Ralph and Karen's Tours

A simply stunning short flight from Athens to Heraklio/Heraklion/Iraklio/Ieraklio/Eraklion (you get my point?) and the madness of this airport is immediate. People running everywhere, no signs on the baggage carousels, no aircon, yelling, screaming…it’s brilliant! And ultimately it works.

Our flight arrived about an hour late, and by the time we got our bags and fought our way through the exit we were probably 90 minutes later than expected and our poor old rental car bloke that was meeting us with our car was still there – smiling and laughing. We apologised profusely and he shrugged and said “It’s Greece!”. Couldn’t have summed it up any better.

We had a bit of trouble getting a rental car at short notice – I’d left that right until the last minute. Note to self – get a better Travel Agent! In the end, I literally had to phone a local company from Australia and got one of their last cars as this is their peak peak season. We got just what we wanted though – a Suzuki Jimny 4×4 soft top jeep. Perfect!

After my phone call, they sent me a confirmation email with a photo of the car – a nearly new sparkly bright Newtown Jets Blue with white soft top. Awesome. Also an “invitation” to pay the rental fee in cash….for a discount – no problem.

Anyway, old mate takes us to our car and it’s not blue..it’s army tank green with a black soft top. Almost camo. To be honest I couldn’t give two hoots what colour it was. And it’s not new. Haha. I joked with him and showed him my email about the blue car….he said “Hmm we no have any blue car!” Shock me.

It’s absolutely perfect for what we want. The only advice he gave me – “don’t get close…”

After pointing us in the direction of our destination of Agios Nikolaos (I’m not even going to attempt to try with the myriad alternate spellings) off we went with the wind in our hair and trucks overtaking us at 100kmh on corners. All good.

The Cretan countryside is similar to the Peloponnese but even more rugged. We were immediately surprised at the mountain ranges, some eerily white that seemingly ringed this very big island. Crete is the largest and most southern of the Greek Islands and was its own entity until relatively recently (1913) when it then became part of the Kingdom of Greece once again. There are over 600,000 people live here, so it’s a significant size island – the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean at 260km in length and 60km at its widest point. Locals love to talk about freeing up again, and becoming their own country once again…they talk about “Those Greeks” and seriously refer to themselves at Cretans. I love it.

It has its own very distinct culture from mainland Greece, heavy in poetry, music and art and was part of the Minoan civilisation which is one of the oldest recorded civilisations in the known world and the earliest settled in Europe. The buildings also have a different style to them.

There is a thriving agricultural aspect to the island, and they are extremely proud – and rightfully so – of the fact that they are self sufficient and produce the vast majority of their foods. The food is different again from the mainland, with local Cretan dishes very popular. Their cheeses and olive oils in particular are just amazing. Seafood is highly desirable and plentiful.

So, just under an hour later we arrive in Agios Nikolaos and were immediately surprised at how big and busy the town is. We had to find our little Pensione and with these very tiny streets it was a challenge. At our third trip around the block we found it, and the owners – Pella and her elderly parents – were doing what Greeks do, and were sitting out the front in the street having a beer, Ouzo, smoke and enjoying the lovely evening while chopping veges up for their dinner. They shuffled some cars around and got us a prime parking spot right outside the Pensione.

The Pensione sits on the top of a hill, overlooking two of the bays in Ag Nik. 63 steps down to the water. The village of Ag Nik is actually split into three pretty distinct areas; the lake, Kitroplatia Beach (where our place is) and the Marina. Each of these areas has its own atmosphere and feel, with the lake area the most touristic, loud, busy and the other areas much quieter. You can walk between all three spots along a waterfront promenade in less than ten minutes from end to end.

So, our location was perfect being in the middle of both. The Pensione is old, and has been in the family care for many many years and probably needs a bit of a renovation. Probably a bit of an update to their decorations…..It’s beautifully clean, tidy and has the BEST verandah ever. The hosts are beautiful and it was a perfect fit for what we wanted.

To be honest our first impressions of Ag Nik were a bit underwhelming. I think we were expecting something smaller, more charming, quieter. But by the end of our four days here we learned to love it and discover the charm and beauty of the place that people rave about.

