Three Days in One - All Good Things Must End

Dear Faithful,

The days are winding down here in Crete just as things are turning very warm. Our thoughts are now beginning to turn to the practicalities of life: getting clothes cleaned, packing, picking up a few souvenirs, etc. We will leave on Tuesday morning, June 14 for Athens and spend the night near the airport before catching a flight to Munich and on to Los Angeles (about a 12 hour flight!). Thus the break in the comfort of a Holiday Inn at the airport before folding ourselves into the discomfort of an Airbus for the long trip home.

The last 3 days we have been trying to see some places and enjoy our last meals at some of our favorite tavernas. Wednesday we decided to return to Moclos, the little seaside resort about an hour to the east.


We returned to the same little taverna that we had so enjoyed a week or so ago. The owner provided us with some white wine while we waited for the next supply of fresh fish to come in.


Along with some rock lobsters



Talk about fresh! We enjoyed a Greek Salad with a bit of a twist, having added some greens, some sort of herb (we asked the owner what it was and he refused to give us the name and said, “Just eat it!”) and green onions instead of sliced red onion. It was good and we ate it! Also we had some small fish, anchovies, fried. Delicious! On the drive back we passed the well-known archeological site of Gournia, the best preserved Minoan site on the island, about 3000 BC.



Having traveled on Wednesday, Thursday was a stay at home day. It was very hot, some we stayed by the pool for a bit, but even that was quite warm. However, that evening we went back to a taverna we have enjoyed a couple of times, Neromilos. This night they were featuring live Greek music. We got there about 8 and the place was packed. They were kind enough to set up an extra table for us and just in time as they were soon turning people away. The music was not anything special, but the atmosphere and we later learned that we were a part of the social event of Sisi, at least for the week. I captured a bit of the fun on video and you can see the owner, the broad-shouldered woman in the black tank top dancing with her daughter and a friend.



It was wild and we later learned that the little place had served 95 dinners that night! When we arrived home, about 11:30, our hosts were waiting up, like mom and dad, worried about what might have happened to us. Crete roads are very dangerous and even more so at night. There were beginning to realize their worst fears about our fate, when we arrived. Of course, we were then invited up to enjoy a nightcap. It was about 1:30 in the morning when Polley and I fell into bed.

Friday we headed for a look at the largest city in Crete, Iraklio(n), about 40 kilometers west of Sisi. It is a big city, at least for Crete and we wandered about a bit, but found a place to park and then just strolled about for a couple of hours. There is a large Venetian fortress at the Port



And a lot of older building along a pedestrian walkway.





WE eventually found ourselves in Freedom Square, which seems to be Creten speakers square. We found a taverna and just sat and watched life go by in this bustling small city.

That evening we went back to Remezzo’s for one of their pizzas. Friday there is live music so that was part of the motivation. About 9 pm it started and, like the night before at Neromilos, it was crowded. A particularly enthusiastic group of Eastern Europeans (I believe) really got into “Take Me Home Country Roads.” I caught a bit on video so that you could sense the atmosphere.



WE have certainly enjoyed our time here and are already talking about returning next year, but most likely later in the summer, late August or early September. The accommodations are terrific and Angela and Stuart have been wonderful hosts. We plan to take them to dinner on our last evening in Crete, Monday, before bidding them adieu early on Tuesday morning. This will like be the last blog as we need to turn our attention to make final plans for departure. I am going to do a brief video of our apartment and the grounds so that those of you interested in a trip here can get a sense of their place and of the surrounding grounds. Well worth a visit.

Best to all.

Ed and Polley

Lunchin' with the Lepers

Dear Friends and Family,

We are into our last week on Crete and the weather had definitely changed. Mornings are warm and the days just keep getting warmer. Sea breezes keep it tolerable, but when I walk in the mornings, between 8 and 9 usually, I come back completely drenched. Fortunately, there is pool to dive into and so quickly all is right with the world.

Sunday, Polley and I took our second field trip. We headed out east again, but as we reach the sea at Agio Nikolaos we turned north for the towns of Elounda and Plaka. From the guide book, Elounda is the most expensive resort town in Crete.


