The Meat in Crete

Crete is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the fifth-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, and one of the thirteen administrative regions of Greece. It was the centre of the Minoan civilization (c. 2700–1420 BC), the earliest civilization in Europe, comprising the first palaces in Europe. Two notable artists were born on Crete, El Greco the Renaissance artist, born in Fodele and Nana Mouskouri, an internationally-known singer, born in Chania.

Friday 15th June -   The Palace of Knossos

After a quick visit to the Venetian Fort which has a prime position at the harbour entrance we took a stroll through the mall. The fort by the way was closed for renovations. We made our way slowly uphill, me sitting on shady park benches and Alice fossicking through numerous small shops. I did help her with a couple of needy purchases such as a wine bottle opener and a beach towel. At the end of the strip there was a quiet restaurant which offered good people watching opportunities as well as reasonable food. Directly opposite us there was a fruit cart with Con the Fruiter yelling out his specials. “Cherries, one kilo for three euro” This of course was all said in Greek with a cigarette hanging out of the side of his mouth. He was good as business was brisk.

Back onto public transport as we took the number 2 bus out to Knossos to have a look at the ruins of the Minoan civilization.  The palace was excavated and partially restored under the direction of Arthur Evans in the earliest years of the 20th century. Its size far exceeded his original expectations, as did the discovery of two ancient scripts, which he termed Linear A and Linear B, to distinguish their writing from the pictographs also present. From the layering of the palace Evans developed de novo an archaeological concept of the civilization that used it, which he called Minoan, following the pre-existing custom of labelling all objects from the location Minoan. It is an interesting history as we found out from the guide we hired with six others to show us over the site.

He was very passionate and kept us at each location far longer than what was required or allowed. At one stage another guide gave him a serve for being too long in a particular area. We were still there at closing time and I think we probably saw only 60 percent of the site. At the end we sat down for another 30 minutes while he gave us a dissertation on what we had missed. An interesting afternoon for us as I think we were the last tourists to leave as we were the only two on the number two bus.

Saturday 16th June – On the Road Again

Our car is due to be delivered at 10:00 this morning so that we can begin our road trip. Our plan is to head to the other side of the island and find a nice place to stay for a couple of days. We will also use it as a base to do some further exploring as well as having a few swims on protected beaches. This morning the wind has really picked up and is blowing quite hard directly off the sea. Hopefully, we will have the opposite effect on the other side of the island.
 
A minor hiccup on our way out of town as we are not sure if the road we are on is the correct one. It took a while but we finally figured out that the spelling for most towns on our map did not match the road signs.

When we reached the small town of Mires I missed the turn and ended up in the middle of the Saturday market. It could have been disastrous amongst the roosters and vegetables. At the beach town of Matala we stopped for some spinach pie and coffee. The wind is still howling but there are some areas here that are protected. The main pedestrian boulevard is covered in colourful drawings which adds a vibrancy to the area.

Continuing on our journey the roads which were in good condition became more narrow and windy as we negotiated the mountainous terrain. The landscape away from the sea was mostly barren but occasionally dotted with olive groves. We made a couple of detours into the beach areas of Kalamaki and Agia Galini. Both of these areas are small but have a few nice hotels and tavernas which would make them an interesting place to stay for a night or two. The next stop we made was to admire the view of the Kourtaliotiko Canyon. As soon as we opened the car doors the wind nearly picked Alice up and deposited her in the canyon. I thought we were headed to Oz to meet the Wizard.

Our final destination for the day was the beach village of Plakias. We had booked some accommodation the night before on the faithful booking.com at a place called Creta Mare. The cost for two nights including breakfast was 64 euro, so I had low expectations. Alice had told me that the room was a little pokey but it would do. Liar, Liar – the room was huge, with a refrigerator (for storing beer and wine) and a huge balcony overlooking the sea. It really is a great view.

