Fiestas, fans and flamencos

Posted on January 30, 2012 by

Andalucia, Spain – a different part of the Mediterranean and another beautiful experience for the memory card.  Quintessential Andalucia – Cool inner courtyards intricately decorated with colorful spanish tiles, tapas treats like serrano ham, manchego cheese and Spanish red wines, quiet flower-scented plazas by day that turn into vibrant nightlife venues dancing with energy.  And punches of COLOR everywhere!

Flamboyant color everywhere!

When we heard that there was a military hop going from Souda Bay to to Moron AFB, Spain, we jumped at the chance to spend a few days in the intriguing  historic city of Seville.  We boarded the roomy cargo aircraft with only one other passenger and  4 1/2 hours later we landed at Moron, which is approximately 45 minutes outside of Seville.

Ready to board- Nofrills Airlines

Our first stop was to one of the ”white towns” (Pueblos Blancos) of the hill country where we stayed at a restored convent (Hotel El Convento) in the little village of Arcos de la Frontera perched high on a cliff overlooking the green Andalucia fields and farms.

Arcos de la Frontera

Arcos was a delightfully sleepy little village with a handful of shops, restaurants and museums that were sporadically open.  (After all, it was October – not exactly peak season.)  The town itself was very small so our leisurely exploring only took a few hours.

Back street - Arcos

The next day we were ready for our city experience so we hopped on a bus to Seville.  As soon as we arrived in Seville, we were immediately attracted to its unique essence.   The VRBO rental accommodation was disappointing but the location was stellar – 1 block off the bustling Alameda de Hercules – a busy gathering place by day and one of Seville’s liveliest spots at night.  La Alameda is a long tree-lined plaza flanked on both ends with Roman pillars (genuine on the south end) and boasts many open cafes and restaurants.

Tapas - a taste of Spain

As is customary for us, we toured most of the city on bikes – compliments of the city bike hire project – Sevici.   Seville is the perfect city to explore on bikes so no wonder it has quickly risen to the top as Spain’s most bike-friendly city.  As we pedaled through the streets we quickly realized that Seville is a real treat for all the senses.  The historic city area is filled with architecture reflecting past Moorish influence, and the Giralda Tower is an example of this influence.  The ornate top is the Renaissance addition to what used to be the original Muslim minaret.

Giralda Tower

The Cathedral (third largest in Europe next to St. Peter’s in Rome and St. Paul’s in London) and the Alcazar (now a part-time royal residence) are stunning and extravagant.

the Cathedral

But we most enjoyed snooping around the cramped, magical old Jewish quarter (Barrio Santa Cruz) a picturesque neighborhood of narrow streets and white washed houses.

Barrio Santa Cruz

Finally, we finished off the afternoon daylight with a ride out to the magnificent Parque de Maria Luisa, my favorite place because of all the gardens!  This giant park could easily engulf you for an entire day with its trails, green lawns, fountains, flower gardens and the beautiful architecture of the Plaza de Espana, most impressive for its miles of ceramic tile work integrated into everything from floors to banisters.

Plaza de Espana

Nightlife in Seville wouldn’t be complete without taking in a flamenco show.  Just as beautiful art should evoke an emotional response, this passionate display of music, dance and story moved me deeply and unexpectedly.  I found myself getting lost in the world of elaborate costumes, complicated rhythms and graceful yet deliberate choreography.  The venue was a small courtyard and the flamenco performers totaled only four – two dancers, a singer and a guitarist.   The singer was accompanied by the guitar and the dancers moved in rhythm, their bodies and facial expressions mirroring the passionate words of the story – sometimes slow and gentle then suddenly changing to angry and emotional but always with passionate intensity.  The performance ended abruptly to a thunderous applause and the spell was broken but never forgotten.

Ready for the next adventure

Posted in Culture, Musings, Travel | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

SAMARIA GORGE

Posted on January 15, 2012 by

The Samaria Gorge, the longest gorge in Europe, Faragas (the great gorge)….whatever you know it by, it remains the most visited spot on Crete by hikers and nature lovers from all over the world.  The gorge of Samaria is in the National Park of Samaria, located in the White Mountains in southwest Crete.  It is a beautiful canyon of stunning views and rich ecosystems (450 different plant species and home to the famous wild kri-kri goat.)  It is on the list of “musts” when you visit the island but because of that, the crowds are relentless in the summer months – up to 3,000 visitors a day!  One of the perks of living here is that we can wait out the tourist season and enjoy the sights at a more leisurely pace of our choosing.  Such was the case with our gorge hike.  A friend and I decided to take on the gorge in October.  It is only open from May through October because of weather, so as the end of October approached we felt the urgency to “get ‘er done.”  The weather was less than perfect – overcast and chilly with a slight drizzle – but it didn’t dampened our determination or our fun.