You actually wouldn’t know that without reading about it. It is lovely, but there are endless lovely beach towns in Crete. We continued to climb and were able to look back toward Elounda




However, with the warning about its being expensive, needless to say, we drove straight through and continued north to Plaka, a much smaller village that is about 10 miles or so further north. The notoriety for Plaka is that it was for much of the first half of the 20th century, directly across from Spinalonga, the leper colony for the Greeks.


Actually, I am reading a novel about Spinalonga that our hostess, Angela, gave me. Spinalonga began as a Venetian fortification and was eventually in the hands of the Turks. In the early 20th century the Greeks established the leper colony there and it operated until 1957, by which time they had found a cure for leprosy.

While you can take boat trips out to Spinalonga, we opted for sitting at a lovely little taverna directly across from the island. There is really nothing there but the crumbling buildings from a bygone era. It was also a very hot afternoon and the island is completely exposed. Over our glass of wine and some lunch, we watched the small tour boats come and go from the pier


to the island.


It truly is a lovely setting. Unfortunately, it was a disappointing lunch. Obviously, it was tourist fare and had little flavor. As I told Polley, when you have to salt your feta, there is definitely something wrong. We did enjoy sitting there, however, and when a French couple behind us ordered lobster (at 85 euro a kilo), we watched the fellow and a kitchen girl go down to the sea and pull two out to bring up and grill.



Following a forgettable lunch (when in Plaka, avoid Delphini’s), we decided to head still further north and go nearly to the end of the road and return via some old roads that offered some great views of the coast. We headed up the hills out of Plaka, looking back on the desolate island (except for tourists) of Spinalonga.





We passed through tiny little village, if you are able to call them that. It felt very much like trips we had taken to the very north of Scotland where for miles and miles you are the only car on the road. At some point, we were not the only car on the road as a pickup truck, no doubt driven by a Crazy Creten, came flying around a corner and for the first time in many years, I truly thought that Polley and I could experience our demise on a desolate Cretan road. At the last second, the driver got the truck under control and flew past us. Our mortality seemed to be a constant back seat passenger for the remainder of the journey.

We got home quite tired. The constant hairpin turns and shifting gears is exhausting. Siesta time!. We then went down to our internet bar and just relaxed by the harbor for about an hour and a half. An idyllic evening with just the hint of moving air. Then it was home for dinner in as we had a refrigerator full of restaurant leftovers. It will be a quiet day tomorrow where we will just be thankful there will be a tomorrow.

As predicted, Tuesday was quiet. It started very quiet for when we awoke we had no electricity. That actually went on for 8 hours! So it was coffee from very warm tap water. We enjoyed the pool in morning as there was little other choice. Our apartment has an electric gate so we were not able to really even leave the compound until Stuart hand-cranked the gate around 11 in the morning. Polley and I went into town for a glass of wine about noon and tried a new little place called The Cactus Pub. This took us back to a bar in Toulouse called Le Cactu which was about the only place near us then that you could get a drink on a Sunday. It was a nice little spot right on the harbor and was run by a Scots woman from Edinburgh. The rest of the day was the usual: lunch, siesta, pool. We went in to Sisi for our ouzo fix around 6:30. Also caught up on e-mails before going to dinner. We returned to Neromilos, the little taverna that we enjoyed the first night. It has a lovely garden setting and the husband and wife that run it re very nice; and the food is very good. We had a little tzatziki (we always try each place in terms of that starter), and then had Stifado which is a beef stew in a tomato sauce made with plenty of onions, wine and a bit of cumin. It was to die for! Then is was home for us to die. Not a hard day, but the day after travel is always tough. This may call for two days off before our next excursion.

Ed and Polley

Easterly Excursion

Family, friends and the uninvited,

WE continue to get to know our way around Crete. Actually, we continue to get to know our way around Sisi, a beach village of 1400 actual residents and the rest, albino, beached whales looking for a bit of color. I did make a major discovery on my walk yesterday morning, two, yes count them two more WiFi spots within the village. Our plan is to try one of them this evening as the place we have been using, although they have been very kind , is a restaurant and it always seems a bit crass to come in and use the WiFi for a 3 euro glass of wine. It is interesting that we would not think a thing of using it at home for a 3 dollar cup of coffee. Having said that, I think I can feel the guilt already beginning to fade!

