1415: Headed South to Sougia

Saturday 18th January 2020

Coffee at Aris’ – as usual…..  then driving to Sougia- east and south…..I found that my new hearing aids played my phone music – and the SatNav – the wonders of modern technology!

Sougia is a small village with basically a road north  … to move east, we have to almost hit the north coast.  It is mostly shut, bar a cafe and a souvlaki grill are open.  However, German Camper Micheal is here (met at Elafonisi and Paleochora) and another solo German lady, Freya, … Interesting character, she told me she is a dancer, as I fixated on the dangling jewel stapled in the middle of her forehead.  So it is quiet, beautiful and pretty isolated.

We’d driven through fog and rain to sunshine in Sougia … but the hills are still shrouded in clouds.

The small harbour wearing a rainbow.

So different to the north, the mountains fall into the sea.

 

1416: Lissos Gorge Walk

Sunday 19th January

Coffee in a local Sougia bar – and off to the Lissos Gorge – fantastic rock colours and formations – but so many goats that our Corriegoatherd was on the lead mostly.  Our picnic stop was a sun trap overlooking the Ancient site of Lissos.  Having eaten and sunbathed out of the wind, lethargy stole over us … we resisted (easily) the temptation to take the steep ascent and descent to the site.

Just make out the remnants of snow.

Camouflage dog!

No, Corrie, you are NOT a goat … but there were a lot, so she had to spend much of the walk on the lead.

Picnic stop looking down onto Lissos, ancient site.  Out of the wind and lovely and warm.

Curious goats came to torment CO2.

 

The Souvlakerie for supper … a local spatiality to start, super crisp thin crepes, filled with fennel tops and spinach.  Lovely.

 

1417: Mountain View Walk

Monday 20th January

An easier walk this morning – with a biting wind in places. We wanted to find a cave but the final path section was overgrown – return to the village where K discovered the local cafe was open. 2 coffees ordered – our hottest, Maria spoke excellent English – apologised that she had no cakes… then she appeared with salted peanuts – and Raki – at lunchtime!!!…  As we were about to leave she produced pastries she had just cooked – spinach and cheese – our favourites….  and more Raki!   What another amazing Cretan experience!  We left wondering if we might come back to eat there. K had spotted 2 elderly ladies in the village – so we had seen 4 of the 12 inhabitants!