Crete, Greece (280 images)

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Day 1 - Chania
In Seattle airport waiting to board Nice summer in Seattle, makes me really want to get off the plane now In Paris airport, waiting to go to Athens already. We are tired and annoyed being overcharded for a 4 euro water Flying over Venice Well, we made it to Greece, but now we are stuck at the airport for 5 hours to get to Chania, Crete Flight Athens to Chania We made it, yeahhh. Instead of getting to Chania at 7 pm we got in at 1 am. Chania harbor in the evening Chania harbor in the evening Dinner time at 1:30am? Why not, everything is open late in Greece Our first real greek salad
Day 2 - Chania
Waking up to a sunny morning in Chania Chania harbor in the morning Chania harbor in the morning Chania harbor in the morning Chania harbor in the morning Chania harbor in the morning Maritime Museum of Crete Maritime Museum of Crete Maritime Museum of Crete Maritime Museum of Crete View of Chania John and Olga at Chania Chania Chania Where to go next? Chania Chania Fortress in Chania Walking along Fortress in Chania Chania Central Market in Chania Lots of cheese And fish And more fish Fruits And souvenirs Chania Chania Chania Chania Chania Chania Chania Water in the harbor has lots of tiny fish Chania Mosque of the Janissaries Inside the Mosque, there is a gallery with weird photo art In front of Mosque of the Janissaries Chania Archaeological Museum of Chania Archaeological Museum of Chania Pottery at Archaeological Museum of Chania Mosaic at Archaeological Museum of Chania Archaeological Museum of Chania Archaeological Museum of Chania Orthodox church in Chania Time for lunch Cretan salad Chania Walking along the harbor Walking along the harbor Walking along the harbor Chania Lighthouse Lighthouse Walking along the harbor Chania John and Olga in Chania John and Olga in Chania Walking along the harbor Walking along the harbor Getting ready to sail On the sail boat Lazarette Island Snorkeling near Lazarette Island Chania Dinner at Lemipamis Watching the vine covering the building Stuffed aubergines Chicken with some interesting sauce Dinner time
Day 3 - Samaria Gorge
Stuffing up for 18 km hike Chania Chania Bus to Samaria Gorge Samaria Gorge Samaria Gorge Samaria Gorge Samaria Gorge Samaria Gorge Samaria Gorge Samaria Gorge Samaria Gorge Samaria Gorge Samaria Gorge Samaria Gorge Samaria Gorge Samaria Gorge Samaria Gorge Danger! Falling Rocks Samaria Gorge Water break 2 km mark Reast area with a horse Valley of stacked stones That looks safe Samaria Gorge Samaria Gorge Samaria Gorge Samaria Gorge Another water stop Samaria Gorge Samaria Gorge Samaria Gorge 4 km mark Cool tree Samaria Gorge 5 km mark Samaria Gorge Samaria Gorge Samaria Gorge Where are we? Samaria Gorge Samaria Gorge Can we take a break already? Venetian Village of Samaria Venetian Village of Samaria 7 km mark Bridge leading to Venetian Village of Samaria Venetian Village of Samaria Venetian Village of Samaria Venetian Village of Samaria Venetian Village of Samaria Venetian Village of Samaria Samaria Gorge 8 km mark Entering the valley of Samaria Gorge Olga in Samaria Gorge John and Olga in Samaria Gorge Mountains of Samaria Gorge Mountains of Samaria Gorge Samaria Gorge Samaria Gorge 9 km mark Samaria Gorge Samaria Gorge Samaria Gorge Mountains have an interesting pattern Danger! Falling Rocks again. Here we are posing for a picture. What a bunch of tourists! Safe little bridge This part of the hike was not fun We made it through though Samaria Gorge Samaria Gorge Samaria Gorge 11 km mark Samaria Gorge Samaria Gorge John and Olga in Samaria Gorge in front of famous Iron Gates Iron Gates in Samaria Gorge 12 km mark This is a good sign, looks like we are about to get this done Hi goat Who would want to live there? Well, it looks like we are done, but it's a trick. There are more km to hike to the beach Samaria Gorge Finally we made it. Agia Roumeli Lunch stop in Agia Roumeli Mythos is the best solution to this long hike. John should be hired to advertise this beer Getting on the ferry to go to Hora Sfakion Agia Roumeli from the ferry I am just way too tired. My feet hurt. I don't care if people need to sit down Loutro - cute little village on our route Loutro Loutro Hora Sfakion from far away Around Hora Sfakion Private beach near Hora Sfakion Hora Sfakion Waiting to get off the ferry to Hora Sfakion and start elbowing people to get on the bus On the way back to Chania That was a very curvy road. Motion sickness guaranteed
Day 4 - Heraklion
Taking the bus from Chania to Heraklion Bus ride to Heraklion Bus ride to Heraklion Rethymno On the way to Heraklion Lato Boutique Hotel View of the Venetian Fortress from our hotel room View of the ferry dock from our hotel room Entering Knossos Palace Monument to archeologist Arthur Evans who excavated the site Knossos Palace Knossos Palace Labrys - double-axe was used specifically by Minoan priestesses for ceremonial uses Knossos Palace Knossos Palace Knossos Palace Knossos Palace Knossos Palace Knossos Palace Knossos Palace Cup-Bearer fresco I am pretending that I am carrying something too Massive jars at Knossos Knossos Palace Knossos Palace was destroyed by a fire. You can still see the evidence of fire on some stones Evidence of fire Knossos Palace Spectators by a Shrine Fresco Piano Nobile Blue Ladies Pretending to be Minoan. John loves Minoan fashion. Throne room Very comfortable chair In front of the trone room Royal rooms Knossos Palace Around Knossos Palace Stairs leading to the royal room Knossos Palace Drain system Clay pipes were connected to mountain springs to deliver fresh water to Knossos Palace More massive jars Knossos Palace Knossos Palace Main road from Knosso Palace to the town Theatre at Knossos Palace John is tasting olives on the site Olga at Knossos Palace John and Olga at Knossos Palace Prince of the Lilies Minoan Bull horns Heraklion Archaeological Museum The Prince of the lilies Minoan pottery Minoan pottery Minoan pottery Priestess and snake goddess performing a ritual Bull Leaping Cup-Bearer Roman art Roman art Minoan art John is trying to figure out where to go next Streets of Heraklion are completely empty on Sunday Morosini Fountain Heraklion Heraklion town hall Streets of Heraklion are completely empty on Sunday Streets of Heraklion are completely empty on Sunday Heraklion Venetian Fortress of Heraklion Heraklion Venetian Fortress of Heraklion Venetian Fortress of Heraklion John and Olga at Venetian Fortress of Heraklion Lion is very venetian Fortress is closed and John does not look too happy about it Olga and John at Venetian Fortress of Heraklion Heraklion Heraklion Heraklion Heraklion The Herbs' Garden Restaurant The Herbs' Garden Restaurant The Herbs' Garden Restaurant Appetizer Grilled octupus Anchovies Baked potatoes Another Mythos ad How did we get so full from eating appetizers? Heraklion Heraklion Heraklion Silly tradition to write postcards to everyone.