Creta Royal Rethymnon

... to be more restricted than my previous visit 25 years earlier. Access is not allowed today in many of the rooms and areas I previously visited. The restored frescoes of dolphins, charging bulls and other scenes were still worth seeing again and one could not help but marvel at the ingenious and lavish nature of the ancient Minoan civilization. The most spectacular piece of palace architecture is the grand staircase, leading to domestic apartments. Here ...

... the bus (3 hour journey) to the town near where we were booked in for two nights. We arrived in the town, Chania, to discover there were no buses to anywhere near our hotel and we would have to catch a taxi. To complicate matters, Mark discovered that we had lost the credit card. Big Bugger. We managed to scrape together enough cash to pay for the taxi to our apartment / hotel room, which was LOVELY, but unfortunately in the MIDDLE OF NOWHERE! No cafes, no ...

... timorous drive east from the airport on Saturday, hugging the side of the road and shuddering every time a truck overtook at speed in no passing areas. We met a couple from New Zealand (he was born in Invercargill) who were also in Crete for a week and they both remarked on the terrifying driving habits of the Cretans.

Dinner that night was more leisurely than usual – grapes, local bread, fetta and emmental cheeses, tomatoes ...

... from the airport and home of the Prince of Lillies, the hotel we have booked for the night before we fly from Iraklio to Athens. We bought petrol down the road from it, avoiding a dog and cat that were intimately entwined on the forecourt, and decided to eat at the Prince of Lillies restaurant when we were able to park there. The meal was fine and accompanied by a bouzouki player. The trip back to the airport was much longer – we ...

... Greek buses-my neck actually kept whipping up as I slept on a later bus to Heraklion. Needless to say, I will not miss Greek public transportation). Once we got to the top of the mountain, we got out of the bus only to be assailed by a lot of unpleasant wind. Some ***** who we dubbed the Last of the Samarians kept making us move to the back of the line because Courtney hadn't put her sneakers on yet. Then we were finally off on the part of the Greece trip ...

We ended up taking a bus to a town called Rethmynos to see this big old fortress with a mosque and a church within it, overlooking the water. It was interesting enough, but then we headed to the main part of town, which our "trusty" Lonely Planet had referred to as the second most charming city in Crete. I can only come to the conclusion that Crete is full of some **** cities. It was a weird ghost town full of ...

... i want some new greek sandals!!! I am taking the over ngiht ferry to Athens on thursday arrivi9ng at 6 AM aghhhh I am going to ehad over to the hostel right away and leave my bag there I am so excited to walk down the streets I walked for 5 weeks and to smell the smells and to eat the food and to see if I recognize anyone!

I am getting so ridiculously excited to come home!!!! YAYYYY!!! I am ready now ...

... have a conversation with me at whatever time in the morning while I am hung as **** trying to brush my teeth in order to just go back to bed. so ok I will indulge him but then he gets a little creepy- "are you here alone?" I of course answer yeah! then think oh **** uhhh kind of alone?? I came by myself but am meeting up with friends from last year all the while brushing my teeth spitting as I speak the poor mirror has a fresh snow white look to it and he walks away ...

... me miss him. I haven't talked to him since we left on the Crete excursion. He would have enjoyed this trip. The bus driver started chuckling, and I noticed there was a convertible in front of us. The woman in the passenger seat seemed to be drying a white pair of pants by holding them above her head and letting them billow behind her in the wind. Oh dear.

To my little sister

- And jealous? :p Oh we really should have brought Ollie with us - so many cats to play with! What do you think mum & Babe would think if I brought one (Cesar) home? *g* Lots of love from sunny Crete

Sis & Eve

~*~

To Tini

-As promised a card from our next destination. Still on crete but 2,5 hours further on ...