Crete

Day 1: Santorini (also Thira, or Θήρα) to Heraklion (Ἡράκλειον)

We had breakfast, then a last walk on the beach. Now we’re sitting by the pool chilling until it’s time to leave. Or we get bored. We had a sandwich and beer. And watched sparrows drink and bathe in pool water. Took a selfie of our feet! (It won’t be the last one.)

On the ride back to the port, our host told us the switchback road has grades of 20%. Stelios has been traveling that road for 22 years, first on foot, then on donkey, to go fishing with his father. Now he drives it 2-8 times per day. They shut down the hotel in October and go on vacation. Last year they went to Spain. This year maybe Turkey? (We always wonder where people who live in paradise go on vacation.)

The ferry was more like an airplane, with assigned seats inside. We got a photo of the sunset out the window as we left. We arrived in Heraklion and found the hotel no problem. (It’s easier to get there when you can see it from the port.) We had dinner at the rooftop restaurant. It was probably good; I couldn’t taste it. (Sinus issues.) Steve liked his. We bought beer at a kiosk and drank it on the balcony. Nice view both day and night.

Day 2: Heraklion to Chania (Χανιά), and Knossos

We started our day at the Minoan ruins of Knossos, after an amazing breakfast. 

We got a 1:30 bus to Chania. A nice woman worked the ticket machine for us. It was a fairly scenic drive; too bad there were teenagers behind us. ‘Nuff said. We got in about 4:00 PM. No difficulty finding our hotel.

We walked out to the Venetian lighthouse, around the waterfront — where we saw the most obnoxious touts yet — and by the tavernas on the other side: Strata, Portes, and Ela.

We ended up eating at Ela. There were weird guys playing good music and a Japanese guy selling tourist trash inside the taverna. There were also kids playing accordion in random places.

We bought beer on the way home, then crashed without drinking it.

Day 3: Exploring Chania

We had an English breakfast, then walked over to the town beach (Neo Hora) and back, to stretch our legs and check it out. Then we wandered the town and booked our Samaria Gorge tour. There are lots of tour operators and tourist agencies and the tours are much the same. We went with one nearby that our host recommended.

We went shopping for beverages and snacks for hiking. Then back to the hotel for a couple of beers, then to the ATM, out for gelato, and back for more beer on the balcony.

We had dinner at To Steki, where we had very personable (and humorous) service.

Day 4: Hiking the Samarian Gorge

We were up early (5:30 AM) to hike the Samarian Gorge, one of THE highlights of our trip.

Once back in town we had to run all over shopping for beer. We had one, then went across the street to Tholos to eat. Online photos of this restaurant inspired me to choose Chania. I never dreamed it would end up being right across the street from our hotel.

Day 5: Neo Hora Beach

After our early start yesterday we slept in, then went to Neo Hora beach. It’s probably the nicest beach for sand quality and lack of rocks that we’ve seen. Definitely the most underrated beach on the trip. Restaurants across the road rent out the umbrellas and chairs. We sat at Akrogiali, where we also had lunch.

There was a group of Norwegian women sitting in front of us who changed their swimsuits many times. We had no idea why. There were giggly Irish(?) boys behind us. And a nearby single mom trying to corral a toddler and a baby.

We went back to the hotel and chilled until about 8 PM. Then we shopped for trinkets and had retsina followed by another dinner at To Steki. Then back to our balcony to finish our beer, because tomorrow we leave. (Sob!)

Day 6: Chania to Athens (Αθήνα)

Church bells rang about 7 AM. Then again an hour later? We got up around 9 AM, had English breakfast at The Green Eye, then went back and packed. We had some time to kill so we did it at the archeological museum and the ship museum. The old archeological museum was in a beautiful old monastery. The museum has a new modern building; we might have to check it out on our next trip. The Museum of Ancient Shipbuilding holds a reproduction of a Minoan boat. They sailed the boat to the Athens Olympics.

We also stopped at a gallery in a mosque where we bought a calendar, wandered for a bit more, then picked up our bags and headed for the bus to the airport. Vranos kindly held our luggage for us and allowed us to print boarding passes.

It was very confusing getting on the plane. We took a bus to the plane. A really cranky old guy was our shadow. He hit Steve in the head with his cane (by accident, but it still hurt). We flew over Milos. Maybe one of our next islands? (Spoiler: Yes!)

Back in Athens we again stayed at the Cypria Hotel. We had souvlaki for dinner to bookend the trip. We got our bus tickets to the airport for tomorrow. And €4.25 left. Time to go home.