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Crete - Hellas On Wheels, The Motorcycle Diaries 1
Entry 61 of 235 | show all | print this entry |
The Great Motorcycle Journies of All Time....
Steve McQueen in the 1963 film 'The Great Escape'
Dennis Hopper and Peter Fonda in the film 'Easy Rider'
Gael Garcia Bennal as Che Guevara in the 2004 film 'The Motorcycle Diaries'
Erik Estrada as Officer Francis L. Poncherello (Ponch) in the TV series 'CHiPs'
Evil Knievel crashes in 1968, attempting to jump the Caeser's Palace fountains
(ok that last one is a bad bad bad analogy...)
After a decent pre-adventure breakfast, and storage of my main backpack, I walked down to the rental shop to pick up my motorcycle.
It is an 80cc Piaggo 'Typhoon'. I picked it because it is a beautiful piece of scooter machinery, and because the 50cc Piaggo 'Isolated Showers Clearing', which was more my speed, wasn't available. The owners told me that it has more power, but be careful. They should perhaps be more worried that I will under-rev it to the point where it shuts down from sheer embarrassment.
I have ridden bikes before. Vietnam, Thailand, and now Greece. Unlike many other tourists that you see around the traps (sporting large bandages, crutches and limps from obvious mishaps due to temporary brain malfunction and over-confidence on the unfamiliar) I do have an underlying fear of being killed from my own stupidity and an overwhelming sense for personal safety - hence I intend to drive slow and sensible like always. But still have fun.
The father and son team strapped my small pack to the back of the Bike with the traditional method, the Occy Strap, handed me a map, wished me well, and pointed me to the main coast road out of Hareklion towards the west. I am off - off to see the world, or just Crete, which ever comes first.
Insert suitable joke about 'wind in the hair', or lack thereof, here.
This is what I imagined some of this trip would be like. If you are going to travel around the world solo, then this is the solo way to do it, even if only for a week.
It only takes a few minutes to get used to the Bike, through the back streets of Hareklion. Soon enough I am on the coast highway, heading west towards Rethymno. The drivers are relatively friendly, steering clear of me as I sit on the shoulder. I am sitting on 60, but they are sitting on 80 and above. One thing I am quickly learning is that when bugs hit your face and neck at 60kph, it sure as hell stings. Poor little buggers, I assume its worse for them hitting me....
The coastal countryside in Crete is exceptional. Emerald green and blue seas, high yellow and grey mountains, olive groves, fruit trees, sunshine.... Then you cruise through small Greek villages.
I stopped in Bali on the way through. Somehow a Cretan town shares the name of an Indonesian island. It is a beach town, amongst many.
Back on the road to Rethymno, it doesn't take long before I cruise into town and fight my way through the city traffic. Throw in the odd dead end and one way street and it is a little on the nerve-wracking side, as you don't want to upset the locals by cruising a street the long way. The street signs here are a mass of confusion. I have no idea where I am, but I park the Bike and wander into the old town. Soon enough I find Olga's Pension, and the friendly folk check me in.
After a brief orientation of the old town of Rethymno, I headed out to the beach. Rethymno is a bit of a resort town, and it is the peak season.
At night the town comes alive as the shops re-open after siesta, and the crowds throng. I stopped for Gyros while a crowd of locals walked the streets singing traditional songs. It is a once-a-year happening apparently. They are doing their annual singing of praises to their Rethymno ancestors.
Stella's Restaurant is downstairs from the Pension. Stella owns the place and the Pension with husband George. She is the busiest lady in all of Crete and serves a mean pancake. It is fantastic to find some hospitable pension owners. They are overly helpful, which is a pleasant change.
In the morning I visited the town's Fortezza - the Ventian Fort. It was built in the late 1500's. The walls and views remain, as do dozens of cans and water bottles. It is not so pleasant here so I don't stay long. Instead I hit the road heading south towards the coast, and the town of Plakias.
The ride south from central Crete is a marvel. Halfway there is an enormous Canyon. It acts as a wind tunnel, nearly blowing you off the Bike and sucking your helmet off at the same time. It feels like the vacuum effect is going to take your brain with it. Soon enough you can see the coast. I stopped at Prevali, which has a monument to those Crete Christians who helped Allied Forces (including Australians) during WWII, against the Nazis. The Abbots themselves actually took to arms at that time. Just around the corner is the Monastery from where they came.
Plakias is another resort town, but this time on the more subdued waters of the south of Crete. After a bite I took to the sea for a swim, forgoing the obligatory hour-or-your-get-stomach-cramps-crock and hitting the water for some laps. I have never ever in my travels seen water any cleaner or clearer. The sand wasn't golden but the water was sheer crystal and pristine. My great tan (well great for me), still not as good as the others around me, gets another working over.
I cruised back towards Rethymno, stopping in the town of Spili for a look see. It is an easy journey on the Bike, as my confidence has gained, yet my fear of death continues so I'm still playing it safe. Back in town it is time to wander more and grab some food.
The Greek Salad in Greece is like no other Greek Salad on earth. Makes sense really. It is all in the Fetta. Now I must admit I was never a fan of the stuff ay home, refusing it on many occasions, saying I didn't eat it. But I have taken to it in Greece. You get a large square chunk covered in Oregano which you break down, then drizzle with vinegar and oil. Hell(as), it is good.
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