Sfakion

Last weekend we drove over the mountains a bit east of Chania to the south coast. It's much cooler in the mountains and was a very refreshing drive. The church is in a high mountain valley town.

The Venetians built the castle Fragokastelo. They built it to protect the island from pirates but also from the Sfakians, who were their worst enemy. After each day's work the Sfakians would come at night and tear down what they built plus do their best to kill the solders guarding the castle at night. Eventually we can tell that the Venetians succeeded building the caste, because we can take pictures of it today, even if they never succeeded in bringing the Sfakians into submission. The Sfakians seem to be the most stubbornly independent group on Crete. They have lots of guns witnessed by the road signs with all the bullet holes (looks a bit like the signs and outhouses I remember from Wyoming when I was a kid).

We went swimming at the lovely beach near the castle, but only for a short time, The winds of Crete were acting out and the sand blast effect on the beach was rather painful.

Then we went to dinner in the town of Chora Sfakion along the shore where we watched the ferry come in and unload what looked like hundreds of hikers heading for busses that were waiting for them. The hikers came from the Samaria Gorge outlet. People are dropped off at the top and hike to the bottom. There are no roads to the outlet so they have to ride the ferry to a town with roads. I would like to do that hike but need to wait until cooler weather. The Imbros Gorge is the one we took pictures of I would like to walk down that one too. It used to be the only way to get to Chora Sfakion. But need to wait for cooler weather.

We ate Sfakion pies at a rest stop, wonderful homemade goat cheese baked in pastry and covered with honey.

I'm going to attach a bunch of pictures now, and get ready to go on an evening adventure to Rethymno. We are becoming night dwellers when we get a chance. Much too hot in the day time to move around very much!

Forgot to mention the tiny churches and other buildings, and fountains in Vrisis. Vrisis is on the road in the foothills just as start the go over the mountains. The town is a wonderful oasis form the sun. I think I might try to get a tiny church. The ones in Vrisis are especially beautiful.