Hotel which consisted of large family apartments on 2/3 levels built around a very large central courtyard with 2 large swimming pools: our's had two bedrooms, large living/dining area, a large balcony overlooking the central courtyard area and a roof terrace. All this and just across the road from the wide sandy beach: good call. Also, there was a good restaurant virtually next door that we knew of from a previous visit to Plakias: and which served us a very nice dinner later on.

Saturday 16th September. A relatively early start with a slow stroll (on account of the high temperature) along the promenade behind the beach to the main town where we had breakfast at a cafe next to the harbour. By the time we finished the temperature had gone up further so we walked even slower heading back to the hotel via a supermarket to buy a few items for lunch. Jane then headed for the beach while I went for a drive up a hill behind the town to check out the view (super panoramas over Plakias), then to try to find a route to a church on top of a nearby mountain - didn't find it. After I got back I joined Jane on the beach and had a swim.Later on we went back to the nearby restaurant for another good dinner.

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Photos

Into the White Mountains
on the road from the north coast up into the White Mountains before descending to the south coast

Askifou Plateau
In the heart of the White Mountains. The road on the left heads to the north coast while the road to the south coast exits the plateau opposite

The Panorama Taverna Askifou
The aptly named taverna overlooking the Askifou Plateau in the middle of the White Mountains

Imbros Gorge viewpoint
More than 1,000 feet down to the bottom of the gorge at this point

Descent to the south coast
Looking east towards Frangokastello on the coastal plain, in the middle distance on tip of the promontory

Frangokastello
Fort and view east

Plakias Bay
From the road from Frangokastello

East of Plakias
Dumnoni Beach in centre background and the western end of Plakias Bay on the right

Pakias Bay
Plakias Resorts Hotel is the group of buildings just behind the beach at the west (left) end of the beach. Town and Harbour at the eastern (right) end of the beach.

Plakias Resorts Hotel
Verandah with a view

Plakias Resorts Hotel
if the beach across the road gets to be too much then there's always this