On our first night after we settled in, we went wandering about a bit aimlessly and ended in the lake area, surrounded by what seemed a million UK visitors. We found a lovely little place for dinner at about 10pm (getting used to this) and the waiter, or more accurately the street tout convincing people in off the street to his Taverna was worth the cost of admission alone. He was a crack up.

He came up with one of the quotes of our trip….after serving us our drinks while waiting for food to come – me a large icy cold draft beer and Karen a lovely carafe of local rose – after a long day traveling, that first beer didn’t last long. At all. So, old mate waiter walks past and picked up my beer glass without batting an eye and said “Hmmm first one fall down – I get you another”. Fall down! I laughed all night, and every day since.

Having the car was brilliant. While we didn’t need it in Ag Nik at all, we did use it to explore the magnificent coastline either side of the town and came across some of the most spectacular beaches. Different people had told us different things about different beaches surrounding Ag Nik, so we set out to explore for ourselves. The road away from town just hugs the coastline, and the hardest thing about it is firstly keeping your eyes on the road, and secondly deciding which beach to stop at.

We did get lost a bit, I admit that and ended up in some farms, and some peoples back yards up in the surrounding hills. How did that even happen? But that’s ok. Once back on track we just had to make a decision and chose a place called Voulisma or Golden Beach. We rented some lounge chairs and an umbrella for €7 and just whiled away the hours swimming, reading and being served beers, wines, food by lovely attentive waitresses. Beautiful. It was quite busy and it was fantastic to see the locals all getting out and having a family day together. We later realised it was a Sunday, thus the reason for the big crowd.

I’d been recommended a traditional Taverna to visit for dinner and drinks, so we did. Called Parodasioko, it sits just below our Pensione along the waterfront walk into the main village, or lake area. A lot of the Taverna in Crete specialise in meze menus, and this place was no different. In fact they have taken it to the next level by providing you with a menu on a big sheet of paper, with all of their meze options, and you tick a box alongside what you want. We’d looked at the fellow diners around us while we were having our pre dinner drinks, and decided straight away that these mezes were the size of a huge appetiser, or even a normal sized main meal. So choosing from these wonderful options was going to be tough.

The locals that filled this place with their families and friends had ordered tons of food. Tons of it. The tables are set up with a small bench alongside, to hold everything that doesn’t fit on the table. I kid you not. Including bread, pre dinner snacks on the house including dips and olives, home made olive oil and vinegar, water – whatever they can’t put on the table before the actual food is delivered.

The menu is large – grouped into vegetable, seafood, meat, grilled, hot, cold. Prices range from €3 to €7 the dearest being for fresh octopus and shrimp. So we had a good crack at it. A Cretan salad to start, octopus, a chicken dish with peppers and onions in the most insanely beautiful sauce and pork souvlaki. The obligatory free starters, bread, carafe of wine and a couple of large beers.

And it was superb.. the staff ran all over the place like lunatics but in an organised chaotic manner. They were entertaining, engaging, friendly and loved their job. The place was choc a blok full of customers all having a fabulous time. It was amazing watching them go about this business. We managed to get through what was in effect almost four main meals. I can’t believe it but we did. Then came more freebies…a chunk of homemade chocolate cake and another of orange cake. Then some watermelon, grapes and honey dew melon. Then coffee. Eerrrggghhhh. Total price – €30.30. Another AUD $45 meal.

Anyway, at a table next to us was an Aussie bloke and his missus, of Greek heritage who were visiting friends and family, swapping from English to Greek at ease and as required. I felt like he was staring at me a bit. Now, apart from the fact that he is only human and my Tom Cruise like looks don’t do me justice, it was a bit off putting. I thought I’d done something wrong (again).

So, I waddled up to pay the outrageous bill, and he comes after me…I was wearing a Newtown Jets t shirt for a change and he said “Newtown Jets eh?” Brilliant deduction mate. One of the best pick up lines ever. In fact, I probably used it a bit back in the ’70s. So, me being the polite human that I am engaged him in some banter. He wanted to know where I was from, how long I was away for, my familial situation, my political and religious leanings, how deep my bank account was and what I did for a job. That’s when his eyes lit up…..when I told him where I worked, he said “I knew it! You booked me some flights at your Hurstville office!” Can you believe that? He lives not far from us in Blakehurst – 20 minutes away. Talk about a small world.

