Hora Sfakia ~ On the Libyan Sea

I write today from Hora Sfakia a small harbor town in southwestern Crete overlooking the Libyan Sea.  Here we are  further south than Africa’s Tangiers, Algiers or Tunis.



Our Greek travel itinerary was designed to include a return to this remote  little spot – our third time here -- where even after a three year absence we remember waiters, store owners and others we came to know during earlier visits. Much to our surprise, we too, have been remembered!



We are staying in the same hotel, Stavris, as we’ve stayed in previous visits.  It is a laid back place with basic rooms that are a favorite with the many hikers, backpackers and others who flock to this area for the hiking opportunities in the Samaria Gorge – the largest, longest, deepest gorge in Europe with walls 1,500 feet high in places. (We didn’t pack the boots or we would have also hiked the gorge this trip.)

So we’ve done some ‘urban’ hiking in this tiny town of 302 residents, but as you can tell by the photo above the in town views are pretty spectacular.  Only a handful of cars squeeze through the narrow streets so the only sounds we hear are children playing, and goat and sheep bells and their bleating songs  from the hillsides.

And speaking of views, this is the view from our room:



During the time of Turkish and Venetian rule, this town, being an important maritime center, was the nucleus of the Cretan struggle for independence.



And Hora Sfakia played a major role in WWII because it was the place from where more than 11,000 Allied troops were evacuated by ships in the middle of the night over a four-night period the end of May following the Battle of Crete. This memorial commemorates that evacuation.

Further up the hill a memorial brings yet another war time remembrance.  The clear portion at the base of this memorial houses human skulls; those of local residents who gave their lives during the war. . .



The plaque next to it reads:



Our journey continues through Crete as we move further west this coming weekend. Hope you’ll continue traveling with us. Today is Travel Photo Thursday so head over to Budget Travelers Sandbox for more travel tales and photos.

Perfecting the Art of Slow Travel in Crete

We’ve traveled from the northeastern shore of Crete to its southwestern coast.

We are now in Chora Sfakia (Hora Sfakion) where we will stay until catching the ferry on Friday to Loutro, the small town just down the coast accessible by boat or on foot. We’ve opted for the boat.

 

We spent last night in the beautiful coastal town of Plakias, about an hour from here.  Some of you saw the photo I took at sunset on FB and for those who didn’t; that is another view of it above. (Thanks to those who commented and ‘liked’  the FB photo!)



We could have stayed in Plakias longer – a lifetime perhaps -- but this morning meant it was time to head west because we had reservations for tonight in Sfakia.  So we hit the winding, road up over the mountains;  roads by their very nature that make for ‘slow travel’ (that new popular approach to tourism) – you simply can’t drive fast or you’ll kill yourself on a curve.  But then you hit a straight stretch and are reminded again of the wonders of slow travel, as we were this morning:



You can guess who has the right-of-way here, can’t you?



Notice there isn’t a human in sight?  They simply herded themselves and as they passed our car, then crossed the road behind us to continue on their journey.



So we are now settled in at anther of our old favorites. We’ve got a killer view of the Libyan Sea and the coastline. . .and a deck from which to enjoy it.  The cost is 37-euros a night (because we have a small refrigerator as well – it would have been 32 without that luxury).  Our hotel – as it did the last two times we’ve stayed here – claims to have  wi-fi ‘in the rooms’. Still not sure what rooms those are as we’ve never managed to have them. As time permits we’ll head to the lobby for internet. .  . for now we’ll enjoy the view (and chill the wine!)

Lest we forget. . . those five days in Crete

Our travels in Greece have been a doorway into history for us.  Not just to the ancient civilizations but also into much more recent history. So, on this Memorial Day we remember the many lives, both military and civilian, sacrificed here during World War II. 

In particular, we remember those final  five days of The Battle of Crete - May 28 - June 1, 1941- when thousands of Allied troops evacuated to Alexandria on British and Australian war ships from the harbor at Chora Sfakia, on Crete's southwestern shore, while others*, primarily New Zealand troops, held off the Germans.  The Suda Bay War Cemetery, near Chania, on Crete's northern shores should be a required stop for all visitors to this island.

