Greece
Trip Report: What can you say about a trip to Greece?
Chania, Crete
Day 4
The next morning I treated my spouse to breakfast in the room after a run to the local café again. With hours to spare before our flight to Chania, we walked to the Benaki Museum for a quick breeze through. A nice collection that spans the years but it still pales next to the stunning art displayed at the biggun in town.
The next morning I treated my spouse to breakfast in the room after a run to the local café again. With hours to spare before our flight to Chania, we walked to the Benaki Museum for a quick breeze through. A nice collection that spans the years but it still pales next to the stunning art displayed at the biggun in town.
On to Chania . . .
We taxi’d to the airport for a short hop to Chania via Aegean Air €35. Despite the animal boarding onto the loading bus, the flight was on time and painless. Again, a pre-arranged driver was waiting for us but he obviously was not a friendly fellow. More of a gold-chain-in–a-Mercedes-guy that was making ends meet in this sucky job . . . We received a very warm welcome from the Alcanea Boutique Hotel after a short walk through the maze of the old town.
We taxi’d to the airport for a short hop to Chania via Aegean Air €35. Despite the animal boarding onto the loading bus, the flight was on time and painless. Again, a pre-arranged driver was waiting for us but he obviously was not a friendly fellow. More of a gold-chain-in–a-Mercedes-guy that was making ends meet in this sucky job . . . We received a very warm welcome from the Alcanea Boutique Hotel after a short walk through the maze of the old town.
- Review Alcanea Boutique Hotel "A Perfect Stay" I know that this review might sound phony but it was a perfect stay. A small boutique hotel with just 8 rooms, it is right on the harbor next to the attached Maritime Museum. Their small restaurant is on the ground level & as guests we received free breakfast (huge portions complete with eggs cooked the way you want them!). The staff were wonderful - Helen & Evi (sp?) in particular - expertly accommodating our every request. Rooms I & VII (our room) have small balconies that fit 2 chairs nicely with great harbor views - although you will feel like a rock star since EVERYBODY takes photos as they walk by. It is a creaky 400 year old building so the rooms are all different but you will have to climb stairs (49 to our room!). The harbor starts to come alive at 5am, so if you are a light sleeper, make sure that you close your windows - that nicely stops all of the noise from the late night locals staggering home. An unreserved recommendation!
Since we arrived in town just before dinner, we had a balcony cocktail admiring the view and then made our way to atmospheric Portes Restaurant that Helen from the hotel suggested and reserved for us. It was on my shortlist and very busy so our reservations were wise.
- Review Portes Restaurant "Fun & Good" Located in the alley beside the old city wall, we chose this on the recommendation of our hotel because they are good friends. It was a good choice. A wide selection with emphasis on 4 legged fare. Bread, dips & our mains were all very good. The waiters were very friendly, bantering with patrons - especially when a surprise downpour required some rearranging.
Day 5 - 6
After a hearty breakfast on the terrace in front of the Alcanea (included of course), we set out to explore the town using a route that I found on the net somewhere. It took us all around the old town to the market and encircled back to the fortress. The old walled town area is certainly gentrified compared to the graffiti’d concrete wasteland of much of Athens. Cafes, restaurants, ice cream, clothing, leather, knives, and tourist stores galore . . . this area would certainly appeal to anyone that likes shopping and eating for days on end . . . I found it a little too packaged. Pretty, but packaged.
For the next two days, we just pretty much slummed around so there is no point to a day by day account. Both days were perfect: sunny with temps in the high 20s. We ate a tourist lunch in one of the harbor restaurants – Zepos, I think – not great but it had the most comfortable seats of the bunch of eateries that faced the sea. The waiter told us that he works here for 7 months of the year and then returns home to mainland Greece to live with his parents during the winter months to save money. His brother, who moved back to their parent’s house, can’t afford to live alone on his €1000 per month policeman’s wage.
One afternoon, we took a fairly useless 1 ½ hour boat cruise with a nice Scottish couple from a cruise ship. As a weird coincidence, his ancestors came from the same patch of Scotland – Tullich Farms near Inveraray – that my ancestors left behind for Canada in 1842.
We walked over to the beach west of the old town in Chania proper (mush grittier than the old town btw). It was not a pretty beach but a lot of people were there sunning and cooling off and we both went for a quick dip in the Med.
On our third night in Chania, there was a DJ and a major local town party over by the boat moorings that we walked through on our way back from the restaurant.