He told me he travels 10-12 weeks a year (currently on a 7 week trip) and is looking for a good reliable Travel Agent to manage his business. I’ll have to find one for him.. That’s why god made business cards 😎

The archeological site of Knossos which includes the Palace of Knossos sits just outside Heraklion and is considered the oldest city in Europe..dating back to the Bronze Age. That’s a long time ago dudes. The first settlement on the site is suggested to be around 7,000 BC. It was abandoned on and off during the time since then, with the erection of the Palace in around 1900 BC.

Typically everyone had a hand in controlling it over the years, and following a number of earthquakes the city was rebuilt a few times. Fast forward a bunch of centuries, and the site was discovered by Greek archaeologists in about 1870, just 150 years ago. An English archaeologist named Arthur Evans took a liking to it, and so got permission to do a dig commencing in 1900. Over the next 35 years the site was uncovered and was much larger than originally anticipated, but Evans was a bit cheeky. He somehow managed to get “ownership” of the site from the Cretans and set about restoring the site according to how he believed that place actually existed back in the day.

He based his restoration on the linear tablets that were uncovered and with a little bit of poetic licence set about recreating the city. So, today you have a really very interesting exhibit, of the original relics, alongside some recreations showing how the buildings “would” have looked. I quite like it. A lot of people are not Evans fans, and I understand why. But seeing the colours taken from the surrounding ochre from stones and other examples of friezes on display, it’s hard not to enjoy this.

Anyway THOUSANDS of people disgorged buses when we arrived and it was a bit like a zoo with the massive crowds. Great day out.

So off to find another beach..

Pella had suggested another beach which she liked more than Voulisma, so we went in search of Istron. She told us where to go, where to park etc. she forgot to tell us it was a privately owned beach club. Never mind. I think the break down in languages worked in our favour. All of a sudden we had our car parked and were in the reception of this amazing hotel, paying €8 for two lounge chairs, table and umbrella. Then in an elevator down five levels which popped us out at an amazing pool, and access to a gorgeous private beach with Taverna.

The Istron Bay Hotel has been turned into a destination property for Italian Tour groups under the “Villagi Bravo” banner, where they get flown in, bused down to the resort and supplied with all inclusive food, drink, entertainment. It’s insane.

Not only that, they have entertainment directors who arrange your every whim and desire – to the extent that they mingle with the guests, have a DJ playing all day, then get on the beach to play games and dance with you on the beach. It’s hilarious.

Anyway we found ourselves right in the middle of this insanity and it was brilliant. On one of the prettiest beaches we’ve come across, we were literally in the water with 6 or 7 people. So, another one of those “how did we end up doing this?” Moments.

The best thing about these late sunsets and late dinners, is the fact you can stay out at the beach, or whatever you’re doing till late in the evening. Then Come home, have a shower, a drink on the verandah and boom ! It’s 9pm and time to start thinking about going out for dinner.

So we turned right tonight out of our place and down to the little beach which is ringed in lovely Taverna and restaurants. And is so much quieter than the Lake area, filled with what seem like locals, or at least Greeks with families, dogs, cats and relatives enjoying the local produce. Karen had seen and read about a dish as we were walking through at some stage that she wanted to try, so we went to Ofou To Lo Tabepna which specialises in Cretan Cuisine.

It’s really funny – in this little beach area there are probably ten places to eat and drink. Six or seven are packed and the others have literally no one in there. Speaking to the owners and staff, the Cretan way is to stop serving food around 11pm, but the bar stays open. Unlike other parts of Greece which have food service well into the early morning. There are some exceptions to this obviously but it seems so much more user friendly for the staff who work so bloody hard and such long hours.

Karen didn’t need to look at the menu, she knew exactly what she wanted – this dish made from fresh local pasta, and locally made Cretan cheese. That’s it. And she loved it. It was beautiful in its basic structure and allowed the full flavours of their specialties to be enjoyed.

We had a salad – another Cretan version which involved cabbage, lettuce, carrot and was complimented by back yard olive oil. This restaurant has their own fishing boat, so of course I went for fish. A whole fish. When I asked the boss man owner about the fish he just said “You come”. So very proudly we wandered back through the restaurant to the kitchen, where he opened up what seemed like an upright chest or filing cabinet. We looked in every draw, and they each held different types of very fresh fish resting on beds of ice.