The usual way of hiking the gorge is by descending it from the top of the gorge near Omalos starting at an altitude of 1250 meters and going all the way down to the shores of the Libyan Sea at the fishing village of Agia Romeli.  Because of weather and time constraints, we decided to do it the other way around that began with a ferry ride from Hora Sfakia (Agia Romeli is only accessible by boat or hiking.)

Agia Romeli

The starting point is a road that heads upwards past tavernas, mini markets and tourist shops and ends at the entrance of the gorge where you buy a cheap ticket (that you just save to exit the gorge).  Here the path becomes more interesting as it continues up the river bed (usually a trickle this time of year).  In just a short distance is the most photographed spot in the gorge, the “Portes” (doors) or sometimes called the “Sideroportes” (Iron Gates) which are the narrowest part of the gorge.  Here the sheer rock walls rise to over 300m leaving a passage only 3.5m wide.

Portes (The Gates)

Continuing further into the gorge, we passed under the vertical walls of rock and stopped occasionally to rest and drink cold, clear water from the stone-built water fountains that were strategically  placed along the path.  We observed wild vegetation, pine tree forests, maple groves and wildflowers of the season.  The famous wild Kri-Kri goats eluded us but there were many birds and best of all, very few people.  Since we were not trying to break any records, we simply ambled along enjoying the scenery and stopping many times for photographs.  

As we arrived at the deserted village of Samaria, we made the decision not to go any further so as to give us plenty of time to return to Agia Romeli to catch the last ferry back to our car at Hora Sfakia.

Old Samaria village ruins

Now that winter has arrived and the gorge is closed, I am imagining the serenity that has fallen over this wild and beautiful part of Crete.  Maybe  a Springtime hike (down the gorge this time) will be on our ever-growing lists of “musts.”

Posted in Crete | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Christmas in Colorado and Kali Hronia in Crete!

Posted on January 4, 2012 by

One way to recycle old skis!

MERRY CHRISTMAS from the Cranes!

20" of snow doesn't slow them down much

There’s no place like home for the holidays – especially when it’s in a beautiful winter wonderland like Evergreen, Colorado.  Christmas 2011 found us back in the States in the warm company of family and friends amidst the snow and cold.  And although Richard and I were on separate continents for the actual Christmas day, we joined in celebrating the birth of Jesus with many significant people in our lives.

Family festivities

“KALI HRONIA” is the standard greeting for “Happy New Year” in Greek.  We celebrated the birth of 2012 with lots of merry making with friends here on Crete.  After a delicious feast hosted by Marina and family, we stood out on their balcony four floors above the city of Hania and watched the array of fireworks erupt throughout the city.  (P.S.  This goes on all night…and morning)

New Years Eve with friends in Hania

Rather than hurry home, we stayed at a wonderful hotel that was restored from an 1800′s Venetian mansion tucked back into the small alleys of old Hania.

Courtyard of Casa Delfino - Hania

We finished off the weekend with the much anticipated excursion to pick the first oranges of the season.  No lack of vitamin C in this household.  The little mandarin oranges are as sweet as candy and twice as addicting!

Fancy footwear for orange picking

Now we settle in for a long, rainy winter.  Perfect for catching up on correspondence, reading, studying and blogging!  Happy New Year!

Afternoon rain over Hania port

Posted in Crete, Travel | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Epic Biking on Crete

Posted on November 13, 2011 by

“OK, the ride is upon us!  0800 Starbucks, Chania port.  Leave at 0830 after a jolt of espresso.  Weather looks to be STELLAR!! 20 degrees C, 68 degree Fahrenheit for our US friends – at the Port.  When we leave the Port, it should be about 16C/60F, however, we are climbing, figure 3 degrees F loss for every 1,000 feet.  We are climbing almost 5,000 feet, so assume the high at the top will be no more than 13C/55F.  Bring water, air, tubes/patches and light snack.  Layer for changing weather as well.  Check your bike out BEFORE you arrive, brakes, gears and air in your tires.  It’s helpful if you do this tonight, so you aren’t running around in the morning.  Need I say more, get a good nights sleep.”  (Email sent out by Richard day before The Ride)

At the Hania port (sea level!)