Just lazy relaxing days . . . but we felt that we had exhausted all of the fun possibilities for us in Chania. If we had stayed any longer we would have had to bug out for day trips. And no . . . the popular Samaria Gorge trek was not in the cards for us. The downhill part would have destroyed my trick knees and for my wife . . . a big resounding NO WAY. Nor were any beaches particularly appealing. So, despite the wonderful hospitality and comfort of the Alcanea Hotel, we were ready to leave after three nights in town.
After a hearty breakfast on the terrace in front of the Alcanea (included of course), we set out to explore the town using a route that I found on the net somewhere. It took us all around the old town to the market and encircled back to the fortress. The old walled town area is certainly gentrified compared to the graffiti’d concrete wasteland of much of Athens. Cafes, restaurants, ice cream, clothing, leather, knives, and tourist stores galore . . . this area would certainly appeal to anyone that likes shopping and eating for days on end . . . I found it a little too packaged. Pretty, but packaged.
For the next two days, we just pretty much slummed around so there is no point to a day by day account. Both days were perfect: sunny with temps in the high 20s. We ate a tourist lunch in one of the harbor restaurants – Zepos, I think – not great but it had the most comfortable seats of the bunch of eateries that faced the sea. The waiter told us that he works here for 7 months of the year and then returns home to mainland Greece to live with his parents during the winter months to save money. His brother, who moved back to their parent’s house, can’t afford to live alone on his €1000 per month policeman’s wage.
One afternoon, we took a fairly useless 1 ½ hour boat cruise with a nice Scottish couple from a cruise ship. As a weird coincidence, his ancestors came from the same patch of Scotland – Tullich Farms near Inveraray – that my ancestors left behind for Canada in 1842.
We walked over to the beach west of the old town in Chania proper (mush grittier than the old town btw). It was not a pretty beach but a lot of people were there sunning and cooling off and we both went for a quick dip in the Med.
On our third night in Chania, there was a DJ and a major local town party over by the boat moorings that we walked through on our way back from the restaurant.
Just lazy relaxing days . . . but we felt that we had exhausted all of the fun possibilities for us in Chania. If we had stayed any longer we would have had to bug out for day trips. And no . . . the popular Samaria Gorge trek was not in the cards for us. The downhill part would have destroyed my trick knees and for my wife . . . a big resounding NO WAY. Nor were any beaches particularly appealing. So, despite the wonderful hospitality and comfort of the Alcanea Hotel, we were ready to leave after three nights in town.
In and Around Chania Town
- Review Taman Restaurant "Better than most in this restaurant town" In the alley just steps from the harbor & very busy so I was glad that we had a reservation. Very good mains (grilled lamb chops & veal in tomato sauce) & truly wonderful baked feta. The servers were good but a bit brusque although the crowds were keeping them hopping. In the busier times, reservations are a must. We sat in the alley tables feeding a friendly but fussy cat that would only eat meat.
- Review Chrisostomos Restaurant "Meat Paradise" Obviously trying to be more upmarket than most (if not all) in this restaurant filled town. It was also harder to find in an out-of-the-way location near the lighthouse pier at the far end of the enclosed harbor. We were warned that this is a meat-centric eatery & the menu had lamb, rabbit, sheep, wild boar etc. Salads & appetizers were all huge so plan to share. Meats were tender & very good although the accompanying sauces were a tad greasy - of course that's why they were so tender. Probably more authentic Cretan cuisine as opposed to standard Greek. The restaurant was full & turning people away so a reservation might be necessary.
You may have assumed from my lackadaisical report for Chania, that it wasn’t a fast and furious part of the report. You would be right. You may have also assumed that it wasn’t a terribly interesting part of our vacation. You would be right again. Maybe we are spoiled or maybe we are just getting travel jaded, but another cute town jammed with tourists and tourist restaurants and tourists stores is . . . well . . . dare I say it? . . . yes . . . it’s boring.
Now, sometimes boring holidays are a good thing. It allows you to relax and unwind away from the stresses of daily life. But when you are thousands of miles away from home, in a place that is begging to be explored, sitting on your butt all day with your face buried in a Kindle just seems wrong. Well, I know for certain that we can’t seem to manage it yet . . . maybe in a few years . . .
Now, sometimes boring holidays are a good thing. It allows you to relax and unwind away from the stresses of daily life. But when you are thousands of miles away from home, in a place that is begging to be explored, sitting on your butt all day with your face buried in a Kindle just seems wrong. Well, I know for certain that we can’t seem to manage it yet . . . maybe in a few years . . .