The Final Leg - Crete to Singapore to Sydney

Our holiday in the Aegean was all but done and we flew out from Chania Airport for the short trip back to Athens. We were met again by the wonderful people from 'Fantasy Travel', who we would strongly recommend to help organise a Greek Island holiday - fantastic. Our hotel was again in Plaka, with a great view of the Accropolis and a lovely, and lively, rooftop bar. Having said that, we still believe the Plaka Hotel in Plaka cannot be beaten for location, facilities and value?

We did some shopping in Athens, which included buying yet another suitcase to replace the one we had just bought in Chania (it had lasted just one flight, and a short one at that, before scoring a large crack - lesson, always buy quality - cheap is cheap). I also got a haircut from one of the local hairdressers.  Firstly, a great sort in a singlet top sat me down and washed my hair (how good is that by the way!), the. The hairdresser, who looked like one of the Village People did my hair.  He even had a tool belt that he strapped on and everything....no really, it was a hairdressers that I was at, wasn't it?? We had a bit of lunch and caught up on our wonderful memories in our blog.  After some rooftop drinks, we went to dinner in Plaka, then home.  The following morning, we were whisked off to the airport for the flights from Athens to London, London to Helsinki, Helsinki to Singapore.....arghhhhhhh!

Being on three different aircraft certainly provides you with sufficient food.  Could have fed an army with what I ate.  By the way, the quality of the British Airways Business Class Lounge at Athens was disgraceful. Every bit of furniture had been worn out five years ago and the carpet looked like a recent crime scene!  By the way, this was on the back of a vey shabby and old business class flight on Brithish Airways from London to Athens and a very overcrowded British Airways Business Class lounge in London. They are kidding!! We actually booked our business class flights with 'Finn Air', whose planes and lounges we very good.  However, at the time you book your flight, you are never absolutely sure which airline is going to the the 'code share'.  We were not impressed with British Airways two years ago, and we will certainly be doing our homework in the future. 

Anyway, when we finally arrived in Singapore, we were met with the news that our three suitcases (yes, the new ones...) were still at Heathrow, apparently not British Airways fault!  Well, at least one of the suitcases.  They weren't sure about the other two, but they were definitely not in Singapore!  Whilst problematic, the man we made the lost property report to informed Cath that Finn Air would pay 'reasonable' costs for emergency clothing, toiletries etc.  As we later poured through the endless shopping centres in Orchard Road in Singapore, I kept reminding Cath, "reasonable costs Cath, they said reasonable"...(don't let the truth get in the way of a good story, eh Greg)

Anyway, our accomodation was at the Pan Pacific Orchard, absolutely shmick!  No dinner tonight, as we had been fed 22 times on the various planes we had been on.  So it was just a couple of drinks at the hotel bar and some light snacks, as we worked out the things we wanted to see.  The next morning, it was to the old faithful Big Red Bus tour.  It was raining quite heavily, but with another umbrella for the hotel, we made it onto a bus and away we went.  Singapore is an amazing place.  A mixture of old fashioned elegance with unbelievable modern skyscrapers and architectural designs.  The place is spotless, but abuzz, with so many people and so much traffic, yet no cars over ten years old! One of the other amazing things about the place is that they have actually reclaimed a further 25 percent of their total land space from the swamps and wetlands around the island.  After allowing to settle, they have been able to build massive buildings on the reclaimed land. They even have a floating soccer pitch, with a floating grandstand that holds 15,000!

We did a couple of different routes on the bus, then it was to the famous Raffles for some Singapore Slings, a few beers and some peanuts in their shell.  For such an old traditional place, to shell peanuts and drop the shells on the floor just seems naughty?  Anyway, after we paid the thousand dollar bill (this place ain't cheap!) we left to get ourselves ready for dinner.

We had been given a tip about a place where we cou.d get the best Singapore Chilli Crab.  It was called 'No Signboard' and was one of the many famous 'hawker' dining places they have here.  When we were picked up by the cab, we tried to give him the address etc of the place.  He laughed and said, "oh, you want No Signboard? BEST chilli crab"...seems everybody knows the place!  We were then concerned as we had not made a booking, it was a Friday night, and were we dressed appropriately?

Well, when we got there, there were no less than fifty people waiting to be seated! The place was packed , but looked like an old service station!  No walls, just a giant awning with a very busy kitchen in the centre.  Tables were everywhere and waiters and waitresses were literally running everywhere! All the staff were wired up with remote radios and were flare chat.  But, within 20 minutes, we had a seat out the back car park, I mean restaurant!  It turns out they are very proud of their big caprport, as once upon a time the place was basically out in the open and just had tarps covering it.  However, it has always been popular, yet had no name or any signs.  So hence, they called the place No Signboard.

