Today we headed for Knossos ! This is the Minoan palace and home of King Minos, the legendary labyrinth and the Minotaur. It was established around 1700 BC and was destroyed by fire around 1450 BC. There is evidence of earlier civilisations on this site back to 7000 BC. It is regarded as Europe's oldest city !
We caught the public bus up to the site, elected to get a private guide to show us around, costing 25 Euro each, to join in with another couple from Canada. Entrance was an additonal 20 Euro each. Money well spent as we learnt so much more from the guide than if we had just looked around by ourselves.
Once again we are amazed at the technology that ancient civilisations were able to employ, especially around water supply, drainage, bathing and toilet systems. Also, they had a written script that still has not been de-cyphered. Also the source of many myths and legends from this out the way place of the world. A fascinating visit.
We caught the public bus back into the centre of Heraklion, the capital of Crete, and walked the periimeter of the Venetian Walls surrounding the city. This took us around the foreshore, including the old Venetian Port. It was warm and we were ready for a coffee and something to eat !
We walked into the city centre to visit the Archaeological Museum of Heraklion, arriving around 10:15 and spending 2 1/2 hours immersed in history. This is one of the oldest museums in Greece, and contains antiquities and artifacts from the period of neolithic to Roman times, a span of 5,500 years.
It didn't disappoint and the displays were magnificent. We continued to be in awe of the skills and workmanship civilisations had so long ago, much of which would be hard to replicate even today.
Rest of the day we walked around the city centre taking in the sights and atmosphere.
Our apartment is located just outside of the city centre and is only a 10 minute walk to get to the Jesus Gate. This map shows where we have explored (in pink) over the past 2 days and at the bottom it leads to our apartment, just off the map. Only 50m away from us is the best bakery offering great coffee and tasty pastries.
Organising a rental car was a dream, there was an agency just around the corner from our apartment which we visited yesterday to arrange. At the time we organised to pick it up (just around the corner) at 8:00 and then (their suggestion) drop it off at the ferry port on Sunday morning ! Great - that saved us having to organise a taxi Sunday morning - perfect !
Friday evening we get a phone call to say we can collect the car early and they will drop it off near to our apartment - woohoo - what service - no extra charge for more than the 24 hour period - perfect ! Was able to organise an automatic transmission vehicle - turned out it was a Kia Stonic - great ! Meant we could get away early in the morning !
And we did - left by 8:00 on the way to Chania - 2.5 hours drive along a motorway with speed limits varying from 50 km/h to 90 km/h and a total 12 speed cameras along the way - all identified by Google Maps. The windy drive along the coast is dramatic, with mountains meeting the coastline. It was very scenic, but could we call it pretty - we voted not .... more stark. The mountains are very rocky with not much growth on them.
Arrived at Chania at around 10:30, tried the Old Port for a car park - but no go, ended up in a prviate car park at the opposite end of town within an easy walk to the Old Town centre. Chania was very busy with lots of tourists and a nice harbour setting. No one would ever go hungry in Crete, there are so many eating places ! We cruised around town for nearly 3 hours and then headed onto explore Rethymnon.
Rethymnon was similar, less busy with tourists and in lots of ways more quaint than Chania. Both worth the visit and it was a great day out. We got back to Heraklion by 18:00, and since we were keeping the rental overnight we found a park not far from our apartment (which is lucky as parking is at a premium). We were hungry by this stage as we did not have breakfast, a quick snack and coffee for lunch at Rethymnon, so dropped our things and headed out for some dinner.
As we left our apartment we noticed there was a vacant carpark right next door, so Tania set off to retreive the car, and Graeme guarded the vacant carpark.
The car was located about 60 metres down a one way street and over a couple of intersections, and it required eventually turning left four times to bring it around the immediate area into the vacant car park. Twenty minutes later, Graeme rings Tania to see where she is ...... apparently missed a turn whilst concentrating along the very narrow streets, and now doesn't know her exact location in relation to the new car park spot. Google maps is not working on her phone and being lost in a maze of one way streets, doesn't know how to get back. Long story short, Graeme was still guarding the car park 60 minutes later when Tania finally arrives after consulting with a helpful service station attendant on the freeway to the airport.
Ah. The old one-way street without Google maps dilemma.
Nice car parking spot though. And, expert guarding, apparently.
I am certain you are opining for sporting news from Australia. Well, pine no more. Port Power was smashed by Brisbane in Brisbane and will now face GWS at Adelaide Oval next week to stay in the fight. Whichever side wins that will face Collingwood at the MCG the following week in the preliminary final.
As for the SANFL, Sturt have bounced back after their last quarter fade out against Adelaide Crows last week, to eliminate Central Districts and head to the preliminary final next week as well.
Lyrical 70s: ‘I wanna be high, so high/I wanna be free to know the things I do are right’
Lyrical 90s: ‘Because maybe/You’re gonna be the one that saves me’
IQ Test: Hop – And – Sew – Sty – Own. What comes next: Hat – Dot, Ewe or Cap?
Have a lovely Sunday