Life among the Cretans

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Today I saw what life was like for the ancient Minoans, never mind the Cretans. I went to the Palace of Knossos today. There is a public bus that runs from the main station to Knossos about 5km out of town. Definitely for the tourists because it's the only bus that uses Latin characters to say which bus it is, all other use Greeks characters. Knossos is a tight community of only a few acres. Some parts have been completely restored and repainted. There were so many people there, and a whole community of shops and restaurants outside the complex living off the avails of tourism.

I walked around the place for about an hour. It was well described, I didn't need a guide. Of course, I was approached at the entrance by self appointed guides who take tourists around the site and take their money. I could figure it out myself. The palace complex is really old at 1700 - 1500 BC. The Throne Room was partially reopened as well. A few restored frescoes and a few replica frescoes. These have elements of Egyptian wall carvings: feet and head is in profile, body is facing out and the one eye in the profiled head is facing out.

It's getting hotter everyday. I would say that only one in two people were wearing a hat, and I am the only one wearing cargo pants to keep the sun off my skin. I am alone, near the fringes of Europe and many days left in my trip. I don't need to get sick.

I am staying in the town of Iraklio on the island of Crete. My fast boat from Santorini yesterday was 1.5 hours late. We got to Crete as the sun was setting, and I had no where to stay. I found a place listed in Lonely Planet. No problem. I have a room to myself, but I have to share a bathroom down the hall. Iraklio has a population of >100 000 people and it's a confusing town of streets that seem to point in all directions, like all European cities I guess. But almost every street is being dug up. I will be here three nights, so another day in Iraklio tomorrow.

Now doing this trip on the fly has actually worked out better than pre-booking everything. We are at the whim of the ferries which can be late, postponed or cancelled depending on the weather. It can get windy and my first couple of days in Athens, there was a storm that blew through the area cancelling a lot of ferries. So far, no problems or real delays for me though. The hotel manager last night was saying that people often have to change their hotel bookings when ferries change their schedules, so travelling as I am without a definite schedule and nothing pre-booked is actually easier.

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Photos

Some reconstructed columns
The Knossos Palace