Saturday, October 22nd  8:30 a.m.  We started out the morning sitting in Starbucks at the old Hania port area, tanking up on a good jolt of espresso before heading out on our road bikes.  The original team of four core bikers dropped to three (Andy was stuck in Athens due to yet another ferry strike).  The morning was clear and cool – a perfect start.  Our dedicated sag wagon driver and friends joined us at Starbucks and after a few small adjustments to bikes, comparing notes on apparel, and secronizing our trip plans we peddled out through the streets of Hania heading southwest towards the mountains.  Spirits were high, as only veteran bikers understand when you head out on a long, arduous ride.  With the thrill of the goal ahead of us, all logic dissipates and we’re off – with smiles on our faces and high hopes under our helmets.

Heading out from the port was an easy warmup grade for about 16 km (10 miles) after which we hit nine switchbacks ascending to the beautiful village of Lakki at km 22 (14 miles) in the foothills of the Lefka Ori mountain range.

Lakki (Winter 2010)

We arrived in Lakki in good shape ready for a breather before tackling the meat of the ride.

Arriving in Lakkos (km #22 )

Peddling out of Lakki, it wasn’t long before the “young buck” Jimmy, motored ahead of us.  Leaving us in his dust, we didn’t see him again until the top.  Richard rode with Mel for a few miles before tackling the hills with his usual ease (“motor legs”).  Note here:  It’s a good thing Mel didn’t know what was ahead of her or she would have stopped in Lakki.

“The landscape after Lakki is no longer “human.” There are no orange groves and no cultivated lands, nothing to remind one of how man “tames” nature. The road (A3) climbs suddenly through steep mountain slopes with tall cedar trees and thick bushes, and as it climbs it offers a spectacular view….  

Awesome views

Be careful, though, because it has many dangerous hairpins. About 15 km south of Lakki, at a height of 1200 metres, the road goes through a pass from which you have a sudden view of the Omalos plateau some 200 metres lower. From early fall until the end of spring, the mountain peaks surrounding the plateau are covered with snow.  In the spring the snow melts and the plateau is turned into a huge swamp or even a lake. Those parts that are not covered by water are full of wild flowers. In the summer, most of the flowers are gone and the mountain greens have been eaten by goats or collected and made into herb-pies. In the past people grew potatoes in this place and they took pride in their delicious taste that was known all over Crete.”  (Alpha-Omega Travel) 

 In the meantime, Jimmy left the peloton and widened the distance between us but Richard wasn’t far behind and Mel brought up the rear.

Jimmy climbing up to Omalos

Richard masters a long incline

Still smiling at km #25 (naiveté is bliss)

From Lakkos to the Samaria Gorge trailhead, the road was far steeper than anticipated and required focus and a good dose of pride to keep on going.  Did I mention insanity?  But the anticipation of reaching the goal was motivation to keep cranking and after a sweet descent into Omalos plateau, the end was in sight…or so we thought.  The last 2 km were by far the most difficult on a straight but steady incline to the top of Europe’s longest gorge – Samarian Gorge.

Sweet victory!

After climbing for over 3 hours for a distance of 1,400 meters (4,600 feet) we were rewarded by the cheers of friends and the beauty of the mountains.

View from the top into the gorge

After documenting the finish with photos, we settled in at a local taverna in Omalos for a feast of Cretan delights and relived the ride with each other over glasses of cold Mythos beer and souvlaki.

The crew

I seriously doubt that Churchill was a biker, but somehow he connected with bikers everywhere when he said, “There will stretch out before you an ever-lengthening, ever-ascending, ever-improving (OK, that’s debatable) path…But this, far from discouraging, only adds to the joy and glory of the climb.” (Winston Churchill)

Posted in Crete, Musings | Tagged , | 3 Comments

Bavarian cows, fairytale castles and great beer

Posted on November 8, 2011 by

(GERMANY – Part Two)

Bavarian home

The last few days of our trip to Germany were spent taking a boat excursion up the Rhine River with Ginger and boys and a road trip into Bavaria with Matt.

