Crete
From Eastern Europe & Greece - 2007 in Crete, Greece on Jun 15 '07
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Saturday June 16th took us from Dubrovnik-->Budapest on a SkyEurope flight, then on from Budapest-->Crete on a Wizz Air flight. SkyEurope seems well run, with comfortable planes, and assigned seats. Our early morning flight to Budapest wasn't crowded and kids spread out to nap. Wizz Air resembles Southwest Airlines. Jam packed planes with no assigned seating. Couple that with overcrowded bus service from the gate to the airplane, and you can guess it wasn't particulary pleasant. Still, destinations in Europe are close and the flight was only two hours.
Overall, Crete was much more fun than Croatia.
We spent our first night in Crete in Heraklion. We picked Hotel Kronos on the harbor, across from the Venetian fort. We went out for a fabulous first dinner-dolmas, fried zucchini, Cretan bread (hard bread smothered in fresh tomataoes, feta, and spices, fish and lamb. We sampled the local beer (Mythos) in Flintstone-sized glasses. At the end, we drank a bottle of Roki (strong local firewater), and fresh fruit.
The kids spent a few hours running along the walls of the fort, and then it was off to bed.
We spent Sunday morning wandering the streets of Heraklion-feasting on delicious pastries and Greek coffee. The sites themslves were a bit underwhelming...Fountain Square isn't even 25 yards across and the famed Archaelogical Museum was closed. But we had a great time strolling and shopping.
That afternoon, we rented a car and drove to Rethymo on the North coast. We decided to use the town as our base for the next four days, with day trips to island sites. The kids spent the rest on Sunday playing in the clear waters on a nice sandy beach.
Monday we drove to Preveli and Matala beach. Both beaches are on the south shore, on the Sea of Libya. Apparently, this is about the southernmost point in Europe.
Preveli is a sand beach at the bottom of a cliff, reached by a long, steep path with lots of cutbacks. The beach itself is pleasant, and is bisected by a river running down from the mountains. We spent a few hours diving in the sea, climbing the rocks looking for shells and sunning. The hard part is the climb back to the car. It was hot, and we stopped several times to catch our breath and for water. So nice, but alot of effort.
We recharged with lunch at Spili. Traditional Greek meal of Greek Salad, Cretan bread and a few appetizers. Emily had a margherita pizza :).
Matala is about another hour away from Preveli. Matala can be reached directly by car, making it easy to visit. The beach itself is a sandy crescent. Most noteworthy is the Roman cemetery carved into the limestone cliffs surrounding the beach. For a tired boy, Ian shot out of the car quickly to run to the caves. The burial chambers are empty now, Ian and Jeff climbed the cliffs to enter a number of the tombs. Emily, Ian and Jeff also swam to another group of tombs that could only be reached by the water. The beach itself was great, and we swam until nearly sunset. What a perfect end to a perfect day. We returned for dinner in Rethymo, and met a number of friendly Swedes. (Note to self...George Bush is not a popular figure in Europe.)
We spent much of Tuesday swimming before making a trip to Chania in West Crete. The city has both Venetian and Turkish influences...a charming spot. Near the harbor are narrow cobble stone streets with lots of shopping and dining options. Emily found a great dress, and Irene loved the locally-made jewelry. Ian bought a few gifts for his friend Tom. Team Wilkins refueled with gelato for the kids and baklava and capacino for the adults.
Upon our return to Rethymo, we tried to book a day trip to Santorini. The island closest to Crete and only a 1.5 hour high speed boat ride away. Irene was particularly interested, since the island's Venetian name denotes Saint Irene. (We're not that familiar with what she is the saint *of,* but suspect it has something to do with fine/fun dining.) In any event, there were no seats available and the team decided to spend Wednesday in Rethymo.
Wednesday was uneventful, with more strolling, eating and drinking Ouzo, Beer and Roki. Although not ovecrowded, Crete is definitely a popular tourist destination.
We left Rethymo on Thursday and returned to Heraklion. We went back to town for lunch and shopping. Then on to the palace of Knossos. Knossos itself is a Minoan structure dating back to about 2000 B.C. Frankly, it was a bit underwhelming. It has also been extensively renovated, with much conjecture used to guide the construction. Interesting frescoes, and for UT fans a well-placed respect for bulls and cattle.
After the tour it was off to Athens...
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