OIL BE SEEING YOU

Monday, June 05, 2017
Agios Nikolaos, Crete, Greece
FUN FACT: Virgin olive oil. It takes an average of 5 kg of olives to make 1 litre (about 11 pounds for a quart). (Insert your own Popeye joke here.)

During our last days on Crete we stayed in a lovely seaside city called Agios Nikolaos, which is in the eastern part of the island . This area attracts the rich and famous because of its scenic beauty. Visiting today, it’s hard to believe that it once was a simple fishing village. These days, you’ll find fur shops and jewelry shops as common as Tim Hortons back home. The harbour is full of beautiful sailboats and yachts. There is a vibrant street life, with tons of tourists enjoying the city’s pleasures. All of this made for a great place to escape for a few days.

The drive from Heraklion is spectacular, as you have the seaside cliffs on one side and the mountains on the other. You pass beaches and gorgeous views galore. We stopped at a wonderful aquarium on the way, nicely done but not as commercialized as others we have visited. It featured the varieties of sea life that you would find in the Aegean, which includes sharks, stingrays, and a plethora of other species, many of which look beautiful when arranged on a plate accompanied with a potato and Greek salad. I’ve attached a few pictures of 2 particularly attractive species .

We’ve overdosed on museums, archaeological sites, cathedrals, monasteries, and so on, so now we settled for the pure pleasure of vegging on the beach, with a cool drink in our hands, going for walks with a refreshing gelato at the end as a reward, and similar simple pleasures. As always, the people-watching is always a highlight.

Now back to the olive oil. Once again, a sign on the road attracted our attention and we booked a visit to an olive oil farm, where we were given a personal tour describing the historical process of olive farming and olive oil production vs. modern methods. It is the only farming family that still does hand-pressing, a labour intensive process. It was very interesting, and we got to taste a variety of their olive oils as well as all types of other foods either based on olives, or the other fruit and vegetables which they grow, including 56 different herbs. We also became fast friends with Dora, the farm’s donkey . The Cretan environment is perfect for olive growth, and its oil is considered some of the finest quality in the world. Of course, we wouldn’t leave without bringing a bottle home.

The drive back to Heraklion was even more exciting, as we took a round-about route going through a beautiful agricultural valley called the Lisithi Plateau. What made it exciting was the drive over the mountains to get there and to exit afterwards. I drove single lane mountain roads where we were literally driving along a single lane cliff without guardrails or other barriers to give you a sense of security. No, these were one wrong move, and we’re saying sayonara to the world. It was exhilarating, nerve-wracking, and a lot of fun. I must have driven through a hundred hairpin curves, some uphill, some downhill. It was like being on a roller coaster, and I found myself giggling at times during the 3 hour drive. We also encountered so many picture-perfect vistas. This route took us through several mountain-side traditional Cretan villages . In each, you could see the residents sitting outside in groups, tons of old men chatting in cafes, tons of old ladies in black. All were watching the intrepid drivers and no doubt laughing at the passing parade of white-knuckled drivers. We were part of this parade, and it was definitely a trip highlight.

Tomorrow, we take a 6-hour ferry to Santorini, one of the most popular Greek islands, which means hordes of tourists, inflated prices, and busy beaches. Still, it is a special place since it was formed from the explosion of a volcano several centuries ago, and now much of it sits on the caldera high above sea level, especially its capital city, Fira. It is actually the second time that we’re in Santorini on this trip, since we stopped there on our cruise earlier this trip, and visited a volcano while there. This time, we’ll be exploring the island further. Six years ago, we were in Santorini when Bonnie seriously injured her foot and we were mostly confined to our hotel, since she couldn’t walk. This visit will make up for it. We’ve rented a car, which will make our stay much more convenient, since we won’t have to rely on buses or cabs. My next blog entry will be from Santorini.

We are starting to see the end of our trip in sight, with only 10 days left before we fly home. Thus far, it’s been a wonderful experience, and a trip that we’ll remember for many years to come.

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