Crete 1, Greece – 2/2014
OK, my long Mexican 70th birthday adventure is over except for my memories. Now, as I promised, we are picking up with our Trans-Eurasian Odyssey, which will eventually take us through 26 countries and over 40,000 miles, across impassible deserts and over 15,000-foot mountain passes, through the Stans, China, Mongolia and Siberia. Hold on for the ride.
We are back in Greece now, and specifically on the island of Crete. If you missed Delphi, Kalavrita, Dimitsana, Mystras, or Olympia and others on the Peloponnese, they can all be found in the list of past blogs on our web site. Just click on the country you want to visit. Meanwhile, join us as we board the ferry from Pireus to Iraklion on Crete, an island we have wanted to visit for many years. By some accounts, Crete was the heart of what we call western civilization today.
Having been on the road for almost a year and with Spring in the air, we first looked for a place to rest, catch up on travel maintenance and make a plan. It was early February and many campgrounds were still closed for the season. Camp Sisi was too, but as we drove up the driveway, the owner Kostas Tzikas waved to us and opened the gate. We could not have found a better place. Sisi had hot showers, a laundromat, Internet and room to spread out. The nearby town of Sissi with its picturesque harbor was within walking distance. Kostas and his wife both spoke English and were gracious hosts.
Packed for the road again, we headed first into the mountains to pay homage to the birthplace of Zeus, once considered the father of all gods and humans. He was King of the Olympian Gods and the Supreme Deity in Greek religion for hundreds of years. He controlled the weather, offered signs and omens and generally dispensed justice, guaranteeing order amongst both the Gods and Humanity from his seat high on Mt. Olympus. Even today, given the financial woes of Greece, it would not hurt to sacrifice a few oxen in his name. We certainly wanted to be in his favor as we headed east into Asia.
With Zeus at our side, we were ready for some beach time the island is famous for. Though still a bit chilly for swimming, we found some spectacular camping around the Eastern Peninsula at Váï Beach and Myrtos. Interior hills were often covered with enormous olive groves and the valleys were a sea of plastic covered agriculture. Even bananas were grown in hothouses, but that didn’t keep us from enjoying the open markets.
While the lack of crowds of tourists was a relief for us, we vowed to return again in summer with warm weather to experience a different flavor of Crete. Leaving another perfect camp, we headed west to explore more of this historic island.
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- The overnight ferry from Pireus to Iraklion, Crete was the only way to arrive with our truck.
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- A quick lunch on board amounted to some Danish Spam and a loaf of bread, our truck being locked in the ship’s hold.
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- It was a restless night in the lounge under blaring lights, with the engine noise & vibration, children running around and other passengers snoring. Maybe we’ll splurge on a cabin next time.
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- Camp Sisi was the perfect place to get off the road for a few days and enjoy the early Spring weather of Crete.
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- A couple of tiepods allowed us to attach clothes lines or practically anything to any smooth surface.
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- Having a laundromat at our fingertips was a plus. Washing clothes still needs to be done, even when you’re on the road.
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- Kostas and his wife both spoke English and were gracious hosts.
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- The little harbor of Sissi was an easy walk from Camp Sisi.
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- Small bays along the coast almost always have a place to park for a night.
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- Spring was in the air and flowers were everywhere.
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- The sign of things to come as we near Asia. No more sit-down toilets.
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- The Frangokastello castle was built by the Venetians in 1371-1374 as a garrison to impose order on the rebellious Sfakia region, to deter pirates, and to protect Venetian nobles and their properties.
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- As we climbed into the hills the aqua-blue water of the Aegean was amazing.
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- Leaving the coast the roads serpentined through the mountains.
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- Our GPS gave us advance warning of what the road ahead looked like.
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- Beyond green valleys we were surprised to see snow capped peaks.
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- To honor Zeus, we walked up to his birthplace, the Dhiktean cave near the village of Psychro, and down again.
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- Zeus was once considered the Father of all Gods and Humans. He was King of the Olympian Gods and the Supreme Deity in Greek religion for hundreds of years.
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- Greek mythology marked this cave as the birthplace of Zeus, Father of all Gods and Humans. For the fascinating story, go to: http://www.explorecrete.com/mythology/zeus-birth.html
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- Back on the coast, there were tempting places to stop at every turn, and nobody around.
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- The Váï beach of 1,000 palms was empty, waiting for the summer crowds.
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- The white sand and turquoise water of Elafonissos made it one of our favorite camps.
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- The tide washed in millions of pretty shells to dry in the sun.
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- Groves of olives covered the hillsides. Greece is the second largest producer of olives in the world.
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- Olive groves are carefully pruned and elaborate watering systems were common.
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- Inviting towns were an interesting contrast to the rocky hillsides and the olive groves.
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- These old windmills were once used for grinding grain and others for pumping water.
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- Many agricultural areas were covered with a sea of plastic green houses. The Cretan produce is sold all over Europe.
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- Even bananas were grown in hot houses.
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- Little roadside shops had a good selection of local produce and homemade wine.
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- Monika bought a bag of tasty homemade olives.
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- In any country of the world, the open markets are always a treat and the best place for travelers to restock.
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- As we got closer to Turkey the barbecued shish kabobs tempted us.
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- Monika pondered the idea of becoming a shepherdess with the classic staff.
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- The twenty-four lion-head Venetian fountains in Spili was a popular tourist stop. The spring-fed waters were said to be especially healthy.
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- With no one around we could use our outside hot shower. A sand ladder makes a good clean shower stand.
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- Beaches and vistas like these made us want to stay a week or more, but Turkey was calling and we would soon have a “visa march-route”.
