Agia Triada of Tzangaroli Monastery

Agia Triada of Tzangaroli Monastery

We arrive mid morning at the Agia Triada (Holy Trinity) Monastery. Already the car park is busy with a number of tourist buses arriving and departing. I gaze up and the sun drenched northwest facade and entrance belfry and know that I am about to experience something special.… Read the rest

Almyriki, Stavros Beach

Almyriki, Stavros Beach

We discover Almyriki, Stavros Beach, after a morning exploring monasteries on the Akrotiri Peninsula east of Chania. Hot and hungry we stumble in and are instantly cooled and calmed by this little beachside gem of a restaurant.

Overlooking Stavros Beach

The view is stunning.… Read the rest

Koutourouki Cuteness

Koutourouki Cuteness

Nestled in a tiny vine covered alleyway in the Old Town area of Chania yet tucked away from the tourist throngs of the Venetian harbor front is Koutourouki. In terms of dining, it is cuteness itself!

It is 7pm and is still early by European standards but we have been walking all afternoon and are ready for a meal.… Read the rest

Kolymvari

Kolymvari

Kolymvari

This small fishing village on the island of Crete, Kolymvari (also Kolymbari) is located about 25km (30mins) drive from the Venetian port town of Chania.

Out and about on The Little Fun Train for the afternoon, we visit this tiny fishing village which promises a lovely spot to linger for a day.… Read the rest

Vouves

Another tiny village in the hills behind Maleme, Vouves boasts the world’s oldest olive tree.

The Olympic Olive Tree

The Olive Tree of Vouves

This millennia old olive tree with its twisting, gnarled trunk still bears fruit. It is estimated to be between 2,000 and 4,000 years old.… Read the rest

Marathokefala

Views at Marathokefala

Marathokefala

A short way up into the hills we arrive at the traditional village of Marathokefala where time seems to stand still. Here, the pace of life takes the slow road, with many daily rituals continuing as they have done for centuries.… Read the rest

The Little Fun Train

The Little Fun Train – Traditional olive and orange groves near Spilia

We are taking the Little Fun Train for a bit of sightseeing in Crete. What better way to get around than an open aired train that lets us see some of Cretes’ more out of the way places.… Read the rest

Kordopulov House

Kordopulov House

In the middle of charming Melnik is the Kordopulov House. We visit here on a bright, sunny spring morning after a bracing walk to the Holy Place. The town is quiet, it’s the very beginning of the season anyway but Covid has hit tourism hard and we receive an especially warm welcome as the first tourists to return since the beginning of the pandemic.… Read the rest

Etar Ethnographic Outdoor Museum

Etar Ethnographic Outdoor Museum

As we arrive at Etar Ethnographic Outdoor Museum, it seems like just a few old huts along a small, albeit picturesque stream. However, as we enter this busy little slice of history, it is clear that it is much more than it seems.… Read the rest

The Palace Downtown

The Palace Downtown

It hasn’t really felt much like Ramadan this year, if anything can remedy this it is Iftar at The Palace Downtown. Actually work restrictions in the office remain, as do equivalent on camera requirements for working from home.… Read the rest