Greece Day 11 Heraklion / Chania

Toady started off with temperature at 8am at 30 Deg with sun shining and not a cloud in the sky. We all met downs stairs for breakfast which was a buffet of local greek fair which the Cretans are famous for. Tellie was arriving at 9am with our limousine. With a beep of the horn we jump out and see this tiny little some how 7 seater van called the Diabalo (devil). All 7 of us clamber in like seven clowns in a mini at a circus. All tucked in off we went to our destination Rethymnon a great little Venetian port from the 15th century with tiny little streets not big enough for a car but big enough for a donkey. Lots and lots of shops for holiday trinkets when you buy always seem to a good idea until you get back to the hotel room and check out the loot. We have a beer ( i have a beer  its now 33 deg) watch fish eat bread the the restaurants throw into the water ,so that patrons can sit there memorised and order more beer (It worked for me i could have stayed there all day).

We head off onto our new destination which a magnificent drive along the coast up down mountains I didn't realise how big they are on the Island until i got here. Chania which is the second biggest town in Crete and is also Lovely Venetian Port we dropped our bags off and took off the Australian war Cemetery  i  was looking forward to this, we didn't have time to go to Gallipoli we thought that it would be patriotic duty to visit these war graves. On arrival Basil wasn't convinced this was right place as he had been 20 years prior. Basil and I with Chrissy and Voula Following start the walk up the steep hill as we get to the top we discover that it is the German (nazi) war memorial cemetery, we could not have got it more wrong so we are going tomorrow to our one.

Lee lee i bought Yanni the Goat a friend to help keep the grass down on the Island (yes i named him) and to keep him company meet Spiro the Donkey.
Donkey Fact : they can live as long as humans 80 years
 I also think Sprios got a few miles on him. 

From there we go to what is known to be one of the top 10 beaches in the world Falasarna on arrival the colour of the water is almost without colour, it is that clear just like looking through a glass of drinking water, and i believe famous people from around the would frequent this gorgeous place, one i recognised was the model you see in all the mags with the gap between her teeth, so i couldn't help myself and took a photo she is the one laying down on the banana lounge. So without a second of  delay (or maybe 1 to take a photo) Tellie Efthimi and i jump in for a swim WOW it was warm clear and sensational Voula jumps in and then Chrissy attempts to come in but was quickly frightened off by the ripples in the water saying that the waves were to big so she retreated the banana lounges , Basil and Dad were having a beer at the Taverna on the beach,were after our swim came up and joined them for a couple of refreshments. Great afternoon now it was time to eat .

We go off to this tiny little fishing village just out side Kissamos and straight into this great little restaurant on the edge of the harbour, just like something out of a movie. We are greeted by our waitress who is also the daughter of the lady that owns it and still cooks in the kitchen every day.
Well i would have to say that Cretan food is by far the best that Grecce has to offer. Before we order she takes Basil and I into the Kitchen to show us the fish, fresh snapper Nanagye red mullet and sword fish, well if dad had of said he hated fish tonight a had a hole snapper locked and loaded. We then proceeded to order 843 different dishes which never seemed to finish, far to many to mention but all were exceptional. After a little while Dad wanted Baclava and asked the young lady, but she didn't have any. But seeming we were pretty good customers she ran in to town but could only find Kataifi and Galatoubouriko the old man smashed the Kataifi. Great night and a very funny one.

I hate to leave on a bad note but on the way back Chania Voula got a call and was informed that     Theo Nicholas Tripped over coming into his building and broke his hip, Voula is on the first flight out in the morning, I will find out more and let you know how he is progressing (say a little prayer for him). Speak to you soon

 

Greece Day 10 Istanbul/Crete

Early morning start 4am wake up call from the concierge, the old man gets cracking with his normal routine, we have 7.40am flight to catch to Athens then a 3hr wait for a connecting flight to Heraklion Crete where the others will have been waiting for us. Glorious morning at 6am 25 deg with a beautiful sunrise over Istanbul airport not sure if i was supposed to take a photo not until i got tackled to the ground by Mustafa I realised that it was frowned upon,still got the shot and it was in the back. Make our way on the plane for a lovely 1hr flight until i got on the plane and had to sit next to a couple of Greek Hippy Gypsies who hadn't had a shower in a month and proceeded to fart and burp his way through the flight, until they move to the free seats in front of me , thank God I could see the nits pole vaulting from his head.

We arrive at Athens airport check out of customs to transfer on a domestic flight dad has fight with the check in chic about her wanting to slug me 10 Euros for excess baggage you can argue to you are blue in the face but they wont back down, i said to Dad come for 10 Euros your going to sit here and argue, but he seems to think that because he hasn't experienced it in Australia it shouldn't happen in Greece. To cut along story short we pay the 10 euros i never get back that 20mins of life back and move on through the departures, were they are pulling anyone that looks like a gypsy, a young man in front of us got pulled up by security  the were ripping through "this is not you who is it " as they were looking his ID, the man he was travelling with quickly walked away and didnt want anything to do with the young man, up no good i think, any way about to jump on flight to Crete.

We get into Crete a little late as our flight was delayed, dad and i jumped straight into a Taxi and headed for Lato Boutique hotel we we met Chrissy and Voula for a drink on the roof top bar with a beautiful view of the old byzantine port what a great looking place. From there we decided that we would go to the oldest organised civilisation which is called the Minoan times and is  3700 years old it had running water ,rain water drains with filters for drinking water and a proper sewage system, as an x plumber I've seen houses in new estates that have less amenities, any way it was 35 deg and we are walking around old ruins it was bloody hot. The guide leeds us into this room that has some old frescos of maiden dancing, processions of food offerings and one that stood out like dogs you know whats it is called the bull with the golden balls I mean horns, look at the picture and decide for yourself.