We set out on the river cruise from the point of departure in the town of Rudesheim.  The slow moving boat meandered up river past hilltop castles perched high above the neat rows of waterside villages.   The Rhine River cuts through some beautiful countryside and on just about every hilltop there is a castle.  Many have legends attached to them that are as interesting as their architecture.  One such castle is Burg Rheinstein.

Burg Rheinstein

During the Middle Ages, many of the castle lords exploited their prime locations on the river by charging exhorbidant taxes to ship traffic using the Rhine waterway.  For the unfortunate ones who couldn’t afford the tax, punishment was inevitable.   If you look closely, you can see a round iron “basket” precariously hanging from the front tower. The unfortunate “toll runner” would hang out there until someone could come up with the toll money he owed.  That is, unless he died of a heart attack first!

View of Rhine River from Burg Rheinfels castle

View from Burg Rheinfels

At St. Goar, we docked and disembarked to hike up the hill to Burg Rheinfels.  Built in 1245 as a collecting station it was the mightiest castle on the Rhine and a walk through its walls proves that claim.  The place was entirely self-sufficient in its day as up to 4,000 inhabitants could be found within its walls.  It is an impressive structure accentuated by tall towers, fortified buildings, prison walls, mine tunnels and a giant central courtyard.

On both sides of the river we passed sweet little villages that exuded German charm – each one with it’s steepled church, brightly painted row houses and names like Bingerbruck, Niederheimbach, Kaub and….

Assmannshausen

What kind of name is THAT?!

Rhine River Cruise with friends

The day ended with sunshine on the river and lots of smiles all around.

The next day we jumped in the car and as Matt expertly zipped down the Autobahn (“we’re not in Crete anymore, Toto”) into Bavaria, the countryside opened up into the picture postcard images of quintessential Germany.

Bavaria

Bavarian lawn ornaments

First stop was the beautiful Weiskirsche (White Church) nestled in the foothills of the Alps and located out in the rural countryside.  It is surrounded by quaint farmhouses, green fields, and gray-brown cows with big bells around their necks.  Despite it’s humble surroundings, it is an extremely ornate and pristine church.  The miracle of the “Scourged Savior” statue that shed tears in 1738 has made it a popular pilgrimage site for believers who come from all over the world.

Interior of Wieskirche

We stayed overnight in the quaint but lively town of Fussen where we checked out the Hohes Schloss (Fussen castle) and then finished the evening off with some much needed spirits of the land.

The boys and the beer (Fussen)

The next morning we got up early to make our way to the most famous of all castles in Germany – perhaps in all the world, thanks to Disney.

Fairytale castle - Neuschwanstein

It was a chilly, misty morning when we arrived at the small town at the base of the rugged hill.  The low, wet clouds and mist hanging around the mountain peaks and in the valleys partially obscured the view of the castle and only added to the mystery of this fairytale castle –   Mad King Ludwig’s Neuschwanstein.  We started our day with a tour of Ludwig’s childhood home – the equally impressive and more interesting Schloss Hohenschwangau.

Schloss Hohenschwangau

After learning of Ludwig’s bizarre and somewhat troubled past, we toured the castle that was Disney’s inspiration for the Sleeping Beauty Castle.  Perhaps the most interesting thing about the castle was its inhabitants.  You can learn more at this website:  http://www.neuschwanstein.de/englisch/idea/index.htm

Our short visit to Germany left us longing for more of this…

Sunset on alpine rooftops

and this…

Back street in Fussen

…and definitely this…

Brot! (German bread!)

Thanks to the Barkers for our wonderful visit to Germany!

Posted in Culture, Musings, Travel | Tagged , , , , | 80 Comments

Germany – Heidelberg and Baden-Baden

Posted on November 3, 2011 by

View from Heidelberg Castle

We have discovered that one of disadvantages to making new friends in the military is you forge some great friendships and then before you know it, they are transferred to another country.  But the flip side is that it opens up the opportunity to visit them in those other countries.  Such was the case this summer when we got off the island visit friends near Heidelberg, Germany.