The wind is blowing as hard as it did in Iceland but the big difference is that it is warm. It is picking up sheets of water off the sea which makes it look misty and almost like rain. Directly opposite the hotel there is a set of stairs leading down to a small protected beach. Alice managed her first Mediterranean swim in the refreshing but not too cold water.

Fairly happy to have chosen this location and we are looking forward to a seafood dinner at one of the local tavernas. Dinner at a tavern called Muse was exceptional. Alice and I settled for a Greek banquet which started with a meze platter and then a selection of roasted lamb, pork and chicken. There was so much meat that I thought they had slaughtered three animals just to feed us. The banquet also came with a half-litre of wine, orange slice for desert and a glass of raki. Another half-litre of wine followed and with a tip our bill came to 25 euro.

Sunday 17th June – Mountain Driving

After a late breakfast we hit the road in search of mountain villages and wind free beaches. The mountain villages were easily found as their white washed facades stood out against the stark grey of the mountains and the contrasting blue sky. On a couple of occasions I had to reverse back or hug the side of a precipitous drop. The local Cretan population just park anywhere in a village and as a result the width of the road is constantly down to one lane.

We stopped for a light lunch at a tavern overlooking the water at a beach named Frangokastello. The wind had abated in this area and the crystal clear water looked inviting. Alice and I did a quick strip next to the car and tip toed our way across the hot sand. It was a joy to cool off and then lay on the warm sand by the water’s edge. Right by the beach there is an old Venetian fort which is still in good condition. There are only a few hotels and tavernas in this area but nevertheless a good place to spend a couple of days relaxing.

All through the drive we have magnificent views of the coastline on the good but winding road. Our last stop before returning to Plakias was Hora Sfakion. This small village right on the water has an even smaller stony beach situated below the tavernas. There is no wind and the elderly holiday makers were making the most of the free sunbeds and the calm, protected water. There are a few holiday hotels with most having a view of the water from their balconies. It is also possible from here to take ferry trips to a number of beaches that are not easily accessible by road. The drive back seemed to be easier but that might have been due to us knowing what was on the road ahead.

Monday 18th June – Elafonisi, The End of the Road

Goodbye to Plakias and the Creta Mera hotel where we had such an enjoyable stay. Driving with confidence it was not long before we were back on the northern side of the island. At Rethimnon we joined the main costal highway and headed west in search of beaches without wind.

Georgioupoli has a long sandy beach and from the car it appeared that the wind had dropped. We decided that our last two nights may be spent in this area. The road is quite good and soon passed the major towns of Souda and Chania. The town of Kissamos looked like it may be sheltered from the wind and offer up some decent beaches. I soon christened the town “Kiss My Ar..” as the beach was suffering from erosion and the wind still blowing. Next we tried Falasarna and looking down from the mountain the sandy beaches looked inviting. We soon knew that we would not be stopping here as the wind was still gusting strongly. A late lunch with a terrific view and we were on our way again.

The next sixty kilometres involved lots of hairpin turns as we navigated our way back to the south of the island. The roads were narrow and on steep slopes with precipitous drops which meant that a lot of the time was spent in second gear. Alice clutched at her heart on more than one occasion.


The villagers are the worst as there is often only room for one car which means someone has to pull off or reverse out of harm’s way. We have been lucky and have only met buses on the open road.

Sfinari was a place that we liked as the place was semi isolated with only a few tourists. The beach was stony and exposed to the wind. Camping was available but the beachside tavernas did not have rooms to let. We literally came to the end of the road at Elafonisi. The bitumen ran out and after 400 metres of dirt we came to what many call the best beach in Crete.

Judging by the number of cars in the parking area it is not a secret. My description will not do it justice but it is a beautiful stretch of sand with crystal clear water that is no more than waist deep. There is a small sandy island separated from the mainland by a beautiful lagoon. You can simply reach the island by walking along a sandbar and through the shallow water for a short distance. The other bonus was that there was no wind.

