Return to Crete

Our return trip to Crete was delayed some 12 hours due to strong winds. We left Piraeus about 1:30 A.M. and arrived back in Crete about 10:30 A.M.

Why didn’t we fly? 1) The cost of the flight would be about $130 for each of us, and we were carrying about 80 pounds total between the two of us, so that would have been a very hefty excess baggage cost. 2) We would have had to spend the nights we spent on the Ferry in a hotel for something close to $200. The total costs to fly from Athens to Crete therefore would probably been about $500 to $600 counting lodging. The night in the best stateroom they had was $91. That $91 covered both the night’s rest and transportation.

The ferry, which was named "Lissos", had a lounge, restaurant and bar. There was an attractive young lady who played a keyboard and provided music for the passengers. There was even a three story high forest of bamboo in the center. The main problem was the hideous, incredible, overwhelming and catastrophic amount of cigarette smoke that permeated the place. Fortunately, our stateroom had no hint of the smoke or gasses from the cigarettes.


The crossing was filled with rain and winds across the night sea, but we were generally unaware except for an occasional swirl and weave or two, not as bad as what we normally experience while flying.


We caught a taxi from Souda to Chania. The hotel we stayed in was a 400 year old mansion built by the Venitians and named Palazzo and is located about 25°31.113N 24°00.890E. http://www.greekhotel.com/crete/chania/palazzo/home.htm Could not get a fix in front of the hotel because of narrow streets, but this position is about 100 meters down the street toward the beach. Our servers were Anastasia and her mother, Christina. Wonderful service. We had an excellent stay there and the location is impossible to beat. Would I recommend it? Yes. Yes. Yes!

When we arrived in Chania, we were too early to check in to our hotel. So we left our bags there and went across the street to eat. Even though our hotel does serve breakfast we were about 2 hours too late to eat there today. At the restaurant I ordered an omelet with cheese, sausage, onion & peppers. I was amazed to see what they brought me. At first I thought it was a pizza! I enjoyed it so much that I have tried to copy it after our return home. Here is a picture of one I made. First I scramble two eggs, and cook in a tad of Greek olive oil until it begins to firm, then toss it over and add the additions. The onion and pepper slices and tomatoes have been sautéed first. Mushrooms and cheese fits perfectly. My first 40 or so attempts have been pretty good, but I have not yet perfected it. I will have to cook a very large number of these things before I get it down pat. I call it a Chania Omelet. I’ll fix you one when you come visit. Y’all come, y’here?

Now, were am I? Oh yes of course, we’re off to see the city of Chania!

2006.1018

© John Womack, 2006. All rights reserved.
Photos made with Canon Elura 70 on SD card.