Greece, the Crete island

During my stay on this island I have visited sites aercheologici (world) and visited some cities.
This time, unlike the last (and first) time and do not break my travel diary in days but in episodes.

 

Preparation and first unconvenients

Before addressing the winter I decided to give me a vacation as it should be: all inclusive served and revered. After having determined the destination of my trip, limited to three or four islands, beginning to look at many catalogs. After a few days, or by the end of the season (Italian) or exorbitant prices or, On the contrary, too low (hide something?), In exacting that in these cases I decide to go with a tour operator that is part of a big group of tourism industry to avoid surprises. After contacting the travel agency where they are now a customer (because of the availability and reliability), I decide for the island I will guest: Crete and more specifically the town; of Alonissos near the capital Heraklion, located on the coast north and center of the island. A few days after receiving the summons at the airport of departure for 07.00 hours of 02 October and where I read (and still read it) that, after the distribution of air tickets to all the participants, around 09.00 hours the aircraft would have had to leave . Reading the paper I thought, alzandomi very early to drive the car for about 270 km, I still enjoyed most of the holiday under the Mediterranean sun, to the detriment of some mug of beer and food from the feast Mitteleuropean offertimi goriziana "Flavors of frontier "that in those days liven up the city Isontina. All thoughts become dreams would become reality ... but I was wrong ... and even big!
Two days before departure receive a second call (which eliminated the first of course) in which I was informed that the airport of departure was changed (making earn 67 km) and that the appointment was for 19:20 am start 21:20 .. . AAAAHHH !!!!!!!!! This meant losing a whole day just for the trip, contrary to the instructions first! The agency immediately contacted the tour operator (known for reliability) but at the request of a refund for more than 12 hours between the first and second call with the loss of dinner on the spot with annexes and related data FROM inclusive, came to know that they could not repay as required. As it is now with his mind on those beaches, however, decide to make the trip to reserve a formal request to my return.
And 'now the date of departure (approx 02 October) and, having talked in the rain, 200 km away from Verona Gorizia, the airport of departure. At 22.00 pm the plane detaches from the ground without any problem (apart from the fact that the control of air safety have been the only one having to take off your shoes).
I do not want the parents of young children (I have a niece of 2 years and 1 / 2), but flying around the pargoletti is very "stressful" (always ask for seats in the middle or the end of the aircraft, never before being those reserved for families with children), then if you add the fact that the person before you make "the good and bad times" with a back that you almost come in the face, given the small space between a seat and the other , I say more ...
At about 23.00, but had almost exceeded half of the journey, the sad and shocking news: a failure because the plane had reached the airport of Malpensa. We were to learn later that there had been an abnormal ignition of a lamp on to the brake and the track lombarda, being 3.5 kilometers long, the course we would not have any risk at the time of landing. Also promised us that our arrival we found another airplane ready to lead us to the destination. Dismayed by the news, but quieted the crew for the inconvenience, landed without any problem then, and fortunately for us, the fault was in the light and not the brakes.
Inside the terminal Lombard other bitter news that the aircraft, given the lack of crew, it would not be party to 08.00! Aaahhh !!!!!!! (the second and last - fortunately). So in addition to the damage, of course, the prank! The funny thing was to know everything to mouth, as the hostess of the earth, the bearer of bad news, did not have the possibility to have un'impianto amplification: something that appeared by magic when you created something close to a riot! The main problem was not so much the anomaly observed in flight (the decision of the master-pilot was certainly right) but not in full on the promise to share immediately. I decided, as part of the unfortunate, to spend the night in the airport terminal, as spending two hours in a hotel room (as offered) was absurd. At least, chatting with his companions in misfortune or reading the book that I had re-browse under the greek sun, those few hours passed quickly.

Finally arrived!

