An unlikely adventure....

It's about 1730 in Crete, and Brandon and I have just been driven inside because it's too chilly to lay out by the pool! About 70 degrees. If the cool breeze would cease, it would be a perfect pool day, because the sun would warm it up to probably about 80 degrees. Oh well, there is always tomorrow.

For some reason, we didn't plan on doing a lot today, but it seems have have done almost more than ever! And I have a confession.... we went back to Lato... because before we didn't get to see the whole thing because I had to go to the bathroom soooo bad... I'm glad we got to go back though, because we missed more than we thought. After that we drove through Kritsa (I have been spelling it wrong this whole time) so I could get a picture of the adorable little town. We sort of got lost and turned around, then Brandon saw this sign pointing up to Katharos Plateau, and forgot about trying to get back to the main road to get back to our hotel. This drive up to the top of this mountain ended up taking a half an hour! And then there were two taverna's at the top above a beautiful green valley, in a little place called Avdeliakos. I freaked out as soon as I saw them, though, because the women in charge of them tried waving us off the road to visit, so I made Brandon turn around and head back down the mountain.

About 5 minutes down I saw these old old old steps in the midst of the olive trees (just assume everywhere we go is shrubs and olive trees). It was so pretty, but I let Brandon keep on driving. Then once we got about 10 more minutes down the mountain I was still thinking about what a pretty picture those steps would make and that I might not ever get to see them again, and I decided I would probably always regret not taking the time to get a quick snapshot. And I also realized that my shyness and fear of strangers was keeping us from stopping to get something to eat at the top of the mountain, and find out what type of culture it is up there. It wasn't even big enough for a town, it didn't have any shops, and it was in such a beautiful location. And if the women are waving to people in cars, they must love visitors. So with a total of 15 minutes, almost halfway, down the mountain I bashfully asked Brandon if he wouldn't mind going back.

He was really quite nice about it, and we were able to stop and get pictures of not only the steps, but of some flowers around the area. And we also got pictures of the little taverna we stopped at, and the valley it was settled above. By the time we actually started back down the mountain, it had been two hours, with a half an hour down the mountain, and 15 minutes back to Agios Nikolos. Oh well, we really enjoyed it, and it will make good memories.

There have quite a few poppies around. They must be pretty hardy to pop up out of rocky soil. (Can I call that soil?) I have seen some darker red ones as well, but I didn't get any pictures of those.

We don't know what this is, but it's pretty cool. Notice the stonework on the edges; very decorative. And if you see the top of the stone, there are two troughs. I can only imagine that they four pieces used to be more smooth.

This was the only site that had a map so far, which was really cool. You will be able to see almost everything on this map in a picture I take later on; everything except for the Prytaneion Houses.

This is the top of a column. It wasn't very tall, but if you see the groove on top, it looks like it had other attaching pieces to make it taller or more decorative.

This was inside of the Portico house. I don't know what these bowls were used for, but it looks like it was useful for grinding things.

If you just stand outside of the Portico door and look to the left, this is what you would see. Reminds me a little of Stonehenge, the way the rock lays over the top of the entry way.

The idea of a path of steps in the midst of steps is not a new idea. It's a little narrow, but it will do the trick.

This was apart of the Prytaneion, where officials/executives could meet. It is just above the Agora, as it often was in ancient times.

Here is a big picture of the major part of the city. To the right and down the hill are shops and workshops, and the lower walls of those rooms are well intact. Brandon and I wandered a little off the beaten path (of course) and the only other architecture we came across was partial walls. So this part was definitely an awe-inspiring experience because it's so visual.

Brandon, looking down at the ruins.

Brandon got a hold of the camera and got some shots of me climbing down the hill. There were some other girls ahead of us that were timidly inching down the path, so we decided to just bypass the path entirely. This was more fun anyway. (I don't know where they thought they would fall, it wasn't that steep.)

Here is a pretty purple flower. I haven't been able to find it yet in my book, it might not be in there. But I will find it eventually, and I will let you all know when I do.

Here is a Cistus creticus, otherwise known as a Cretan cistus or Cretan rockrose. These were here and there in Lato and are apart of a shrub. They secrete gum - ladanum, which is not the same as laundanum (a tincture of opium). In ancient times it was gathered from the beards of the goats where the gum would stick.

This is on the opposite hill from where we took the picture of the ancient city. The landscape is simply so rocky, it hasn't ceased to amaze Brandon and me. Wait, is there someone on the top of that hill?

Yes, it's Brandon. There was a fence to keep people from climbing up there, but would that really stop a strapping young man like Brandon? Of course not. Where adventure awaits, Brandon goes faithfully.

Here is some of Kritsa. Since Lato is so close, I asked Brandon to drive in really quick so we could snap a picture. On the right and left you can see some linen shops. They had beautiful pieces. And in front you can see some other gift shops. It's such a quaint town.

As you know, Brandon decided not to go home right away, and follow the interesting sign of the Kathalos Plateau. Here is a map we came across halfway up the mountain. It was under a little shelter with picnic tables. When it's warmer it would be a perfect spot to take a meal.

These were really pretty, and as far as I can recall, I only saw them at the top of the mountain. Again, I can't find them in my book, so they possibly aren't in there. I certainly am making my work difficult. What a hobby I had to affix myself to!

