First strike of the raki

We started the day off well – there’s a large bakery between the hotel and the supermarket that has all manner of tasty interesting things. We got some baklava, a chocolate-filled croissant, cheese danishes and a few other things for really cheap, and they were GREAT. It’s a chain, but it’s fresh stuff and still probably better than a lot of the bakeries we’ve been to thus far. Ah greek food. Peter observed that Greece had the most plump locals that we’ve seen in Europe and I would have to agree…it’s probably because of all the delicious food available!

After some walking we decided to do at least a little sightseeing, to the much-advertised CretAquarium that had just opened the last time I was here. That required taking a bus a half hour out of town but we managed it – the busses that run are actually coach busses, which is really nice. The exhibit was about the same, maybe a bit bigger, but it made up for not going to the zoo in Rome in terms of pacifying our inner little kid. The more interesting part, I thought, was the other part of the dual ticket – the Leonardo da Vinci exhibit. Why it’s in Crete, I have no idea, but I didn’t know much about the guy before we went so it was pretty informative. I didn’t know he was such an engineer, or that he dissected cadavers at night…guy was wicket smart but also a bit strange. But the museum did it well, and had some real models based on sketches he had made. Pretty ingenious stuff. We had to wait a while for a bus back into town but it was all right – cool exhibits accomplished.

In a very short time after we got back to the city we met Kostas to go to the beach. Since it was so windy he opted for a more protected place, which ended up being about a half hour “close” to the city by car. I think it was part of a resort, and it wasn’t actually a traditional beach – it was a concrete platform built over the sharp rock dropoff to make some oceanfront property. The water was really clear but really strong, especially when it starts out being about 10 ft deep. The swim was good and the view was great though! Definitely a novel kind of beach we wouldn’t have seen otherwise. In the ensuing time we talked a lot and sipped whatever we had ordered, as is customary. Very good!

Since he has to get up early to report to the army, Kostas opted out of dinner but we found a nice place anyway (after showering of course!). It was the Traditional Cretan Restaurant around the bend from the Irini and it ended up being a very funny night! The food was pretty good – best salad we’ve had in Europe possibly – but the desserts were also excellent. Got the sweet yoghurt with candied carrots again, which was just as delicious as I remember, plus some fruit. Yum! I really enjoy being in a place where a filling dinner is less than 30E and dessert comes with it. Greece is probably one of the cheaper places to eat I think. Also the owner recognized us, or at least the story I told him about being here, and gave us two little things of raki instead of one with the check. Oh dear. So I was pretty unprepared to write the post after I got back, oh well! Sitting with the only other customers plus the family just watching TV (Worms and then some nazi movie) and sipping wine or raki was very nice. In five years again, I told the waiter, maybe we’ll come back. It’s still strange to be back but it has been worth it for the food alone I think. Hooray!