Cath and I ordered a crab each, each of around 1kg to share, which was $80 per kilo.  The complementary peanuts on the table were $3, whilst the complementary hand towels were 50 cents each and the crab bibs (which are essential), were $1.60.  We ordered one Chilli and one Pepper crab.  We then wathched the theatre of the staff running from table to table, to kitchen and back, yelling into their microphones.  We had a great time. The food arrived, and it was amazing!!!!!  I have never had anything this good.  Unbelievable. Fantastic.  You got to try this place!!!!

We then caught a cab to the Marina Bay Sands Hotel.  This was where our friend, Rodney Cox, was staying as he had a business conference for Telstra.  The place is a three tower space age looking thing with a huge infinity pool on the very top.  Incredible looking structure. However, Rodney had lost his phone and was very difficult to contact.  A Telstra executive without a phone?? Anyway, we went to the fifty seventh floor for a drink and some photos before getting hold of him.  Of course, he was elsewhere, so another cab to a little bar and we found him.  A couple of drinks later, we found ourselves at a nightclub till 2.00am.  How do these things happen????

The next morning, late, it was back to the Marina Bay Sands hotel to try to find Rodney to spend some quality time with him...you guessed it, still no phone, we couldn't find him.  Never mind, we moved on and went to visit the 'Gardens by the Bay'.  These are huge botanical gardens, with two huge space age looking glass houses.  The first contains an actual  rainforest, complete with a mountain and waterfall!!  It has an artificial environment created that simulates a clouded rainforest mountain, and you are able to walk around and inside the mountain, at different heights, to see the different types of plants that grow below and above the cloud.  Amazing!  The second, contains various types of flora from all parts of the world, such as Australian natives, to old age olive groves to African Savannah and all types of cacti.

Finally, we had to leave and onto the airport for our flight home.  After seven weeks and two days, our trip was over, but the memories will live on forever.  Now, let's talk about Canada......

Chania (Hania)

As I said, after saying farewell to Heraklion we drove west towards Chania, the capital of Crete.  Crete is quite lage, and is well appointed with highways between the major cities/towns.  The first major town was Rethymnon, one of the largest cities in Crete, with a large 'old city' and many ancient and historical points of interest.  We went straight to the beach!!!!  After a lovely swim, and some sun, we went for a feed and a beer....and a gallon of water....it was SO hot!

We were on our way again to Chania (pronounced 'Hanya', remember?). We checked into the Ammos Hotel, a bit north of Chania. For the next 5 nights this would be home!

The view from our room was amazing, as we checked into our room right on sunset, it was a spectacular sight.

Quick change and out to find somewhere for dinner. We walked up the Main Street about 1 1/2 kms to get our bearings and settled on a place almost right next door, oh well we had our exercise before dinner this time. It was a restaurant that served traditional meals and they were exceptional. We are becoming quite deft at ordering meze. In particular the main points of our interest are, cheese pies served with a drizzle of Cretan honey, fried zucchini balls, fried vegetables, of any sort, mainly zucchini or eggplant but also onions, mushrooms and pretty much any other vegetable that will hold up to battering and frying. Tomatoes go into a fritter due to their high water content. Now I know it sounds pretty unhealthy, but they are lightly fried, in olive oil of course, and it's very much lighter than a tempura batter, it bearly coats it, but OMG the taste is exceptional. We will be serving them at our next dinner party  I expect.

After a meal in which we had a main also (Greg had dessert to) we caught the waiters eye and requested the bill, now i don't  know if we had been living in a holiday fog or something for the past few weeks but it suddenly occurred to us that each time you request a bill you receive watermelon and raki!

For the uninitiated, raki is a spirit the locals make from the discarded skin of the grapes they use for making their very enjoyable wine. Not letting anything go to waste, and akin to the current food craze that is sweeping the world ie using every part of the produce. I suppose it could be compared to arak, the Balinese locally made spirit, but think, clear liquid in a vessel that holds around 6 shots and the taste, well I think if you put it with milk you could say it was metho! (Yes, old city warbs still drink metho and milk!). No seriously its rocket fuel that smells and tastes like metho but stronger! If your lucky, the restaurant that you are currently eating in, may take pity on your poor unitiated taste buds and provide you with some watered down fruit juice to add to it, it doesn't make it taste any better but it does lengthen the experience!  The thing is, they get offended if you don't drink it. They don't mind you telling them it's rubbish, but they really pressure you to drink the stuff!

We finished our raki, yes Greg too, and retired back to the hotel where we fell into an alcoholic type haze that could be, I suppose regarded as a coma!

Needless to say we slept in a bit and after a lateish start we headed for Elaphonisi Beach on the other side of the island.  This is a beach that is renown for its pink sands, sadly they are not so plentiful due to tourists stealing the sand.

