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You can lose everything, but nobody will take away what you saw and what you experienced...
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Oct 16, 2016 06:00 PM Samaria Gorge conquered :)
Locals say that it is the biggest gorge in Europe. I wanted to see it. From Chania, Crete there are 2 buses going in the morning to the upper end of the gorge on the level ca 1250 m above the sea. You can buy RT ticket - it costs 15,70 euro. After an hour on the bus you will land at the national park ticket office to pay another 5 eu entry fee. Then you can start the descent... Do you think it is easier to walk down? I know the people who rather prefer to climb up (uncluding me in some situations). There is a nice view of the summits of White Mountains at the entry but let you know then during next 3 hours there is no views - you are going through the thick pine forest. The trail is hard with many stones. Some are so polished that it is easy to slide. First water you will reach after 45 min.
After 3 hours of walk I reached abandoned Samaria village. Views starts from this place down till the exit point. Dry river, 500 m high walls, colors, heat. But what a experience. I took me 6 hours (with one hour lunch break) to go through the gorge. It is worth the effort! Down on the coast there is little village Aghia Roumeli with sea acces only so you must wait till 5.30 for the ferry (12,80 eu) to take you to to the next port where your bus to Chania will be waiting.
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Oct 15, 2016 06:00 PM On the way to Rethymno
Do not trust them if they will say: -We charge more money (62 euro for the ticket Santorini -Heraklion) but we offer better service! Hellenic Seaways flagship "Highspeed7" arrived to Santorini with 30 min delay and added another 35 min on next journey segment. The scheduled arrival time was 18.50. We arrived one hour and 10 min later and as a result I was late for my bus to Rethymnon. I arrived in the middle of the night.
Rethymno is little town with a labirynth of the narrow streets around the fortress and old Venetian harbor. And that's where I stay in the cozy and atmospheric Rethymno House. I spent the morning walking around and enjoying the silence of the empty old town - locals sleep long on Sunday! Not easy to find open bakery or grocery! After Venetians there were Ottomans - they left there nice mosque.
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Oct 14, 2016 06:00 PM To the top of the island...
Santorini has one big problem: drinking water. The island is small, dry and has only limited number of desalination instalations. As a result in my shower I have the water from the well, but it also has special taste. I boil it for tea and coffee and it is OK. But some tourists complain and buy expensive bottled water.
I climb to the highest point of the mountain. Perrissa lies at the bottom of this huge mountain. First I took a path to Sallani Pass. From this Pass I decided to go first to visit remains of Ancient Thira covering the top of Mesa Vouno Mtn. Very interesting - worth 4 eu entry fee! Then I returned to the pass and started much harder climbing to the Monastery of St Elias on the top of the peak. It worth to have real hiking shoes for this part! Views of Mesa Vouno and Kamari Beach are great. 565 m above the sea! In the monastery (military installations are there too) you will see little lovely church in the garden. It is open and the monks sell home-made wine, jams and honey... The view of caldera is not as impressive as I expected - it is far...
From the top you can the road down to Pyrgos, but I decided to went down the same way... Great day!
Today in the evening I will take the ferry to Crete.
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Oct 13, 2016 06:00 PM 12 kms along the rim of caldera
Santorini has a shape of the croissant. In one end - at ship's the entrance to the caldera you wil see picturesque village of Oia, famous for the sunsets. Fira - the capital is more or less in the middle of the cake. There is fantastic walking trail from Fira to Oia with the incredible views. I took it. First you have to come by bus to Fira. The path, going up and down startts near big and interesting inside mu icipality church. It sneaks between shops ant restaurants climbing the hill with the Catholic church of St John the Baptist. Then it is less crowded possing Firostefani and climbing to the highest point - the village Imerovigli. Stunning views on the way. You still see Oia on the other side of the bay. Then down on the pass you have a chance to switch to the buss going on regular road. I decided to use the old path. And this is the most challenging part of 3.5 hour trail - now there is no pavement on the path, but volcanic gravel, little stones... Little churches on the way and vews, views both directions... Oia is lovely - in my opinion nicer then Fira. Blue copulas of the churches, nice promenade going to the end of the "croissant" where people are waiting for spectacular sunset.
Unforgettable place! I returned to my Perissa in the dark. Tired but happy. So far I saw only one such a volcanic island, where the ships sail into caldera - this was Deception Island in the Antarctic.
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Oct 12, 2016 06:00 PM Go to Santorini!
I have been to many Greek islands but now I know that Santorini is most beautiful and has most unusual landscape. It is former volcano! If you are arriving by sea you sail into the volcanic caldera. I did it and I recommend this mode of arrival - the view is just stunning! White settlements on the sheer inside cliff. Deep blue water... Cruise ships drifting around (the caldera is too deep to anchor).
To stay 3 nights in this unusual place I booked an inexpensive room in Villa Dimitris in Perissa. Perissa is far from the capital of the island - Fira, but if you stay more then one night they provide free pick-up.
Single room with bath, fridge, coffee maker and a/c costs me 20 eu per night.
