Crete - Trip of a lifetime!

Here's where it all began - Nürnberg airport, May 2, 2008

Heraklion, largest city on Crete

Baggage claim in Heraklion

Picking up our rental car at the airport

Our first stop, the town of Vamos

We had an apartment in Villa Elianthos

The terrace where we had our breakfast

View from the terrace

Exploring the region


Checking out the harbor city of Chania,
Crete's second largest city








Street signs

Guten Appetit!


Evidences of the Orthodox religion abound





Serene wooded setting for a wonderful Greek meal

I even got to prepare my own Greek coffee

Visits to Georgios and Eleni Virirakis in the village of Armeni.
Eleni is my (John) father's first cousin,
whose father was my grandmother's brother.



And their daughter, Argentini, at her job in the city hall in nearby Kalives

Exploring one of the many gorges
cutting deep into the land . . .




. . . where trees and . . .

trashcans grow right out of the rocks!!

Crossing the high plateau amidst the mountains




Breathtaking views of the southern shore



Leaving "Elianthos" for our next
destination - the city of Rethymno

Stopping in at a familiar store
along the way for supplies

One night in a "noble" hotel in Rethymno





Exploring the fortress overlooking the harbor



Our last 5 days were spent in this rustic
"traditional Greek house" near the city
of Elounda











The mosquito netting was a life saver!

Our "outhouse" bathroom across the courtyard
to the left of the main entrance to the house


And the kitchen to the right


Roomy terrace with a fabulous view






Across the bay lies the island of Spinalonga
Settled by the Venetians from 13th to 17th century
Occupied by the Ottomans till 1900
Leper colony from 1904-1957









High above Elounda






Panagia, ancient Byzantine church
with frescoes from the 13th to 15th century



Lato, ruins of a city from the 7th to 4th centuries B.C.






Images from our last evening










Parting shots . . . Crete, a land of rugged beauty









Back home again!