The photo doesn't exactly do the sand color justice, as in some areas it is a much brighter pink. I was tempted but restrained myself from absconding with some. We have since discovered there's other beaches with pink sand. But the water and sand here is something to see! After several hours of swimming and sun baking we sought out a shower and change room and prepared for the trip home. 

The change rooms a a little box on the beach with a door,some doors are smaller than others and as there was only one change room it can be a bit in demand. If you are aware of the Europeans and their  lack of understanding of personal space, I wanted to scream, excuse me! if you come any closer you will see the scars from me giving birth!

Now I may not of mentioned just how popular a spot this beach is and parking is at a premium and totally disorganised. Once we located our hire car that goes anywhere, we discovered that some #%*^ing idiot had parked not only us but around a dozen cars in with his hire car......bloody tourists! At least one of which had already discovered this dilemma and taken appropriate action. By this I mean the scrawling of  the word idiot with a distinctive German accent across the rear window, the snapping off of all windscreen wipers, thoughtful placement of large rocks on the bonnet, the same rocks I assume that were used to smash his windscreen! 

After much contemplation we discovered that we may just squeak through a tiny gap if we both breathed in, stuck our tongues out and held our heads in just the right angle! Hire cars are amazing, they can go anywhere, including very large boulders.....

We made it home and we're off again to dinner at a local restaurant on the water called Bamboo. Not too bad, but I again had another 'home made' chocolate soufflé.....seems it was made at the same home the previous restaurant's 'home made' chocolate soufflé was? Very nice nonetheless.

The next day, we did some research and attended the Allied World War II cemetery at Suda Bay, on the north side of Crete, near Chania.  In 1941, the 2nd ANZAC Corps (of course, the 1st ANZAC Corps were deployed to Gallipoli during World War I) were sent with English troops to assist the Greek Army repel the German invasion of Greece.  The Allies were hopelessly outnumbered and were withdrawn to Crete.  

However, whilst the allies numbers here were more evenly matched, the German control of the skies and Aegean, meant no supply or artillery support. It was a battle that could never have been won. After three weeks of fierce fighting, including a huge Geman attack with paratroopers and gliders, many soldiers were killed, wounded or captured. In fact, over 5,000 allies became prisoners of war and spent the remainder of the war, fighting starvation and disease, in prison camps throughout Europe.  

Some years ago, the Australian War Graves Commission arranged for the various grave sites around Crete be moved to the war cemetery at Suda Bay. Here, some 1,500 soldiers are buried, with many headstones marked 'Unknown Soldier'.  The place is extremely peaceful and quite beautiful, overlooking the large impressive bay.  The place is immaculate, with manicured lawns and gardens and of course, lots of small Australian flags and messages. Even though this war commemorated its 75th anniversary, to see the ages of the men lost, many between 18 and 23, still is very sobering. 

After leaving a note in the visitors book, we drove to the Old City in Chania. The place is very crowded, and parking was a bit of an issue, but we were soon walking through the ancient Venitian walls and into beautiful narrow laneways, choc a blok full of shops.  We made our way, after some shopping, to the old harbour,where we found a taverna for a late lunch.  Then home. Dinner tonight was at another absolute waterfront restaurant named 'Salavantes'.  We enjoyed the company of a local puppy dog, which had the saddest eyes and happiest tail.  He patiently waited for any bits that may have fallen from our plates...we were clumsy that night (must have been tired???).  The food was very good.  And guess what? They also had 'home made' chocolate soufflé!!! And yes, Raki......

The next day, we planned on heading to a northern beach named Balos.  Apparently it is exceptionally lovely.  However, the winds were very strong, and it was expected Balos Beach would have been blown out.  

So we headed to the south of the island to a tiny fishing village called 'Hora Sfakion'.  We found out that this was the actual place those allied troops marched to for attempted evacuation.  The drive alone is death defying!  When the allies retreated south, carrying whatever supplies they could, they were pursued by the Germans.  To see the march the soldiers made, over some 60 kms of extremely steep and high mountains AND back down (about 12500 feet).  It's amazing to think that over 11,000 troops were saved from this tiny place as landing boats picked them up and ferried them to British and Australian ships.  The little village has a significant memorial and still flies the Australian, New Zealand, British and Greek flags.  We were able to have a swim at a beach nearby called 'Illingis'.  

That night, we again attended the Old Town and went to an old fashioned Greek restaurant named 'Xani'.  They cook their meat in old olive wood fired stoves, in ceramic pots.  The lamb is delicious!!

Last day in Crete, we slept in, laid around the pool, had a massage each and ate dinner in the hotel restaurant.  All very very nice!  So sad to leave this place.