New Zealand, Australian and Greek troops made their way to Chora Sfakia while other Allied troops ambushed the advancing German troops.  The road they walked ended three kilometers and 500 meters (about 1,600 feet) above the harbor town, leaving them to make their way down the steep hillsides.  British and Australian warships evacuated 11,000 - 18,000* men  before the Germans overtook the Australian rear gear, capturing 5,000 - 12,000*.
     *Vary by source.

While we Americans have set aside Memorial Day as a time to remember those who have fought for the freedoms we enjoy, in Crete such remembrances are part of every day life. We found memorials along busy roadways, tucked away in remote areas and often the centerpiece of town squares.  While we couldn't decipher much of the Greek inscriptions we understood the date: 1941.

In Chora Sfakia, the unassuming little harbor town, that has won our hearts, a new memorial has been erected overlooking the harbor that tells the story of the evacuations that took place here. . . "lest we forget."

A Sfakian Sunday

Our Sunday in Sfakia began with deck dining and watching the boats go by. . .it is a laid back day by all standards and tourist season has yet to hit the area so it is as if we have the town almost to ourselves.

After strolling along the waterfront and watching the priest arrive by motorboat, we were reminded that we have always intended to climb the hill to visit the cross in the cave - we weren't aware that there is actually a small chapel built into the cave as well.

So we started up the trail from the road below.  Actually we started from our hotel down by the water's edge, then up to the road and then up the hillside.  Thank goodness for handrails.

                                                    The chapel.

During World War II Allied Troops hid here from the Nazis. A rather somber place.

Yassis! Yassis!

As we strolled along the row of small waterfront restaurants,we were reminded of why it was worth two days travel to get here. This small port town is as enchanting as the first time we visited last year.  We decided to try the place we had stayed and liked so well, Hotel Stavris. We found the two fellows who run the place and oversee its operation (while keeping up with the activities in the town) seated at the same table and chairs in the courtyard as where they had been last year when we left.  Joel asked if they had availability and one furroughed his brow, looked at me and stated/asked, "You were here before?!" We said we had been. "I remember," he said, giving me one of the biggest bear hug welcomes and repeating, "Yassis! Yassis!" (Hello, Hello). 

Of course they had a room for us; they keep one back for repeat visitors they said.  As soon as we were settled in to our spacious room with wrap around view deck for 35E per night, yes, that is about $50 US per night we were invited to join the boys for a welcome drink.

Our second stop was at our favorite bakery (in the world) proved equally as memorable.  Run by Marcos and his wife Niki, it is filled with pastries and breads and jars of famous Crete honey.  We had barely stepped inside when Niki looked up, called out, "You are back!!  Welcome, Welcome!"  Again we were wrapped in bear hugs and 'had' to try several new cookies that have been introduced since we last stopped in. 

Dinner was at our favorite restaurant along the waterfront, Delfini, where again we were remembered. . .and by the way, we stayed for only three days the last time we were here.  As we sipped the raki they serve guests at the end of each meal, I said that three days were simply not long enough. . .in fact I am not sure Joel will get me to leave when the time comes.

From Kirkland to Crete

We were once again reminded that getting from our home in Kirkland in the Pacific Northwestern United States to the southern coast of Crete on the Lybian Sea is a trip of endurance. . .and one in which about half way through we start asking ourselves if there wasn't someplace a bit closer that we could have been as happy visiting.

We left Kirkland at 3:20, catching a Metro bus to downtown Seattle and there hopping aboard the Link train to Seatac. 

Our luggage for our month-long adventure consists of two roll-aboard size suitcases which we checked and two small carryons. Here Joel waits for our bus to Seattle.  Our total trip to Seatac cost $5.50 per person, took just over an hour and didn't require any friends to have to face rush hour traffic to drop us off.