We decided to take our first excursion today. We had told our hosts, Stuart and Angela, that we really wanted to avoid the typical beach towns (and on an island there are a lot of them!) and go to some places that are more traditionally Cretan (insert any of thousand Cretan play on words here). They actually enjoy the same thing and, thus, had a number of suggestions to make. We plan to spread them over the next week and a half that we are on the island.

Saturday we headed for Mochlos. This is a small beach village about an hour to an hour and a half east of where we are staying. WE started about 11 in the morning on the National Highway (that should tell you how many through-ways there on Crete. This was after filling the car with gas at $9.50 cents a gallon. Americans have little to complain about. Europeans, understandably so, have efficient small cars and in Greece many us motor bikes and scooters. We may be seeing the America of the future!.

After a fill-up (yamato!), we strted toward Aigos Nikolaus, a large resort town about 18 miles from us, right on the coast. From there we began to climb up some very dramatic hills (small mountains?) right along the Mediterranean. As we climbed the view was spectacular.






Beautiful clear water that seemed a gradation of nearly every shade of blue and green filled every bay as we wound our way up and up, passing through little towns from which one could launch oneself down to the sea.


After about 45 minutes we came to the turn off for Mochlos (also spelled Molos, and Moclos if any one cares to find it on the map (or Google). We wound our way along a narrow road for about 5 kilometers and suddenly were there. We made our way through the narrow streets of the little village, being lead along by the promise of public parking. We finally gave up on that and just found a place by the side of the sea.

Tucked into a little harbor



The village is little more than a series of tavernas, small hotels and vacation rentals.







We did not take much time to explore, as little time was needed. Things were very centrally located. Polley had an intuition about one of the half dozen places to eat and so we sat. The sun was shining, but as the taverna sat on a little point across from the harbor, it was a bit breezy. In order to hold down our wine glasses in the wind, we were forced to keep them full! Seafood was the main attraction of the places and as you can see from this fellow, Octopus was a featured delicacy.



Besides the wine, we had what the Greeks call “small fish.” These are actually anchovies, but sometimes you will find smelt as well on the menu.

I ordered the Matoli special (Matoli being one of the owners). It was a peeled bake potato, shaped like a little boat, that is filled with a spicy tomato-cheese sauce.

It was very good and I warn friends and family that it could end up on our dinner table sometime in the near future. We sat there for a couple of hours just enjoying the weather, the food and drink and the various tourists playing in the water. The drive back went quite quickly and we were home for a late siesta. A very nice afternoon.

Later we had an ouzo at a little bar called Ormos, where I had discovered the WiFi. It was a very powerful connection and will doubtless be our place of choice for an early evening cocktail. It is the perfect time for writing home as with the 10 hour time difference, Portland is just waking up as we are trying to decide where to eat. In fact, yesterday’s blog was sent from Ormos. Following the technological cocktail hour, we went an had a pizza at Remezzo’s. That is where we had first discovered WiFi in Sisi and we felt we owed them a dinner. WE had trouble deciding between a vegetarian pizza and one called Vesuvius, similar to the vegetarian but with the addition of generous drops of Tabasco. We ask if we might have half and half. This was a totally new concept to Sisi. But they were willing to try it and it was delicious. It may catch on in Crete!

So then it was home. I was very tired as the driving was quite physical what with the endless turns along the highway and down to Mochlos. It was good to force us to get out and explore. Our apartment is so comfortable with the pool that it is hard to pull ourselves away.

In fact, on Sunday our hosts told us they would be away for most of the day. A friend of theirs past away. The Greek tradition is to bury the person within two days and then 40 days after to have a kind of wake. That was what they were attending on Sunday. So, we had the place to ourselves. I went into the village and downloaded the Sunday New York Times and Polley and I lounged about the pool before going into Sisi for our glass of wine (alright, half liter!). We sat on the harbor side and watched boats come and go,along with three crazy ducks that swim about the harbor in formation, one while one in front, a black one in the middle and another white behind.