Finally, at about 08.00 hours, we could start without further problems to reach the Greek island around noon.
Arrival at the airport, and more specifically in the removal of the luggage, there was tremendous chaos caused by hundreds and hundreds of people waiting for luggage frantic (which came with an awful slowness only 4 on conveyor belts) and a huge trucks coming and going. Then, the arrival of aircraft continuously fed everything. Strange for an island fagocifera that thousands of tourists every day. Finally, after several minutes of autopulman, where the hotel, along with other companions, after I started recording the dining room literally plunging on the buffet: the fame (and not just mine) was great. Arrived in the room and enjoying her first touch of the sun on my skin was a shower to wake up sound well good night's sleep after the plane, and (sigh) I am lying "temporarily" on the bed. Every now and then, when you sleep, you happen to suddenly open his eyes suddenly because your unconscious will warn of "something" that you wake up your total is also too light & ... It was now 19.00 and having discarded the bag (now many travel companion), I started toward the dining room. During dinner I noticed a slight particular, while the other diners had, a beautiful red color I wanted another color from mozzarella, colorful that I fully intend to turn into "Ferrari red" (I bronze, no ... not me like it!). At the end of dinner and evening of animation waiting staff I sat at the bar for traditional espresso and the classic "kill-coffee". I must say that the classic espresso, which we both love Italian, it was quite good: in the end, after seeing the bill, decided that the express abroad is a coffee that we want so much money and its not!
Here I want to open a parenthesis and talk to a person whom I had the pleasure to meet and know the bartender. Remember that (segnatelo somewhere) make friends with the bartender has its advantage: first, it tells a lot about habits and customs of his country, knows a few straight into rooms around the hotel and, finally, water his speeches . In this case with local grappa offered by him (in Greek refuse a drink and an offense and I, in these cases, I do not want to offend ever !!!). Many were also anecdotes with which he entertained myself along with fellow travelers known and whom I hold still in contact. To name one, he told us that in August, when the structure is entirely at the mercy "of the boys, one of them, just for the fact that the drinks were free, it was drunk in an afternoon's 25 glasses of Coca Cola!!

Knossos palace and the Archeological museum

All Greece, now you know, is rich in archaeological sites and of course the island of Crete is no exception. They are the Palace of Knossos, the Palace of Phaestos, and the old city of Gortys (Roman capital of the island). But let's go with order. The Palace of Knossos, situated in a small valley a few kilometers from Heraklion, the site of the famous King Minos and the Minoan Civilization. Moreover, according to Greek mythology, this was the place where he was imprisoned the Minotaur, a man with the head of a bull, a son of Europe. Its complex structure with many floors (up to five), corridors and colonnades gave rise to the legend of "Labyrinth." It appears to have been erected for the first time around 2000 BC and decades later destroyed several times (due to earthquakes and fires). The archaeological site was discovered around 1900 from Sir A. Evans who, aware of, restored in its own way even if the building while his other colleagues were (rightly) opposed. Indeed, studying the remains, parts of the building erected visited daily by thousands of tourists. However, his studies and helped to understand the restoration, in subsequent years, much of Minoan life. Population that expressed the highest in physics, engineering, architecture, politics, economics and religion. Just think that in building an excellent facility using water (for both whitewater and for the black) and a ventilation system to bring fresh air into all rooms. Moreover, it was not yet invented writing manual "Linear A and B, used stamps, which will give the symbols for the pronunciation of syllables: to carving these small primordial fonts used lens magnification extracted from rock crystal.
Their laws, handed down orally until 500 BC around, are much more fair and just to many of today: regulate the social life of all, by the woman (with equal rights and obligations), from the nobles to slaves (who had many rights), the divorced couples (who saw evenly redistributed their wealth) to their sons, from widows and orphans, etc.. and the death penalty was rejected even though the offenses were persecuted many. Because of the numerous earthquakes had reached a remarkable maturity in the field of engineering, to bear more elastic erect a wall of wooden frames where the blanks were prepared raw bricks or stones joined by mortar and concrete, in the end it was adorned with frescoes of excellent workmanship. Bello also the Archaeological Museum in downtown Heraclion, where he exhibited a huge collection of art from the Minoan pottery, passing through beautiful gold jewelry, sarcophagi finely wrought and ending with the frescoes (brought here from Knossos). The museum is also home to a beautiful collection of double axes, of any magnitude, that adorn the palace and they were called in Minoan "labrys" and where, was born the term "labyrinth" (place full of double axes) that we know .

