Zourva: Remote and Beautiful

---

I was getting used to a hot night followed by a hotter day. There was nothing for it but to head for the coolness of the mountains. I wasn't going right into the mountains, rather in to the foothills.

I arrived in Therisso where, in 1905, the final struggle for Cretan independence was born. driving up through the Therisso Gorge, it was easy to imagine how remote this place was and how secure. No wonder Venizelos was successful and no wonder he became revered by the Cretans in the same way that Churchill is revered by ourselves.

Passing Venizelos' statue (and the double-naved church), I followed the road uphill before turning downhill where a tree was growing in the middle of the road. Just beyond, I opened a gate and joined an old and overgrown goat track traversing the hillside.

Avoiding being garrotted by barbed wire at neck height, I lifted my feet to stop the worst of the scratches from the thorny bushes and made my way along the goat track, eventually reaching the summit, back on the road, with amazing views over Lakki and the sea.

After stopping for water, I headed down the road before turning off the hot and sticky asphalt and on to a winding tracking leading to some goat sheds. There, an obscure path led me out on to the hillside and I once again began traversing, through trees and springs before finally climbing up back to the road. At last, Zourva was in sight and, a short time later, I was greeted by my friend Nicos and given a wonderfully cold bottle of Mythos. Inviting me to sit down under the shade of a Mulberry tree, we dined on omelette, home made sausages and cheese, as well as salad, pork and potatoes. With the view over towards the sea, the setting and meal was spectacular.

Nothing could better the lunch, not even the trip down the mountain side, which, if I'm honest, was rather dull. In springtime, however, the path is lined with orchids with the snow capped mountains providing a backdrop. Now though, the brown parched land offered no source of visual excitement until the church in Meskla came into view. I've seen this a number of times and it's always a pleasure to see the church surrounded by a sea of green trees.

My hopes for a drink in the local taverna were sadly dashed by the early arrival of my transport but, being a positive sort of chap, I would get back into Chania earlier and be able to spend some time in the Old Town.

---

Comments

[JessEr]

Zourva village
I've been to Zourva this January and I liked it very much.We had lunch at a local tavern there and every food was fantastic!!I don't think I've ever tasted more delicious meat. I would like to go again some time if given the chance. We stayed at a really nice villa which I found at http://www.villasforholidays.com.