Greece Part 4 and final: Crete

I think I have been dragging out these Greece posts because in a way its like hanging onto the experience, but let's face facts: 1. we were there over a month ago; 2. daylight savings (aka british summer time) ends this weekend; and 3. although I haven't retrieved the big coat from the wardrobe yet, I know its time is nigh. So let's just wrap this up...

Crete was our final stop. Laidback island life must have made an impact on us because we were still choosing where we would stay on the ferry ride over from Santorini. We decided on the historic town of Rethymno and arrived there by bus at about 10pm. Its funny how all the accumulated relaxation and light-heartedness flies out the window when you have been dragging your backpack around from hotel to hotel for an hour and a half, everyone is shutting up shop and your partner suggests in a serious tone that sleeping on the streets may be the only option. Luckily we found a place on the busy main road and although basic (read: the shower was over the toilet) we got a good night’s sleep and were able to find something better in the morning (which goes to show that spontaneity is okay – at the right time).

Crete kept up the high standard we were now well accustomed to when it came to magnificent weather, fantastic food and friendly people. Although Rethymno is popular with tourists you still get a feel of what life is like for those who live there day-to-day.

The beaches were the best we had seen so far and the beach we visited on our last day – once we had backed cautiously away from the elderly citizens’ nudist colony we had innocently wandered into – was the best beach of all. An amazing, unforgettable trip overall and the images (not just of the saggy, saggy skin) will surely stay with us forever.

*

p.s. is it just me or a truly uncanny resemblance?

Greece Part 3: Santorini

where the photo speak for themselves...

Greece Part 2: Naxos

Naxos was six days of loafing. We stayed in mikra vigla, in walking distance of three beaches, six tavernas, a small supermarket and not much else – but what else do you really need? (okay some people need a twenty-four techno beach party, but we’re not them). On day one we slept in late, had breakfast on our balcony, swam, sunbaked, ate, read and ate some more. That worked out pretty well, so we repeated much of the same on days two through six. The sunbaking part was something of a necessity in that on our first day on the beach we were so much paler than all the other people we almost felt we should apologise.

One day we managed to raise our energy levels and caught the bus to Naxos Town. The town is actually a small village, but after our isolationist state we felt like country mice venturing out to the big smoke. It was a lovely day trip, but we didn't mind when the time came for us to head back to resume our beach bum ways.

Stay tuned for Part Three: Santorini...