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Balos |
A fresh spring day, and a motorbike trip along the dirt-track that climbs up the Gramvousa peninsula to Balos... |
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Falassarna |
A leisurely stroll from Kaliviani up and over the Gramvousa ridge, then down to the beach at Falassarna for some late season paddling and sun-bathing. We ate lunch on the deserted beach and relaxed, but the steep climb back up to the ridge soon had us breathless. 1 hour there, 2 hours back... |
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Gulf of Kissamos |
Mid-November...the sea warm enough to swim...the sandy beach deserted...the view of the Gulf of Kissamos. It's a hard job being a photographer sometimes! |
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Malaxa |
From a steep ridge 600 meters above Souda Bay on a changeable spring day, the views were some of the finest we've seen... |
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Maleme |
The German War Cemetery lies overlooking Maleme airfield, the scene of the most intense fighting of the Battle of Crete. Beautifully maintained, it is a place of peace but also sadness when reading the ages of the fallen soldiers. The plaque at the entrance reads: In this cemetery rest 4465 German fallen from the war years 1941-1945. Of those, 3352 soldiers from the paratroops, the mountain troops, the navy and the air force died in the battle of Crete 20 May - 1 June 1941. They gave their lives for their native country. Their death should always oblige us to keep the peace between the nations. |
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Omalos |
Once the winter snows had melted on the Omalos plain, the road was clear for lunch at the Xiloskala alpine lodge perched 1200m high atop the Samaria Gorge. Hot coffees and a drop or two of tsikouthia soon banished the chill... |
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Sirikari Gorge |
Longer than the Samaria gorge, Sirikari starts high among mountain forests and descends for 22 kms until it reaches the sea near Kissamos. Quiet, unspoilt and with breathtaking views from inside and atop the gorge walls, it offers a peaceful haven for those who enter it. Please treat it with respect. |
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Georgioupolis |
Usually busy in summer, Georgioupolis was deserted and peaceful on a mild January day. A lazy stroll along the sandy beach, a quiet meal at a taverna in the square, then a slow drive back home in the dusk. |
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Achlia |
East of Ierapetra, we were lucky enough to sunbathe on the small beach in the January sunshine, with only a donkey for company. Peaceful days indeed... |
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Loutro |
The small village of Loutro can thankfully only be reached by foot or by boat. If you arrive by boat, the beach is the most convenient place to off-load passengers, crates and donkeys. My jaw dropped when I saw this for the first time in 1985...I thought something had gone horribly wrong and the hotel was about to be demolished. But the skipper of the ferry Daskalogiannis knows exactly what he's doing. If you've never seen it happen, it looks something like this... |
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Shipwreck |
This freighter ran aground at Viglia Beach in Christmas 1980, when the engines failed during heavy storms. One of the crew re-visits the area every Christmas to thank his rescuers. Strangely, the wreck proved to be a tourist attraction but the hull became very fragile after years of pounding by winter storms. These pictures were taken in March 2001, but in the winter of 2004/5 the wreck finally succumbed to the might of the sea and disappeared. |