Back to the apartment for siesta and then back to the pool. About 6:30, we returned to Ormos for some ouzo and then to dinner at a newly discovered taverna, called Lafito. Very nice owner and a quaint little setting with this beautiful bougainvillea hanging in front.


We had some wonderful food: baked feta with capers, peppers, onion, and olive oil, some very good, tiny little dolmades (stuffed grape leaves) and their special of the night, which were just meatballs in tomato sauce. The meatballs, however, were wonderfully moist. All very good, but, of course, we couldn’t finish it and now have more in our refrigerator. It may have to be dinner in on Monday evening. We are planning a day trip on Monday, so I will bring you back news from that. Weather is continuing to warm up, about 80 yesterday. There is, however, a nice breeze that really does not make things uncomfortable. More later .

Ed and Polley

Family, friends and others,

Well, a couple of more days have slipped by and we are very much enjoying our time in Crete. We have done very little thus far as the first couple of days seem to be about settling in.


Our first day was devoted to trying to get some supplies in and locating a WiFi spot. The Sturgis’, Stuart and Angela, had put in some basic supplies for us. We had a loaf of bread, a half dozen eggs, some bacon, milk, juice, and coffee. At my request, they had added a couple of bottles of wine as well. So our immediate needs, at first glance, seemed satisfied. However, when in Greece, for us, there are a few more essentials: olives, olive oil, cheese, a bit of salami, and, of course, ouzo! So with a map that Angela provided, on Thursday we ventured into Sisi, the little beach village located about a mile and a quarter from our very quiet, rural setting. With a bit searching we located two markets, one quite well stocked We stopped for a glass of wine, right on the harbor where we watched the fisherman cleaning out and organizing their nets.


It was a lovely little harbor and we enjoyed the warmth of the people and the weather.


Alas, no indication of an internet location.

We returned home for some lunch and a siesta. We also added what I think will be a late afternoon ritual, taking a dip in the pool and reading on the deck. Crete sun is very intense, so there is certainly some risk being out in the hottest hours. However, the late afternoon is perfect and sort of perks you up for the evening.

Thursday night we first went back into Sisi to see if we had any better luck look for an internet connection. We discovered that the internet café that people had told us about was no our of business. So we just wandered around look for signs indicating WiFi. At the point of just about giving up, we discovered a restaurant, Remezzo’s that, indeed, had it. We went in for a drink and with some fiddling and everyone in the restaurant helping us, we made a connection. Remezzo’s mady be our daily watering-hole for the remainder of the visit.

After sorting through e-mails, we went back to the little roadside taverna where we had stopped to meet Angela to go to our apartment.. When we had stopped on Wednesday, the food looked so good, so we thought it was worth a chance. It is run by a couple, she does all the cooking (and nearly any other chore called for) and he mainly sits on a chair.


I think he does the grilling when that is called for. We had an appetizer called Rusk. It is a combination of grated tomatoes, feta, oregano and, possibly, cinnamon. It was served on a very crusty, peasant sort of bagel. It was very good, but we would most likely make another bread choice as it was very brittle and hard to hold together. WE also had a Greek salad. It was very good and so large that we needed to bring it home. When we ask for a container to take the salad home in and also a bit of wine we had left, they just gave us on of their glass bowls and the beaker of wine and said bring them back the next time we visited. We were stunned. At first we were taking with the kindness and their willingness to trust complete strangers. Later, we thought what a ingenious and subtle marketing device: we will have to return!

Friday was little different from Thursday. I walked, but this time took our car to the road into Sisi rather than walking on the busy main highway, which I did the day -before, but decided was too scary. Upon my return we had a nice visit with Stuart. Both he and Angela are British and owned a successful hotel in England for many years. Finally, a bit burned out, they sold it and have built this beautiful home and attached bungalows here in Sisi. We discovered that Angela had designed the house, using a home design software program, and nothing else. Amazing.

