A few days ago I found my memory wandering back to a trip I took to Crete, some years ago now.
I had a particular interest in visiting a lovely small town called Tzermiado - it is on the plateau of Lassithi, surrounded by windmills. A friend and I stayed a night in a delightful pension there and had a wonderful time, making the acquaintance of the restaurant owner where we had supper.
I had been talking to him about John Pendlebury, the British fighter who had stayed behind to lead the resistance after the British pulled out of Crete during the Second World War. “Blebbery!” the young owner exclaimed – that was the name the Greeks had called him. Off he raced home to collect an old calendar that I just had to have (it had an old wartime photo of Pendlebury) leaving us in charge of the restaurant…only in Greece! I have the calendar still, all these years later…
We also took an absolutely unforgettable drive between Moni-Preveli/ Plakias/ and Frangokastello. Sheep milled about in the road, heads bending with the weight of the bells around their necks that tinkled as they walked.
We saw endless vistas of calm sea below, broken only by the wake of an occasional boat. Olive trees grow right down to the road, with black nets tied under them to gather the falling fruit. It was 25 degrees in early May and we didn't see another tourist all day.
Legend has it that at a certain time of the year ghosts walk the beach of Frangokastello. We had lunch on a painted, upturned wheel right on the sandy beach - but sadly no ghost sightings that day...!
The road from Vouvas is eye-popping: you look down on the road curling beneath you like a snake. As we spun by we noticed that lovely white villages have signs out with rooms to rent - note to self - come back and stay there!
We saw lots of lovely little churches with red Byzantine-looking cupolas, not the usual Greek blue domes - a hangover from when the Turks ruled. To view a really lovely Byzantine church close up we drove down a green, green narrow little lane with just two faint tyre tracks, lined with poppies and blue thistles. So narrow was it that we had to push the car mirror flat against the side of the car to get through to the church.
Cypress trees dotted the landscape like exclamation marks and the air was heavy with the smell of sage and rosemary. There were oleander trees in bloom everywhere, outlined against the blue, blue sea below...We caught glimpses of goats, perched on high mountain crags, gazing down at us from dizzy heights and eagles soared way above our heads. Once we rounded a corner and found three large exclamation marks painted in the middle of the road...someone with a wicked sense of humour!
These are the things one never forgets – are you planning a trip to Crete this summer? I am, and I am like a child again, virtually counting sleeps!
Best wishes with your travel plans – do let me know where and when you are planning to go…
Carol
The Overseas Guides Company
http://www.Greecebuyingguide.com
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