Cathy in Crete

Hello from Cathy. I took a 3 hour ferry from Santorini to the island of Crete, the biggest of the Greek islands and most southernly (I think). The biggest city on Crete is Iraklio (also called Herklion), and I stayed there just long enough to do the two things I planned on: see the ancient ruins at Knossos and go through the Archeological Museum. So glad I did both of these.

The Knossos ruins date back to the Minoan civilization, which pre-date Mycenean and Classical Greek civilizations. I was there very early in the day, avoiding the huge crowds that arrived as I was leaving. I was allowed to join a college student tour by a retired Archeology professor from Sacramento, California. Superb information that made the whole site come alive! This was the beginning of a semester's study in Greece. In return I took group photos for them on about 8 different cameras. A win-win deal.

Later the same day, I took a 3 hour bus ride with scenic views along the northern coast of Crete to the city of Hania, talking the whole way with a nifty woman from England who is hiking/back-packing off the beaten trails in rural Crete, and got off the bus about 25 miles before we got to Hania.

The city of Hania is lovely! I am spending a restful two days strolling the streets and passageways, going to museums, etc. The island of Crete has an interesting history, being governed over the centuries by Turks, Venetians, and Germans (during World War II) to name a few. The old harbor area definitely shows the Venetian and Turkish influence.

There is a lighthouse at the end of a narrow, curving spit of land that curls around the harbor area. I walked out to the lighthouse today, doing my best to avoid the waves that crash over the walkway. My feet got a bit wet, but I'm no worse for the adventure. I got some great pictures, too.

Tomorrow night I board the ferry in Hania at 11:45 pm and go to sleep in a berth, to awaken in Athens on Tuesday morning. The few times I've taken overnight trains have been fun, so I'm really looking forward to this experience. In the meantime, I plan to continue enjoying the beautiful city of Hania.