I was impressed. He was impressed that I was impressed. So, when in doubt? His recommendation was a sea bream, weighing in at around 700gms.

And it was awesome. Better than awesome. Cooked perfectly. We hadn’t been having desert at all, but the sound of Nutella crepes was too enticing to ignore. Mmmmmmm. Fruit, cake, coffee and a small bottle of Raki on the house to finish…I think Karen was going to die but she drank it like a champion more not to offend them than anything else. Another fab night and gastronomic feast.

It’s frightening now, because all of our clothes are now just a bit tighter than when we left home. They must have shrunk 😉

We were sitting in a street side pub having an arvo cocktail, because that’s what you do and we’re discussing how hard these staff all work all over Greece. And watching the amazing staff go about their business. One thing that seriously blows our mind, is the fact that quite often – and Ag Nik is a perfect example – the bars or restaurants are on one side of the street, and the diners sit ACROSS the road along the waterfront. Subsequently, the staff are forever running across what are sometimes pretty busy roads, with trays of food and drinks, dodging traffic and it’s all in a days work.

If it were Australia, or probably the US this would be just unthinkable for so many health and safety reasons. But these guys and girls just do it and think nothing of it. Bravo.

SURELY there is another archaeological site, Temple, church, place of historical significance, ancient city that we haven’t visited? Come on, give me something…..

Spinalonga.

About 20 minutes drive from Ag Nik, along the Mirabello Gulf, through some serious resort towns including Elounda lies the little village of Plaka which actually sits on the Gulf of Elounda. A beautiful drive.

In the middle of the gulf, sits an island now known as Spinalonga, officially named Kalydon which has a remarkable history. Originally, Spinalonga was not an island, as it was attached to the island of Crete but when the Venetians ruled the area in the 1500s, they created a fortress for defence purposes and determined that they should carve away the isthmus linking it to the Cretan mainland. So they made it an island. As you do. That way, with the fortress surrounding the entire “island” they had 360 degree coverage of anyone who approached by sea – invading marauders and pee raaats included – defending the important sea port of Ancient Olous.

As usual, all the local groups had a turn of ownership – Ventians, Ottomans, Arabs and Greeks or rather, Cretans who took control in the mid 1800s.

During this time, there was a huge issue with lepers on the island of Crete and they were banished into the hills and ignored and led a lonely, sad and unhealthy existence. In the early years of the 1900s, it was decided to use the island for a refuge and treatment centre for the colony of lepers. Soon, word spread across Greece and it became one of the largest colonies in Europe. It remained as a leper colony until 1957, with the last inhabitant being a priest who left in 1962. No one has lived on Spinalonga since then. There have been a couple of books and a movie written about it.

Today it is a beautiful tourist attraction, that is maintained by the local authorities. A ferry across from Plaka takes about five minutes, and once on the island you can explore to your hearts content, walking around the battlements and promenades around the entire island. We thought a quick half hour wander around would be sufficient, however two hours later we were still checking the living quarters, shops, hospitals that are in really good condition – even back to the 1500s the place looks amazing. Great morning out, but there is now officially nothing old left for us to see here. Job done.

The wind was up a bit, so we found a little hidden gem of a bay called Havania, which had GRASS upon which our sunlounges sat among maybe ten other people. With food and drink service, this is how we spent the rest of our day.

A bit tired of Greek food? Maybe…but it’s only a temporary thing. So we found a Greek/French/Indian fusion restaurant called l’indien on the beach close to home and it was popular. Interesting. Why not? It was great. Service was a bit sloooooooooooow but a nice change and beautiful flavours..

That just about wrapped up our time in Crete. Four fantastic days that showed that another week checking out other parts of this massive island would not be ridiculous. Friends Cath and Greg have spent time in Chania at the other end of the island and loved it…next time.

An early morning drive back up to the port in Heraklion for our 3 1/2 ferry ride across to Naxos. The seas are a bit up at the moment and the wind is strong, so it shapes to be an interesting voyage.

One more edition to come – from Naxos where we get to celebrate Karen’s birthday, with a day on a charter yacht, now weather permitting I guess. Then it’s Athens and home. Not happy about that.

To see more of our fantastic pics of Crete just click on this link

L8r friends….