OUR SUNNY OCTOBER - Italy/Crete 2008  -page 2

From Bari, we set sail for Greece. And sixteen hours later we reached the busy port of Patras.

From Patras, we travelled by bus, an almost three-hour ride to Pireaus, the port of Athens. There, we found the next ferry, which would take us south to Heraklion, on the island of Crete. We docked in Heraklion harbour just before dawn the next morning and walked to the nearby bus station, from where we took a bus westwards along the coast to Rethymno. By the time we reached Rethymno the sun had risen. We had no time to look around Rethymno, as the bus for Plakias was almost ready to depart. So we decided to spend more time there on the way back. The bus took us south, through the mountain range that runs along the spine of Crete and soon we were in Plakias, a dear little place more or less in the middle of Crete's southern coast. By then, it was tiime for breakfast in one of the many cafes that open on to the beach.

Plakias, unlike the other places we visited, is not an ancient place. According to  Wikipedia , in 1961 nobody lived there except six fishermen. As usual, the inhabited villages were in safer locations, up in the hills surrounding the bay. But with its huge, curving beach and its spectacular position, surrounded by mountains, it was a perfect place to develop a tourist resort. And compared to most tourist resorts, especially the sprawling and over-built ones along the north coast of the island, this one is small and modest - at least for now! Let's hope it stays that way. It is also very friendly and beautiful.

We stayed just past the edge of town, in a modern apartment overlooking the sea ...  ... and snuggled into the mountainside. We walked up into the hills, from where we could look down and see the whole town spread out below us. We ate, we drank, we relaxed, we explored, we took photographs. And since the beach at Plakias has an established 'clothing optional' section at the eastern end, I was able to do one of my favourite things which is to swim naked in the warm Mediterranean Sea. Bliss!

This was our fourth trip to southern Crete and we thought it may be the last. But it was too hot to take the long walk from Plakias to Preveli. So maybe one day we will go back and do that. As we could see from the bus, the dramatic, rugged countryside around there is so beautiful that we found ourselves yearning to walk in it.

As planned, we spent some time on the way home exploring the north coast town of Rethymno. It is a charming place. We enjoyed walking around the 'old town' section, with its narrow streets and interesting shops ... ... and we loved its little Venetian harbour. This, too, may be a place we shall visit again one day. So that was our October.

It was an October full of sunshine and new experiences. A truly memorable vacation.

In a beautiful part of this beautiful Earth. (return to page 1)