CRITICAL vacation - unplanned and unplanned. Around Ierapetra with children
For a number of reasons, our family did not think about any vacations in the foreseeable future. And this CRITICAL vacation is generally unclear where it came from and how it was drawn. It’s somehow inappropriate to compare with “snow on your head” for Crete, we’ll probably call it a “sudden gust of hot wind”!
There was no time for any planning at all. No, I'm lying! The main forces were thrown at the choice of a place for a comfortable reclining of our bodies under the scorching rays of the sun in a creeping reach between the sea, the bar and the restaurant. With what we successfully coped and were satisfied with the choice. You can learn more from my review of Dessole Blu Star Resort 4* . And where to walk these bodies and whether to walk at all - we will figure it out on the spot. But just in case, the car was booked in advance : ))
Having learned that the price tag for car rental at the hotel starts from 60 euros, and there are no rental offices within walking distance, we ordered a car via the Internet. As a result, we got 115 euros for five days with full insurance of the Volkswagen Golf automatic, in the season, I think, the prices are higher, but in any way cheaper than hotel prices. Oh, yes, let it be for that kind of money, all of a sudden you have to rush for beer)). The car was brought to the hotel at the appointed time, without prepayment. Nobody asked for international law. The car, of course, was shabby, all the scratches were fixed - they just circled the whole car in the diagram)). Despite its age (2010) and impressive mileage (200.000), proved to be worthy. At the end of the rental period, we left the keys at the reception, and that's all...
I present small sketches about the places that I visited to diversify my beach holiday. Our outings were tireless, narrow-minded. We take into account that with us are children of 8 and 6.5 years old, who are purple before any historical ruins and architectural masterpieces. And we still tell and show them something to be deposited in their heads, but we are not zealous)) I want to say that we ourselves are not passionate lovers of antiquities, fans of beaches and not extreme sportsmen. We would like to stare at something unusual, which in ordinary life is not around us, see how people live, and just admire the scenery.
And on the second day of our reclining by the pool next to the bar, our offspring could not stand it and asked: “When are we going to the mountains? And the cave where Zeus was born? Have you ever paid attention to how children's ears instantly turn into locators when parents talk to each other on topics that do not belong to them, just before their eyes they increase and stretch towards those who are talking? Watch your…
City of Ierapetra
For starters, we decided to rush to Ierapetra. This is a small old town, is the southernmost city in Europe. Standard set: narrow streets, embankment with shops and cafes.
At every turn, trips to the small uninhabited island of Chrissi are sold, attracting tourists with sandy beaches and a Lebanese cedar forest. But we don't need to go there.
Of course we found Napoleon's house.
Napoleon's house
It is believed that Napoleon stayed here for one night on his way to Egypt. Was very fascinated by Ierapetra. Something on the house-museum (somewhere I read that it is such), it is completely different. Or maybe he is specially kept in this state for greater persuasiveness...
Noted at the Kules Fortress, which is currently the hallmark of the town. It was closed, otherwise they might have climbed
Kules fortress
Walked, wandered. Someone grows strawberries right there - on the sidewalk
Subsidiary farm on the sidewalk
We really liked the apartments on the first floors with their own mini courtyard or terrace
And here the old and modern buildings side by side, supporting each other.
In this town, we then were a few more times passing through, and we came to the supermarket for chips (sometimes you want something like that), wine and delicious strawberries.
Snacks for adults
Children's joys-nasty things
At first it’s difficult to drive a car, then you get used to it, then you start to navigate. The streets are narrow, many one-way, there were confusing intersections, not even intersections, but mysterious intersections of streets that you drive intuitively.
Sarakinas Gorge
Children asked, then they just demanded mountains. They really remember the Alfemena gorge in Rhodes. In the vicinity of Ierapetra, according to Internet sources, there are many various caves and canyons. Some require at least minimal training and equipment. We don't have either one or the other. We decided to take a look at the Sarakinas Gorge.
When we arrived at the place indicated on the map, there was some feeling of confusion and bewilderment. Well, yes - there are mountains around, but what's the trick?
Some kind of hydraulic structure (something I didn't even take a picture of). But the path goes somewhere, and we went.
And here it is
The photo does not convey all the grandiosity. The children were delighted. The route is touristic, in some places steps are carved in the stones for the convenience of tourists.
