Beautiful Balos Beach

I expected to miss sunrise on our first morning in Crete. I love sunrises, Terri-not so much. She would rather sleep right through them and on this day I would have liked that as well. But it wasn’t meant to be.

We were so tired from all of the traveling that I had neglected to prepare the coffee the night before. As I noisily rummaged for our coffee makings, I was certain that I would wake Terri but she remained fast asleep.

Having made my coffee by phone light, I headed to the beach.

An hour after sun-up and on my third cup of coffee, Terri finally began to wake-up. We were both still groggy with jet-lag but eager for our first Cretan adventure. I had researched Balos Beach reading how the rental car companies forbade their cars from the pot-holed dirt road to Balos. Most reviewers said it was long and bumpy but worth it and they were right. We encountered bad roads, boulders, ruts and steep drop-offs along with the occasional stubborn goat.

You can’t actually drive to the beach but there is parking near an overlook and then a mile hike down to the beach.

The water was warm and clear and we both enjoyed a nice swim.

After a long hike back up the hill it was time to head to the southern part of Crete, to Palaiochora. It wasn’t a long distance but the mountainous terrain and curvy roads of Crete really stressed the engine on our Hybrid Fiat Panda. Fortunately, Google maps got us there, eventually.

Terri had found a nice restaurant with good reviews ands great service.

We are not certain, but two nights in a row, our restaurant experience has been similar. There is no rush, everything has a pace that we just are not accustomed to: take a seat where you like, cold bottled water is served, relax, menus, relax, drinks served and order when ready. After dinner, with your table cleared, we sit and enjoy the surroundings. With jet-lag again creeping up on us, we ask for the check. It’s then that a dessert is brought along with a small bottle of Raki, (pronounced rhikey). Raki is a Cretan drink akin to Greek Ouzo. There is no charge for this and it has happened at both of our dinners. It’s a local tradition we are told, and not wanting to break tradition, we partake.

Now content and growing more tired, we head towards our hotel only to find the bustling downtown of Palaiochora.

The liveliness is contagious and I do need to write that blog……