MONI' ARKADI'OU monastery - HANIA' - RETHYMNO

Clay is about km long. 140 large and about 50 km and is crossed in the longest stretch, from a national road (sometimes four lanes) and take, unfortunately, in about seven hours. The other roads are like our "town" that sometimes prevent the simultaneous passage of two cars also. So my visit was rather focused on the central western part of leaving out (unfortunately) throughout Eastern Europe.
Today I had the pleasure to visit the greek-orthodox monastery of Moni Arkadìou a few kilometers from Rethymno. A view in the early moments, reminded me of the old Mexican missions that so many American films have become known. Obviously I was wrong ...
The structure, erected in the sixteenth century, form a quadrilateral with a huge central courtyard where stands outside the church that is quite baroque, but inside it shows the magnificent places of prayer Orthodox. The site is of national interest as it was used as shelter by many Cretan people who decided to fight the occupying turkish stationed on the island by a couple of centuries. Indeed in 1866 the Ottoman army moved into the monastery (transformed into a fortress) to delete, with a demonstration of force, the various uprisings that were now growing in intensity throughout the island. About 2,000 were the Turks who attacked the religious building that housed hundreds of Cretan escaped from their villages in flames. The Ottomans, after they entered the court committing atrocities of all kinds, you went to a warehouse (used as a powder), where most of the fugitives had taken refuge as a last defense. Seeing that now was the Ottoman horde at the gates of the "Santa Barbara", the Cretan, rather than surrender or die at the hands of Turkey, preferred sacrifice as martyrs setting fire to the powder. The explosion not spared anyone, including 2,000 military personnel. Miraculously only one child is saved, the only witness'; episode who lived well into old age. The Turks (given the many losses among their ranks), in spite, forbade anyone to approach the monastery (thus prohibiting a dignified burial for the poor remains still there) for a few years. The episode, which had a resonance of a global, gave a jolt to public opinion and the powerful of which, with considerable pressure, convinced the Ottoman Empire to abandon the island of Crete, made independently decided, some years later, to join the rest of Greece.
A few centuries before this episode, and before the conquest of the Moors, these lands have been Venetian possession. The Maritime Republic of Venice, in his conquest Mediterranean has left tangible traces here.
Visiting the city of Hania (or Chania Xanià), which now houses a NATO base (confirming its strategic zone), just linger in the old town overlooking the sea with its Venetian harbor, to be almost home. The walk through the ancient alleyways or calli "(remember that in Venice, Grado or even in Istria and Dalmatia), though overflowing with restaurants or shops ACCHIAPPA-tourists, bewitches anyone. Here is the famous covered market, similar to a huge erboristeria, where you can find any type of herb or spice Cretan, any type of marine sponge and any type of soap for the skin (always a base of olive oil). All dominated by the Venetian fortress, which was then amended by the Ottoman occupiers. Then it was the turn of Rethymno, which is a country on the sea like Hania albeit much smaller. Here, in addition to the port (unfortunately, the spread of numerous restaurants, with their tables come up almost to the water, have taken away much of its charm) there is a loggia (used as trade goods) and the Fountain Rimondi ( more than other source), in addition to the fortress which monitors the city. Note that here there is the only mosque with minaret of the island).