The bull with the golden ___________  I will let you finish it ( i think his a prize bull)

From there we jumped into a taxi went back to hotel got ready and met the rest out for a drink in the old Venetian square with a beautiful fountain in the middle of it ,very pretty from there headed out for dinner lovely food good drink great company we all called it a night as we all had early mornings and Im up watching 3 men playing the bazoukia and they sound pretty good, geez if stay here any longer they will give me a pension. Good night speak to you soon.  

 

Greece Day 9 Istanbul

Today we started off by deciding that instead of of going off the beaten track that we would stay right in the middle of the tourist one.

We were picked up from our hotel by a bus that by physics shouldn't fit down these streets in the old town, well thats were the trip began with 300 hundred stops picking up what felt like 400 lucky travellers, we then boarded a boat that Afghan refugees wouldn't board in Indonesia, and headed out along the Golden Horn ( I bet Fraud would some thing to say about that ) to the Bosphurus straight, where we we cruised up the straight on the European side lots of Palaces, what I cant understand is that when one Sultan dies the new one doesn't move into the  Old Sultans Palace, no he builds a bigger one. A few have been turn into Hotels a couple museums and Universities. We move further up the straight towards the Dead Sea, get to the second bridge and turn around narrowly missing Captain Ahmet and his cousin Mamet on our way back to the Istanbul on the Asian side. The houses are predominately made of wood because of the amount of earth quakes (i thought i felt one at about 3am this morning but it was only the old mad man realising pressure from his own fault line) and 96% humidity and the ones on the water range in price from $1million USD to $50millionUSD. At this stage the boat slows down and the tour guide grabs the microphone and announces in no less the 15 languages that there was going to have traditional turkish dancing. A couple of the old folk who are seasoned tourers got a little excited( clapping giggling) .

The dancers come up top i recognised a couple of them straight away one being the young man who cast the boat away and the other the Captain(As you can see from one of the photos he should have been behind the wheel with a near miss avoided he danced on) like a well oiled dance troop that only practice once every leap year showed us a knife dance, where they dropped the knife half a dozen times almost stabbing them selves in the foot, the 2 girls ran into each almost a keystone cops style from that dancing with the stars like performance we head back to dock and a round of applause to the captain ( i thought only given to the pilots of Olympic Airways ). We disembark the SS Minnow and head back on the bus for the rest of the tour . The tour operated told us that we were going to go to the highest point in Istanbul, Pierre Loti, take some photos and catch a cable cart down the mountain . Then back on the bus for all the normal stuff theres the old wall built by the Byzantines, Hagia Sophia also built by them Blue Mosque you get the drift and then in the next she says OK we stop here for a fashion show WT( ) !!!!!! ( Mum i wont translate this one for you ) You can just imagine Dad, the expression on his face it looked like Carlton losing a Grand Final to Collingwood by a point.

I think he accidentally stabbed some one












You can see how close the ship is in the background

The cable cart had a Cemetery under it, i think the Indian Couple didn't appreciated my humour when i said that if the cable broke we wouldn't have to travel to far.





We Stop at this department store obviously set for tourists on tours and cruise ships, I was half expecting to go to a persian rug place but not a Fashion Parade, I don't what this has any thing to with Istanbul but i will try every thing twice, we were then ushered through to this room with a cat walk ,on came the music, the leather jackets came out (maybe pleather) the Turkish super models strut there stuff, ladies newest fashion tip from the Turkish couture is reservable leather jackets ,yes you heard first from me the fashion Guru RESERVABLE. The second the show was over we were out of there.


Yes Reservable 
















We get dropped off at the main square were we have a quick bite and head off by tram to the spice market, we jumped off the tram and walk through the underpass where there are a 100 stores filled with crap, well Lee Lee, i can see where Liv gets her Chinnese' taste from, Poppie, he was attracted to it like a magnet to metal mum when you mean trinkets you don't mean (if any of you have been to the Victoria Market) the little soldier crawling and shooting the spinning weasel and ball (i think that hypnotised him). I quickly grabbed him and we followed our nose off the Spice Market you can smell it a mile away. Once you get in the old building the colours are mind blowing every spice for all corners of the Orient and Middle East as this is where the spice road leads you to. Had a look around there and then Headed up to Taksim Square district where it was believed a lot the Greeks Lived before they were kicked out by The Turks early last century. This area which is situated on the other side of the Golden Horn (Its funny i know or am i the only that laughs when you say it). Lee Lee you would love this district, its a shopping strip which is very wide and meanders down the hill towards Galatat Tower Built in the 14 hundreds by a Sultan, its about 3 kms long and full all your the brands you love expensive and not so expensive, peppered with large department stores the street and architecture is a lot like the French.






Old timber houses beside the main square

Lee Lee this ones for you beautiful Figs and Turkish delight heaven



























We stopped as Dad was fretting that he hadn't eaten a baclava from this district, so only for you lot home we both sat down like 2 gagsters about to play Russian Roulette filled the table up with sweets and apple tea, i don't have to tell what the smile looked like on the old mans face as he dived into the first plate. One minute later the old man realised that it was his last day of Syrup Heaven for Turkey, he wipes what i call tears but on reflection, he was really ploughing through those sweets it  could have been sweat.






Taksim square







MMMMMM SYRUP
(please don't tell your mum)














Fair avaiders 






Galata Tower














Form there we caught a Taksi  (taxi i speak turkish now) head back to the hotel need an early night wake up call at 4am to fly to Crete. I hope you enjoyed Turkey, it is one of those must see places looking forward to coming back. Speak to you soon.