The best form of transportation through town

Our gracious hosts lent us their bicycles and we ventured out to trek through the German countryside.  Destination:  Heidelberg and a long needed taste of some good city life – German style.  The farms and houses were quaint, the fields and orchards perfectly cared for and the city streets and buildings neat as a pin and pristine despite their age.  It was truly a breath of fresh air to look around and see order and design in this historic yet vibrantly active city.

Heidelberg

Perhaps the best reason to sightsee from a bike rather than a car is so you don’t miss sudden opportunities to interact with the local vibe.  These tots were just taking a ride from their preschool.  Pretty cool machine!

Tots on wheels

We spent most of the day seeing the sights that Heidelberg has to offer such as the romantic redstone Schloss (castle), the Hauptstrasse (pedestrian only shopping street) the old bridge (1786), the Ruprecht-Karls-Universitat (oldest in Germany and still a vibrant educational institution) and the beautiful squares.

Kornmarket Square (Heidelberg Castle behind)

Biking into the village of Nussloch was rewarded by a visit to the local market in the tiny square where the bakery was also conveniently located.  There is truly nothing like a German bakery, especially in the morning.  Simply mouthwatering!

Nussloch Market

Another day we hopped a train to Baden-Baden, a historic spa resort located in the foothills of the Black Forest.  Baden means “bath” and the hot springs have been the popular destination for ancient Romans and modern tourists alike.  In the early 19th century, the city gained popularity as a meeting place for celebrities and royals who were drawn to its hot spring baths, the famous Kurhaus Casino, horse races, luxury hotels and the beautiful gardens along Lichtentaler Allee.

Kongresshaus Garden (Baden-Baden)

Lichtentaler Allee (Baden-Baden)

We treated ourselves to a 2 hour spa ritual which included “treatments” in 17 spa rooms in the beautiful and elegant historic Freidrichsbad Baths.  Ahhhh-some!

Freidrichsbad Baths

A ultra-relaxing day in Baden-Baden topped off with an espresso waiting for the train – it doesn’t get much better than this!

At the hauptbohnhof (train station)

…to be continued… Next blog:  Bavarian cows, fairytale castles and great beer….

 

Posted in Culture, Travel | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Halloween Scares – Greeks on wheels

Posted on October 28, 2011 by

Don't follow too closely

Every country has them – places that top the list of “the most terrible drivers in the world.”  Everyone has their nomination depending on their own experience.  From what I’ve seen of Europe, Crete is right up there – second only possibly to Naples, Italy.

Driving in Crete is an annoyance at best and downright dangerous at worst.  Either way, it’s guaranteed to elevate your blood pressure.  A picture is worth a thousand words but because I have to drive with two hands firmly gripping the wheel instead of my camera, and eyes in back of my head, I don’t get the opportunities to catch some unbelievable moments on the road.  Some images I wish I’d captured?

Starting with the dangerous:  1.   How about the family of four on a motorcycle – Papa driving with a child on his lap, mama gripping his waist from behind with another toddler on her lap?  Add to that three heavy bags of groceries hanging from their arms.   And helmets?  Oh sure…right there… hanging from the handlebars.   2.  Or how about those teenage boys pulling a wheelie on their motor cycle while passing a line of cars down the middle of the road – on a descent.  3.  A man driving in his car while talking on the cell phone and driving with his knees so his hands are free to…floss his teeth.                  Annoying:  1.  Sidewalks are for parking – not for pedestrians.    2. “Hazard signal overuse” – basically means if I turn on my hazard lights, I am absolved of all wrong doing and therefore I have permission to stop or park anywhere, anytime I want.  Deal with it.    Downright funny (as in, did you see that?!): 1.   A delivery man on a scooter balancing a crate of 3 dozen eggs as he manuevered over a cobbled street. (Yes – he did make it!)    2.  A young man on a scooter weaving through traffic with a cockatoo bird gripping his shoulder and hanging on for dear life.

Just when you think you’ve seen it all, something else jumps out at you.   That’s actually one of the reasons I like living here – surprises around every corner.  It definitely keeps me awake on the road.   Because I’m sure we haven’t seen the last of Those Crazy Greeks and their Driving Machines,  I’ll be continually updating this blog post and hopefully will be lucky enough to grab my camera in time for a great photo.  And if you have a story of your own about Crete driving, post a comment.  We could probably fill a book!

Posted in Crete, Musings | Tagged | Leave a comment