I don't think these goats are necessarily wild, because some of them in this group had bells. They certainly weren't fenced in, though. The caramel goat is a baby, and you can see a mamma an papa goat in the tree trunk above, taking shelter from the rain.

Here are those beautiful stairs I mentioned earlier. Surreal, aren't they? I wonder how old they are? I sort of imagine Plato, Socrates and Aristotle walking and sitting along this path as they contemplate the mysteries of life.

This was one of my favorites. This is Cyclamen creticum, or Cretan sowbread. It reminds me a lot of the snowdrop, but these do not bloom in that type of cold weather. They love the shade, and we found them under the trees next to the steps. They are poisonous, and warriors used to rub it on their arrows to make them toxic to the wounded. It was also used as an antidote to poison, to accelerate childbirth, and increase libido. I sort of wonder how accurate these uses were to the plants actual properties?

This little treasure is a Centaurea raphanina, or Centaury sp. It's almost stemless, which is why it sits so low to the ground. It's found in the mountain zone, so it makes sense that we found them closer to the top of our road. It is supposed to increase your appatite, and used in salads. It's also supposed to be a diuretic, and this actually relates with increasing the appetite, so I'm a little more inclined to believe this. It also says that it's used to soothe eye pain.

This is the Taverna we stopped at the top of the mountain. It wasn't really the top, but the road turned into dirt, which signified the end of our trail. You can't see her, but the little old lady who served us is walking by the doorway. She didn't speak much English, but enough. It was so fun, because she would just come and sit with us while we ate, and talk once and awhile. She said that she was 77 or 78, and has been married for 50 years. She told us the ages of some of her children/grandchildren, and asked our ages, as well as the Austrian couple who came shortly after us. They were 78 and 73. The little old lady was very glad for the gentleman who was also 78, and laughed at the lady and patted her shoulder and said she was a baby. Her compliment was funny, and we all laughed.

It was sooo cold at the top of the mountain. I didn't have a jacket, but our hostess had a sweater and let me use it. I would have froze without it; it must have only been about 60 degrees tops.

The decorations she had around her Taverna was very homey. I don't know if these are fresh cut flowers, but they certainly set the scene.

This was my very first Greek coffee. I was so cold that I had to order something warm. It was actually quite good, and I'm surprised how much I liked it. I will be getting more in the future. Oh, and don't you love her little cups? I personally enjoyed her decorations and dining ware.

This was the bulk of our meal. We might have been able to order something more, but we didn't know how much she would have to prepare for a bigger meal. Maybe she doesn't turn her ovens on until later? Anyway, you see her own honey, which we bought a jar of. She showed us the honeycomb she gets her honey from, emphasizing how fresh it is. There are fresh oranges, and they were huge! And on the right you see Greek yogurt. It's homemade, and it's the best Greek yogurt I have ever had! She called it "yogurt cheese," which if you think about it is quite realistic. It was slightly sour, like our yogurt, but very creamy and smooth. The yogurt here is different than at home. It's still thick, but it's more of a custard consistency. It's also not as bitter as american Greek yogurt. I could eat this Greek yogurt plain, but honey is such a nice treat. It's like dessert.

In the middle of the table is some of her homemade cheese. It was very good! I couldn't tell you what kind it was, only that it was good.

It's a little challenging to see, but it actually rained and hailed quite hard while we were up there. I guess it didn't rain a the base of the mountain, but we must have been so high up that more clouds gather there. Our hostess said, "Good eating, sheep milking." Which I assume means that this is good for the sheep's food, and will make good sheep milk tomorrow. She milks, makes yogurt and cheese, and harvests honey, not to mention runs a Taverna. I wonder how busy she is? She had time to sit with us and talk. I wonder how fulfilling she finds her life. She says that she has lived all her life in that little mountain town, and she seemed to have a happy and content personality to me. Makes me wish I were better at embracing the smaller things in life that matter... like sitting and getting to know someone, even if they're a stranger.

Here are a few pictures of the valley at the top of the mountains. Or would this be the Kathanos plateau? Either way, it was so lush and green, completely unlike the other landscapes of Crete. It's the type of place I fantasize living one day in my fairytale world.

She sent us home with some more of her homemade cheese. It's delicious!

As I said, it rained on the mountain. We got quite a few good pictures of the water on the trees. I don't expect we will get many more of these.

Snails are something we see absolutely everywhere! Well, I have seen their shells everywhere, but these are the first live snails that I have seen. I'm sure there are live ones down the mountain and in the desert-like landscape, but they must be good at staying in the shade. I've been tempted to bring home some snail shells, just because they look cool, but I haven't been convinced yet.

Well this day was really quite busy! After we got back from our trip, we tried laying out at the pool. After that didn't work I went to start on this post, and Brandon took a nap. After he took a nap, he played tennis with Dion, which I hear he was soundly beaten in. Brandon will have to practice in the future. And then we have just been hanging out with Dion and his Mother. The hotel had a barbeque today, so we sat at their table, and afterwards Brandon and Dion played some pool while I continued to work on this blog. Dion's Mother has gone to bed, because it is now midnight, and she hasn't been feeling well. Brandon, Dion and I might stay up a little while longer and just talk with the bartender, Suvas... Well, that's how his name is pronounced, but I'm not sure how it's spelled.

As much as I want to go to bed and get an early start in the morning, I have to remind myself to slow down. It's vacation after all, and making friends isn't a bad thing, no matter how much it stands against my nature.