Petra Village Apartments Hersonissos

... and we had about one hour before the ship was scheduled to sail at 8 pm. Sandra was nursing a cold (blame the bus air conditioning), so she headed back to the ship with David and Holly while the rest of us strolled the shops that were still open. I found a couple of reasonable souvenirs among the stores offering traditional Cretan artwork, copies of pieces from different archaeological museums, jewelry and embroidery. And Yahoo! I found an ATM ...

... were looking up! <br><br>We found a decent looking place to stay in (Kastro Hotel) on hostelbookers.com and opted to wander around there to see if we could get it a bit cheaper than on the net. Unfortunately, the map on the net wasn't correct and we ended up doing bog laps around Heraklion for AGES in the rain with our backpacks looking for the damn place. Every time we asked someone where it was they pointed us in another direction. I mean, if you don't know ...

... local sausages from Rethmyio rounded out our meal. After some false starts looking for the bus station, we had a hot slow bus trip out to Knossos, the vast Minoan palace excavated and somewhat Disnified by Arthur Evans in the 1900s. That palace dates from 1700-1400 BC and is a large structure of 1300 rooms. The palace is known for its frescoes, labyrinthian ways, Minoan columns, and frescoes. It also contains the earliest ...

... Greek story tellers - the Minoans were highly organized and technologically advanced some 4000 years ago, and well before the Greeks. The palace grounds were bought from the Turks in 1900, by a British archaeologist, Harold Evans, and he spent the next 35 years investigating and restoring (controversially) the ruins. Well done Evans and another yah boo sucks to Lord Elgin. <br><br>We went to one of the beach front bars near Leoniki Residence for cocktails. The view at ...

... especially now that I am listening to Ave Maria on my iPod - the song I want to be married on, It makes me feel so calm, so peaceful. There are no words.<br><br>Holly

... ago whemn it said it was still delayed! So we rushed towards our gate (of course first through security) and me making some impressive acrobatic moves trying not to fall with my slippery flipflops on the marble stones. But we made it and are now on our way to Crete! I think that's all for now. Oh I just spend £2,- on a cup of tea! How expensive can it be?!<br><br>Holly<br>

Just finished reading Portraits by Cynthia Freeman. Makes me feel even more grateful for my family. I must be one of the luckiest girls around to have a family who love and support me.

Went out to dinner last night. Nicky &amp; Graham had given us a lovely card which us a great trip and £40! for us to spend so that we at least are able to go to dinner once - so that's what we did. We walked down to town. It's a pretty place build around teh bay with here and there a fisher's boat resting in the sea. Seeing all the restaurants we were afraid (well that's not really the right word but you know what I mean) of being hassled by every restaurand emplyee ...

... exhausted on our bed.<br><br>Being so very hot we changed into our bikinis and with our big bags of this and that -books, puzzles, Lonely Planet, paper, pen, iPod etc- we went down to the swimming pool. How come it's so difficult to find the courage to just into the pool?? Sitting on the edge with your legs dangling in the water is one thing, but to make the jump is quite another feet.. <br><br>Holly<br>

The sun going down over the moutains, the soft hush of the air conditioning, a beautiful view over Agia Pelagia and kittens playing under the olive trees. We arrived at our villa. We are still wet from the swimmingpool and smell of chlorine. It is more ;like a holiday so far eventhough it was quite a feet to get here. <br><br>Being 'hassled' by taxi drivers as soon as we ...