WE, of course, returned the glassware to the Taverna, Aetos, and stayed for lunch. Their special for the day was moussaka. We had that and some of their tzatziki. Both very good and, of course, ended up needing to bring some of it home . . . on their plate, naturally!

Home for a siesta and a swim. The weather has been lovely, with temperatures in the mid-to-upper 70s and just a slight breeze as you might expect being near the ocean. Friday evening it was back to Remezzo’s for some wine and to watch the sunset.


It lived up to its billing. They also had some very nice live music later on what was a lovely evening


We finally tore ourselves away and got home it was nearly 10. We had so many leftovers that it was dinner in on Friday. A very lovely evening and already thoughts are beginning about returning to Crete in a year or so.

Ed and Polley

Family, friends and others,

We are in Crete. Yesterday, June 1, we left Ingrid’s at about 6:45 am for the Athens airport. Two hours later we found ourselves waiting for the fellow to whom we were to turn in the rental car. Despite having made a specific appointment with him the day before, he was no where to be found. Traveling again without a European cell phone proved a problem. Never again! Finally, I threw myself on the kindness of an information counter woman and we called. 15 minutes later they arrived, telling me that they had no record of my wanting a 9 am pickup. I bit my tongue, instead of the his, and turned the undamaged car over to him

Polley and I had little difficult checking out baggage except for the fact that the rules had changed. Instead of a 50 pound limit per bag, we how had a 44 kilo limit per person total. We were over! The nice girl compromised and charged us for a 10 kilo overage (it was actually 15) and another 20 euros and we were set. We had a bit of breakfast and zipped through security only to find our flight slightly delayed. However, we took off about 15 minutes late for the 45 minute flight and landed pretty much on time.

We got our bags and the rental car gal was waiting for us outside. Another Maria! I swear every other woman in this country is named Maria. It’s like the Sound of Music and the Immaculate Conception all rolled into one! He quickly got our car and were on the road to our apartment in Sisi.

Our landlord’s instructions directed us along the route ending at a taverna. The last mile or so being difficult to describe. So we were to make a phone call from this taverna! Of course, again, no phone and the taverna had no phone as well. Again, we were forced to depend on the kindness of strangers. A couple from Holland were sitting there with a mobile phone and were kind enough to allow us to us it. While we awaited our landlord (actually a woman, Angela) we enjoyed a glass of retsina and a lovely conversation with the couple from Holland.

Angela soon arrived and guided us up a very rough, rural road to a beautiful home that looks down at the village of Sisi and west to the party town of Malia. There home is on the top floor with two bungalows located below. Apparently we will be the only people staying between now and 14 June. The apartment is beautiful and very spacious with a large bedroom off the central room. Only the shower is quite tiny and takes a bit of maneuvering. There is a large deck and a beautiful swimming pool.






Life looks very good in Crete

The only down-side is the lack of internet conveniently located. Tomorrow we will search out an internet café or a place with Wi-Fi.

That evening we went into Sisi to locate a place to eat. It is very much a beach town and most places along the water seem very commercial. Waiters are feeding a line of gab about their food being the best. We decided to pull back from all this and found a lovely little place about ¼-1/2 mile off the beach, in a lovely garden setting. It is called Neromilos. It is family owned and run and features traditional Crete food. They gave us as a starter some Mizithra cheese and a dab or a kind of Cretan pork stew, cooked in wine with peppers and onion and seasoned with cumin. WE decided to share an entrée with was a Crete specialty of pork and potatoes, wrapped in parchment and baked in the oven. It was very good and between Polley, me and a friendly cat we managed to eat it all.

It was then home relatively early. We have been warned not to drive too late at night as Crete drivers are crazy. I can vouch for that just from our drive from the airport. If you go the speed limit, you must drive on the shoulder of the road, even when there is a clear passing lane. Locals cross double lines, zip in and out between trucks and cars, often ignoring on-coming vehicles. Any day trips we make, the rule will be we must be home by dark. More to come, but at what intervals, I can’t say.

Ed and Polley