We were going to continue driving to Paleochora but as I was getting tired we decided to see if any rooms were available at the two local tavernas. The best looking one which is situated in an olive orchard overlooking the mountains and the sea was our first choice so we tried our luck. There were a couple of rooms available and we took one for 35 euro which came with a huge balcony and the requisite refrigerator. Check out the website for www.elafonisi-resort.com 

The view was exceptional and from where I sat the water looked enticing. It was 6:00 pm so I decided to take a plunge. There were still quite a few people at the beach and I soon joined them in warm salty brine.

A couple of beers were consumed on the balcony before we headed to the restaurant for dinner. We nearly had the complete red sunset but at the last moment it was obscured by a sand hill.

Tuesday 19th June – Another Day in Elafonisi

After feasting on stale bread with vegemite, Guld Korn (from Denmark) and coffee we decided that we would spend another day and night at Elafonisi. Our decision has been based on the fact that the wind although stronger today would not be a problem. After securing the room with the landlord we hit the beach at around 9:15.

There was a plethora of sunbeds to choose from as we were among the first to arrive. The water was inviting and Alice, yes Alice, was the first to hit the water. I had my swimming goggles so I was able to see the abundant marine life. There were a few small sea bream and even smaller parrot fish darting over the rocky outcrops.

At around lunch the wind picked up which made sunbathing a little unpleasant. I went for a long walk to the outer part of the island and saw the odd nudist who would have looked better with a few clothes on. The sand hills provided a bit of shelter from the wind and as a result the sea was calmer. Plenty of good spots here for swimming and relaxing.

At 2:30 Alice and I were ready to call it a day. The wind was a little stronger and was whipping up the fine sand and depositing it on the sunbeds. Our balcony and a cold beer seemed like a better destination and a relaxing way to spend the afternoon. An early dinner tonight as we want to be on the road before 9:00 tomorrow.

Wednesday 20th June – Happy Birthday Jemma

Today is Jemma’s 21st birthday and I do not want to miss calling her. My problem is that I still have not embraced the mobile telephone as a communication tool and that here in Elafonisi there is no Wi-Fi access. This means I cannot use the Skype to call. Our solution is to hit the road early and find some accommodation with Wi-Fi in the town of Paleochora. I figure that I have until 11:00 am to accomplish my goal as it will be 6:00pm in Brisbane and Jemma should be home from work.

After a 90 minute drive over the mountain range we reached the beachside town of Paleochora. We drove around looking at the different hotel options and finally chose the Castella Hotel for 35 euros. The hotel is up on the hill across the road from the beach and has magnificent views of the water. Our room was not ready but they said we could use the Wi-Fi.

We ordered two cups of coffee and the best omelette that either of us have had for some time. Imagine our disappointment when the computer could not connect to the Wi-Fi. The owner was sympathetic and had his brother take us down the hill to their other hotel the Sandy Beach. Success! The connection was made and we were soon singing Happy Birthday to Jemma.

We finally checked into our room with a view and realised that we had made a huge mistake. The wind which seems to be getting stronger is on a direct flight path to our room. The windows are rattling and with every gust the door protests by vibrating furiously on its hinges. My hair will need washing as after a short walk it was full of fine particles of sand. It is lucky for us that we can only stay one night and we still have a view if we are game enough to brave the wind.

I refuse to be intimidated by the force of nature and stay holed up in my comfortable room safe from the elements. The beach village of Sougia is about 35km distance so a drive through the mountains should pass a few hours and keep the adrenalin flowing. Alice has decided to read her book as it is more appealing than another series of tight twisting roads.

As you drive into Sougia the last five kilometres is through a limestone canyon that is dotted with pine trees. There is a nice long beach which at the moment looks good for swimming despite the wind. There are only a few hotels, tavernas and shops which helps to keep the hordes away. On the return drive to Paleochora I took an alternative route through the small villages of Maz, Prodromi and Anidri. The roads were narrow with many switchbacks. The last few kilometres were in a narrow canyon before following the beach back to our hotel.