Our British Air flight whisked us south of Iceland and nine hours later we were in London. We caught a bus at Heathrow and 40 minutes later we were at Gatwick where we overnighted and waited for our 3.5 hour flight to Crete.  For those who've followed the blog you know we flew thomascook.com, one of Europe's cheapie airlines.  Our plane was a Boeing 757, the food service (we had purchased in advance) was quite good, checkin a snap. . .the only thing we had against it was the cramped seating.  When I start having leg room issues you know the seats are cramped.

We rented a car in Heraklion over the internet and the rental went smoothly - we were on the road 10 minutes after getting to the car lot.  We pulled into our destination Chora Sfakia (Hora Sfakia) at 5:30 p.m. Friday and went in search of a hotel.

Wind changed direction

I've said we were going to travel where the winds took us and so was the case with the weekend. The winds changed direction as I was writing the last blog entry. We'd had every intention of heading east along the south coast of Crete, but while I was writing downstairs, Joel chatted with our German neighbor upstairs who said we really shouldn't miss Loutro, just down the coast to the west.. So we flung things into our one suitcase (yes, one is now packed with our Paris clothes and is left in the rental car) and two Bagallini bags, and headed for the morning ferry.


The ferry, a small car ferry, makes three 20-minute runs a day between Hora Sfakia and Loutros. Loutros is a small harbor town -- smaller than Sfakia and accessible only by ferry or on foot (down a narrow path for an hour and a half) so we opted for the ferry. We'd decided that if we didn't like it, we would have lunch there and return on the 12:20 ferry. With the stormy weather Saturday morning, we rocked and rolled our way to Loutros, disembarked in one of the most charming harbor towns we've ever seen and soon were checked into a pensione at 35 euros a day that provided us a deck with front-on view of the harbor (not to mention ceiling fan, refridgerator, dishware and a hot water pot). Within an hour the town had worked its charms on us and we extended our stay until this morning. It was difficult to leave today, and we've vowed to return. For those reading this in the Pacific Northwest, Loutros is our new Stehekin - perhaps even better as it provides both the hills for hiking and a stunning seafront.

Picture a crescent shaped harbor, ringed with small restaurants and hotels and pedestrians, small boats dancing in the gentle wave action at the water's edge, the ferry docked for the night at the edge of the harbor and a full moon comes up illuminating the scene, like a postcard. . .that would be last night. This morning the sun rose over one of the distant peaks, looking ever so much like a volcano erupting a giant orange and yellow sphere. . .it really doesn't get any better we've concluded.

In addition to being one of the most picturesque harbors we've ever seen, there were incredible hikes to take up the hillsides around us that led to and through Venetian and Turkish ruins. Sunday morning we climbed to the remains of a Turkish fortress, hundreds of years old. The only sounds were the wind blowing through the olive trees, goat/sheep bells ringing, the birds chirping and the waves below. The morning sun heated the wild herbs so the scent of thyme, oregano, and sage wafted in the breeze.

We finally headed out this morning the direction we had planned to go on Saturday. We are now in a small studio apartment in a small beach front town called Kalamaki about six hours and 50 kilometers from Loutros. Distances aren't great here but the narrow, winding roads up over the mountains and through gorges makes for slower travel. Our apartment cost 27 euros and has a narrow view of the ocean. . .the ocean front units were all filled on this Monday night. We head out tomorrow as the explorations continue.

On the Road Again

We have so easily settled into this fishing villiage lifestyle that we think we had best move on or we will be tempted to ask about monthly winter rates . . .they actually close our hotel on Nov. 10th.

We did go looking for a real estate office yesterday (a tradition in our travels) and couldn't find any - another mark of an authentic place, not yet given over entirely to tourism.

So today we head north along the Libyan Sea coastal highway under a cloudy sky and rain falling. We have no destination in mind, will report in when we stop the next time. I mentioned driving in Crete and this photo probably says best what I was trying to describe. This is the way you move to the side allowing others to pass - works fine unless they are doing the same thing coming from the other direction!