Heading towards the end

To empathise with those in the UK we had 6 days in a row without sun and needed to get the wellies out - very glam for a night out in Kritsa for a yummy meal at Agadon (AKA Big Tree or Yannies) with Sue and Barrie.

A few weeks before I'd saved a small battered cupboard from a bin so used the dull days to create my new dinky kitchen cupboard - just right for herbs etc. and all it cost me was €1.50 for a new knob.

When the wet weather passed it left clean and crisp air so we took the scenic route to Iereapetra - this photo from the road up to Kroustas clearly shows the 'scorpion' of Kritsa.

Once in Ierapetra we went for a stroll along the prom to choose a place for morning coffee.  The bad weather had flung kelp and sand all along the prom leaving only a couple of places open for business.  A couple of the cafes have parrots that are usually  'free' rather than caged and I'm guessing that this cat knew he'd come off worst if he decided to 'have a go'.

With the bright days continuing we enjoyed a stroll in Elounda, past the windmills and around the rocks where I was almost tempted to have a swim.  It wasn't the lack of a cozzie that stopped me but the lack of plastic shoes as sea urchins were very visible.  This photo is close to where we had our flask of soup and shows the remains of a 16C Christian church, all that is left is the mosaic floor in a remarkable condition considering it is totally open to the elements.

With our imminent return to the UK we decided to do 'jobs' for three mornings and then have the rest of the days out and about.  Sat in sunshine by one of the Agios Nikolaos beaches we watched a child enjoy the opportunity to build sandcastles without the fear that anyone would knock them over.

The wet days followed by the sun brought the almond blossom out.

Almond trees are interspersed among the olive trees - also notice the carpets of yellow oxalysis.

For our last picnic lunch we went to the sea side - several of them along the Istron coast.  The photo below was taken beyond Pachia Amos - yes that's snow on the left hand peak with Kritsa just visible on the right.

On the way back we stopped to view this lovely cove - a summer favourite.

Loath to go home as that really would have meant it was all over we had a final coffee in Agios Nikolaos.

For much of the time we'd been in Crete Alan had been nurturing some mini daffs that eventually bloomed.  A couple of days earlier and Hilary might have had them for her birthday!

The cats came for a last snack - hopefully they'll do their Rentokil duties!

Now back in the UK and looking forward to seeing friends and family during our UK holiday....

Sunny Days, Cosy Nights and Rain!

On any trip to Crete a visit to the Lassithi Plateau is a must, so on a clear blue sky we set off.  We used the route up from Neapoli and only passed two trucks heading down.  However, on two separate occasions we did have to wait for large flocks of sheep to pass by – we love these types of traffic jams!

Very few people were about on the plateau and we saw no one as we strolled across the flat lanes collecting fresh fennel from the trackside.  

 On our decent down on the Heraklion road, we stopped at the main tourist viewpoint for a picnic lunch and saw that the dam project far below is now complete.

It seems that a complete village will be lost when the reservoir fills, so I’ve taken a photo to compare how much gets ‘consumed’ in future.

January days continued bright, despite an ill-founded evil forecast for the last weekend.  Whatever the daytime weather, we are always pleased to have a cosy fire in the evenings and have already replaced wood supplies for ‘next time’.

Saturday 1^st February was dull and overcast so with flasks and cagoules packed we set off, with Hilary acting as tour guide, to complete the three hour walk up to Oxa, 563 metres above Elounda that we’d cancelled the previous weekend because we’d believed the forecast.  Thanks to Hilary and Phil's research, we know that Oxa is named after Naxos, son of Minos.  On the way, we passed through a deserted village, which apparently was the boundary between Olous (where Elounda is now) and Lato (near Kritsa).  

Here’s Hilary and Alan pointing the peak we needed to climb – it looks like a fortress even without any buildings.

Despite the building clouds, looking down on Elounda was magical and gave us a rest before the final slog up to the crest.

                                     

On reaching the summit, we saw many stone remains that had been adapted over the years and a modern church that provided dry seats for our coffee break.  Building clouds meant the photos of Agios Nikolaos below are hard to see – we’ll just have to go back on a sunny day!

John - If you look carefully through the gloom you'll see your hotel

Here’s our ‘team photo’.

Later that afternoon we still had enough energy to walk up to Barrie and Sue to watch Southampton beat Fulham 3 – 0.  Alan was happy with that result and, thanks to Sue, I was pleased to gain a jar of preserved lemons and the knowledge of how to make similar in future. 

Sunday 2^nd February brought continuous rain...no sympathy from those in the UK who've had weeks of it.  In the evening, there was the grand opening of Kritsa’s new cultural centre, sited within a renovated mechanical olive oil mill near to the car park.  I wondered if anyone would brave such a foul night but went anyway and I’m pleased I did as the venue was packed.  

After a blessing from x4 Pappas (Alan uses the plural term Papai but I’m sure that’s not right), and a relatively brief speech from the Mayor of Agios Nikolaos, two local musicians played a twenty minute ‘set’.  After this we all piled out to the free buffet and booze and, despite the large gathering, there was plenty to go around.  I think I was the only ‘foreigner’ there so I decided to go home where my plate of snacks acted as a tasty starter to our evening meal, although I’d fed the titbits of liver to a dog that followed me up the street.