Dinner tonight was spent cowering from the wind as we took in the sunset from the Castella Restaurant that sits high on a bluff overlooking the sea. Alice and I look comical as every time there is a burst of wind we are covering our food and drinks with our hands and hunched bodies. This for the most part is to stop the fine particles of sand from settling on our food and drink. Others were not as lucky as the wind just blew their drinks right off the table. We ended up finishing our meal in the hotel but only after removing the sand from the tables and chairs.

Thursday 21st June – Georgioupoli

I woke up at around 2:00am with stomach cramps and not long after I was calling for my relations Arthur and Herbie. After that episode I could not get back to sleep due to the hammering of the wind on the doors and windows. Alice managed to sleep through it. With the coming of the morning I actually felt worse. I still needed to throw up and my limbs were aching. Poor, poor pitiful me! While Alice managed a nice full breakfast I dined out on her scraps and some juice.

After resting for a while we loaded up the car for the two hour drive to Georgioupoli where we have booked a four star resort. The drive up was a nightmare for me as I had the shakes and needed to pull over on a couple of occasions to be sick. I don’t know how Alice could bear listening to me moaning for the entire drive. Men are definitely poor patients.

Georgioupoli on the northern side of Crete has a long sandy beach that stretches for quite a few kilometres. We chose to stay here as when we passed through a few days ago there was hardly any wind. The good news was that the wind is still not blowing here. The bad news was that we could not find the hotel. After searching the entire strip we could not locate it. While I continued to moan Alice checked at a service station who was able to point us in the right direction. It turned out we were looking on the wrong side of the highway.

After checking in I retired to the bedroom while Alice took advantage of her new surrounds. This is not the sort of place we would normally stay at as it is designed for the package tourist. For an extra 15 euro per person we are able to have lunch, dinner, drinks and as much beer and wine as our hearts desire. Our room has a balcony that is bigger than the room. The table and two chairs look like they need company. From the balcony we overlook some farmland with the mountains as a backdrop and the ocean at the front. The resort has a large pool with water slides that the kid in me wants to try when I’m feeling better.

At around 6:00pm I emerged from the room and found Alice at the pool bar sipping a glass of wine after her swim. It was time for dinner and as I was still not eating I left it to Alice to elbow her way through the starving vacationers.

There is something about a buffet that brings out the worst in people. It was hard not to laugh as you watch so many of them piling all that food onto one small plate and then begin shoveling it into their mouths at a machine gun rate as if the food was going to run out. After that entertainment we headed off across the highway and took a short moonlight stroll on the beach. When we returned to the hotel there was a traditional performance of Cretan singing and dancing for the entertainment of the hotel guests. After listening to a couple of songs it was off to bed for more rest and hopefully a better tomorrow.

Friday 22nd June – Still No Wind

Up bright and early and apart from a couple of stomach cramps I feel pretty good. Out on the balcony there is plenty of shade from the Cretan sun and the wind is only a gentle zephyr. I managed to eat a light breakfast which has elected not to implode on me.

A short walk to the beach where you get a free sunbed if you purchase a drink. The wind has picked up but the beach conditions are acceptable. There are plenty of pedlars hawking everything from watches, handbags to fresh pastries and massages. I succumbed to the pleasure of a 30 minute massage administered by the strong hands of a man from Turkey. The water was a little choppy but very warm.

After a buffet lunch it was time for a nanna nap prior to an afternoon session in the pool. Before hitting the pool we took a short drive up to Kourna Lake. This is the only natural freshwater lake on Crete. The water is a deep blue and crystal clear. There were a few paddle boats out on the water which are rented out by the tavernas along the waterfront.

Back at the pool Alice was in luck as there was a water aerobics activity. She dived straight in and was soon gyrating to some of her favourite Zumba tunes. I was content with doing a few short laps of freestyle. Another buffet dinner and we were content to roll into bed for an early night.