Hotel Caretta Beach Chania

... invasion, mainly in May 1941. Alison’s father, Arch, fought in these battles, and was captured, spending most of the war in prison camps.

The city of Chania is on the sea with a beautiful Venetian waterfront, with lots of cafes (including a great gelateria with delicious sorbets) – our lunch included whitebait (which seemed to be battered sardines) in a café set in lovely surroundings – an old soap factory built ...

... area and headed back in the opposite direction – when we got off the highway onto a rutted lane we asked where the old road was and eventually got onto it. Using our method of hugging the shoulder we managed to find the Leoniki Residence, which did not look much like the photos, but is pleasant enough. The desk clerk tried to sell us on the merits of buying half board – breakfast and dinner each day. But at €19.90 ...

... necessary as well, as the sun gets brutally hot in the gorge as the day gets later. Along the way, there were some cool curiousities such as abandoned settlements and ruined stone buildings. Apparently the Samaria Gorge was also a key place for refugees to escape to during the battle of Crete. We caught sight of a couple mountain goats, this breed being one that apparently only lives in Samaria Gorge. Another fixture of the hike was the donkey station ...

... stores with an underwhelming waterfront. We were glad in a way that we had gone though, if only to affirm that Chania was the best city to stay in. We got back to Chania for another late dinner -people eat so freaking late in Europe...I even saw a woman in sequinned booty shorts pushing a baby carriage around 11pm. Anyway, we went to bed early, but still dead tired, to get up for the 7:30am bus to Samaria Gorge.

... 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 ...

... arrived! with YES YUMMY chocolate breasts! yes I know strange but seemingly perfect to our strange situation of people from last year and a new mistmatch of people from this year and previous years! OH and by the way the boobs were DELICIOUS!!!!! YUMMM!!! In the next few days Julia the crazy German pronounced YULIA will be arriving! and perhaps Marcus who last year showered me in rose petals while I was sleeping (not creepily might I ad!) SO almost the whole ...

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 ...

... sitting here :o) It took quite a feet to get here though. I Malame we had to wait at leats an hour for our bus. Every busdriver that passed in a bus said "the next bus!" We wondered if we ust imagined reading about the bus to Kastelli. We wlaked to the next bus station when - finally- a helpful man from the bus told us it wouldn't be here for another 20 minutes.

... rulers of the greatest civilization before much of their cities were destroyed at the height of their power by the Santorini volcanic eruption and subsequent tsunami. The Palace was discovered and excavated over 100 years ago. Many portions have been reconstructed to give visitors an idea of what the palace once looked like. On the one hand, it's nice to actually see buildings and rooms with copies of some of the frescos rather than just ...