Villa Dimitris has great location at the bottom of the high mountain, some 100 m from the beach. Place is very quite and there is public bus going to Fira... It costs hefty 2.40, but let you know that Santorini ix expensive place - I advice you to bring with you as much as you can carry :)
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Oct 11, 2016 06:00 PM Paros, Naxos, Ios...
At 7 am I boarded ferry boat Blue Star Delos departing to few islands in the Cyclades group. My destination is Santorini but such a slow ferry - departing once per week gives rare opportunity to enjoy the sea and the island landscapes. Those fast jets they do not have open decks and you see little through dirty windows. In internet I paid 32 euro for economy class Piraeus to Santorini.
So first we saw on the horizon Paros island. Hilly, little-green, the color of coffe with milk dominates... Little town on Paros is right at the jetty. Sailors are very smart - within 15 minutes they unpacked and packed passengers and few cars. But yes, 15 min is enough to take nice pics from the deck...
Next island - Naxos has more dramatic landscape, is much bigger and in the main settlement has churches and remains of the fort.
Third island - Ios looks like abandoned, but it has long and narrow bay where white settlement is hidden. Probably nicest location of all 3 islands. After an hour of sailing I saw the legendary Santorini. Wow! More tomorrow - I am so hungry!
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Oct 10, 2016 06:00 PM Cape Sounion
It was raining in the morning when it was the time to say goodbye to our ship. You paid, you go! You have to be out of your cabin before 8.30 and out of the ship before 9.30! Not very pleasant...
The well kept secret is a city bus X80 going from cruise terminal to Syntagma Square in the center of Athens. On the ship they will not tell you about this inexpensive option to leave the terminal, they prefere to offer you the coach for 20 dollars...
I have to spend the night in Piraeus before morning sailing. Adonis Hotel, 70 Filonos St is the good option for budget traveller. 20 eu per clean room with sink.
At 1 pm the rain dissappeared and Decided to go by public bus to Cape Sounion. No, no lighthouse there. But in the ancient times they biilt there on the cliff a temple of Poseidon. Already as a boy I was dreaming about this place watching black and white pictures in my textbook...
Bus cost 7 eu each way and departs every hour from Egypt Sq near Viktoria subway station. After almost 2 hours of driving (great coastal views on the way) I finally saw my dream. It has very nice location. After season only few tourists there. Blue sea around... The dream came true....
They charged me 4 eu entry (with a senior's discount)
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Oct 09, 2016 06:00 PM Athens after 42 years...
In the morning we docked in the port of Piraeus. Very busy place - many ferrier goes from here to the Greek Islands. Arrival was very badly organized - no free shuttle bus to the port gate, no maps, no reliable information... Greece... I was walking all over the way to the electric train station in Piraeus. The it is easier: ticket to Athens cost 1,40 eu and you can change to the bus.
I started my walk from Syntagma Square where in front of the Parliament buildings there are guards in funny uniforms performing every half an hour for the tourists. Then it was already close to thd temple of Zeus, Hadrian Arch ruin and Traditional quarter of Plaka. Plaka lies at the bottom of Acropolis. If you want to go to the top they charge hefty 20 euro... Roman Agora, churches, music... It was nice to be here again, Athens did not change much...
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Oct 08, 2016 06:00 PM Lazy Sunday at sea...
In our original schedule we should be today in Izmir - Turkey. But the owners of the ship decided that it is too dangerous at the moment and we are drifting whole day at blue sea. They returned 34 USD per person. Thank you! It is a time for sunbath and for the walks around the ship (it is so big that I still do not know all lounges, bars and cafes :) Unlimited ice cream for everybody. They eat, eat, eat... In the evening interesting show with many special effects. Time to enjoy the music - I like most three charming young ladies from Bulgaria - violin trio... They were so surprised that I know so many places in their country - usually the passengers even do not know where is Bulgaria on the map... They played especially for me one of my favourites - Lara's theme from "Dr Zhivago"
-Somewhere my love...
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Oct 07, 2016 06:00 PM Rhodes the beautiful...
It is one of the most fascinating islands in the Mediterranean. By its nature, history and monuments. In the old port they have space for two olny cruise ships. We docked in the morning just opposite the old city walls with the beautiful view of the old town. At 9am I was already ashore, I grab a good map from the tourist office in the port gate and walked along the walls to the long distance bus stop. Bus to Lindos - 5,50 eu each way departed at 9.30. On the way (1,5 h) there were nice views of the coastal lonely peaks and nice beaches in the bays. My target - Lindos Acropolis also looks like a single table mountain on the coast. Go bit further then a bus stop for a greter view! At the bottom of the Acropolis there is lovely, white village of Lindos - Greek beauty with flowers on the white walls... Then you have to walk 160 m up to the top of the hill. The vie from the fortress is great. Some colums fron Athena temple survived and the walls too. It is worth to know that retired people from EU have 50% discount on regular 12 Eu entry fee...
Back in Rodos city I took the walk throuch the old town enjoying mosques, churches, city gates an the Palace of Grand Masters... Great place to be and great, hot day!
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