PHAESTOS palace - GORTYS city - MATALA

Another archaeological site that I visited was that of Phaestos. Here is another of the Minoan palaces as important that is second to that of Knossos. Located in the south of the plain of Messaria which is also the only of the island. The palace, situated on a small hill (but with an exceptional panorama), is almost a copy of that mentioned in a different understanding of my journey. The layout is almost the same, with the rooms arranged around a central courtyard, but not restorations and reconstructions of his more famous brother. However, unlike the latter, the excavations here have brought to light parts of the building last year (even if the last superimposed construction). Here was found a disk of clay in which it was impressed with the help of the stamps similar to those preserved in the Archaeological Museum of Heraklon, a text that covers both sides of the article, have not yet been decrypted. A few kilometers from Phaestos is the archaeological site of Gortys. Here stood the ancient Roman capital of the island. Even if you visited a tiny part of what was a huge urban area (much of the city is extensive and hidden among the many fields of olive trees), his remains (from the late Minoan Christian) identify its splendor. Here you can see a Roman theater (although similar to a greek) and "Read Gortys", where the code of legislation has been described by me earlier. Besides the Roman ruins are the remains of a sixth century basilica dedicated to St. Titus (first bishop of Crete).
Another place I visited was the beach of Matala, in the area south of the island close to the Minoan Palace of Phaestos. This place was famous in the '60s for being one of the many that gathered "sons of flowers" from around the world. The houses used by these "hippies" of the ancient caves were exposed to the sea and used by ancient Roman tombs as in housing that were ideal for the defense to sporadic attempts by the local police to remove them. Today, even if some "old hippy" still live in these places, the beach has turned into a tourist destination noisy and overcrowded in summer and deserted in winter. The waterfront, however, remains one of the most beautiful of the island.

HERAKLION

City extremely chaotic, dynamic and with a lively animated. The periphery seems an eternal construction site in the open air (not I want the Cretan). I had occasion to visit the Museum Aercheologico and the "Fontana dei Quattro Leoni" (also called "the Morosini" - Governor of Crete) which is a few hundred meters. Moreover, even here there is the Venetian Loggia (at club for men only aristocrats) and the Basilica di San Marco, who repeatedly rebuilt hours hosts a museum of art. Impressive is the city wall with seven bastions and four gateways built by the Venetians between the XV and XVI century.
Many also have restaurants, bars and shops filled with young people and students. Eil lively marketplace that, a few steps from Fontana Morosini is able to satisfy all the needs of both tourists and the housewife. The port instead Eun continued going vessels (especially cruising) who continue to tirelessly churning tourists for visits of a few hours.
There is a small detail that I have ...
While the classical cloud covered the sun on the hotel (prohibiting bathing in the sun which we Italians can not do without) these days in my trips, I found a clean clear blue sky ...
So I spent the afternoon at the hotel only to "fill up iodine - which is good for the lungs" and to read.

Watching the clouds

Obviously latter days also did not want to betray the tradition .... Clouds ... clouds ... clouds ... The structure of edicolante now familiar with my editorial desires ... Lying on bed, as I was now back from the daily excursions, absorbed in an almost maniacal of pages (a method to relax against the & quot; not alone & quot;).
This evening I decided along with Livia and Francis (my companions in this adventure known) to go and dine in a typical trattoria of Alonissos, just a few meters away. Santa was the "straight" had to be Costantinos .... Indeed, the chosen locale (or better recommended), even though our arrival was empty at the end dela dinner was full of local people ... The other inns (one attached to another) were empty!
Dinner, fish-based, èandata well enough even though the choice of dishes since the menu was in greek, it was helpful that chewing waitresses in a little Italian and English. The fish dishes, almost everything fried, made by master. At the end of the evening all counter to the bar for "the glass of the bracket and to greet Costantinos.

Going back home

Ovviamete latter days also did not want to betray the tradition .... Clouds ... clouds ... clouds ... The structure of edicolante now familiar with my editorial desires ... Lying on bed, as I was now back from the daily excursions, absorbed in an almost maniacal of pages (a method to relax against the & quot; not alone & quot;).
This evening I decided along with Livia and Francis (my companions in this adventure known) to go and dine in a typical trattoria of Alonissos, just a few meters away. Santa was the "straight" had to be Costantinos .... Indeed, the chosen locale (or better recommended), even though our arrival was empty at the end dela dinner was full of local people ... The other inns (one attached to another) were empty!
Dinner, fish-based, èandata well enough even though the choice of dishes since the menu was in greek, it was helpful that chewing waitresses in a little Italian and English. The fish dishes, almost everything fried, made by master. At the end of the evening all counter to the bar for "the glass of the bracket and to greet Costantinos.