To the displeasure of our monkeys, we did not go far. I myself also wanted to go further, but my mind stopped: I’ll climb up, but getting down is already a problem.
There were no tourists at first. We entered at the same time with a couple speaking German, they quickly went ahead. But in some incomprehensible way, they returned earlier to the parking lot, the narrow gorge, how did they leak unnoticed past us? But when we returned, the crowds already went to meet us, they did not hear the Russian language.
Then we just went to ride on mountain roads
It was impossible to pass by such a table.
And the views here are charming. Social networks have been replenished with our photos “I am in Crete”
Ierapetra is a rich agricultural region of Crete. Greenhouses are everywhere, on every more or less flat piece of land. And on the site between Ierapetra and Myrtos, in general, a solid carpet.
Greenhouse carpet
Going down to the coast, we saw a lake, but we definitely need to go there, what if they let you swim there, otherwise the sea and the sea : ) So the road passed through greenhouses - some kind of greenhouse city. But it was not possible to get directly to the lake, where the navigator led, everything was fenced. I didn’t really want to look for some loopholes.
As it usually happens with us, it was later deducted that this is the largest lake in Crete, but artificial, created for irrigating greenhouses.
Orino Gorge
From close to our hotel- Orino Gorge or Gorge red butterflies. Judging by the information from the Internet, there should not be butterflies yet, and we went simply because we had to go somewhere, and this place is nearby.
The gorge is remembered for the strong smell of resin melted in the sun and burnt trees. Perhaps these are traces of a major fire in 1993.
We did not move off the main road into the gorge, the path is narrow and unpaved. Nobody but us was there. We did not see any parking lots, probably, everyone goes along this path, and we went on foot.
There are signs to the waterfall and to the church (you can see it). The trail for pedestrians is decent, in fact, you can drive by car, if you don’t mind. Still, this place is intended for long walks, for which we are not ready. And we went on.
Milonas Waterfall
The next stop on our journey was the Mylonas waterfall. Heading towards him, the main thing is not to miss the turn, he is so inconspicuous. The descriptions say about a "special asphalt path", but we did not find "asphalt". Because we were driving from Orino, the navigator led us along the nearest road. It turned out to be a path between vegetable gardens. The husband said that the car, although not his, was not going to kill her, turned around. We drove to the next turn, there is a sign there, apparently, this is the same “asphalt”, but without asphalt. As a result, we did not reach the beginning of the hiking trail, we left the car where the road was wider.
And here is our constant entertainment - climbing up somewhere.
In general, the trail is decent, there are signs from time to time. The views, as expected, are amazing. The smell of resin and needles. Why not shake the stocks acquired over the years on the sides.
The path to the waterfall passes through the old irrigation system.
Of course, I understood that we would not see all the power and beauty of the waterfall because of the season. But I didn't expect it to look like this
Oh, damn it, papados! Most of all, the children were indignant, and so harmful. They wanted so much, they walked for so long, and in general, they had never seen a waterfall before. Okay, someday we will have a waterfall...
Zeus' Cave
We are in Crete for the first time, it is necessary to visit something from the popular, the local CRIT. The cave of Zeus is quite suitable, and it will be interesting for children to look at stalactites and stalagmites, and they know a little about Zeus. Oh, and “it is located near the village of Psychro”, wonderful, very close to our hotel.
And why doesn't the husband want to go? I don’t want, he says, to dangle 80 km along serpentines. But where is 80.16 total…. Eh, and Psychro-Psychro Psychre-Psychro discord, it turns out : )))
After some bickering, we had to admit defeat, but we went to the cave anyway))
The road was tiring and not the hour promised by the navigator, but about two. Cheerful villages and mountain serpentines are fascinating, breathtaking, but when it's long, it's annoying and dizzying.
Well, such obstacles can be encountered
From the parking lot to the cave itself, you still have to climb (we can’t do without it). Donkeys for 10 euros. And it's a pity for 10 euros, and it's a pity for the donkeys - it was quite normal to get on foot.
View of the parking lot from the cave entrance
Entry 6 euros, children free.
The entrance is tempting - just an abyss into the unknown. The steps are steep and slippery
Photos, of course, are useless, so that would really try to convey the overall picture.
To be honest, I expected more, bigger or something. Or maybe this is an internal discrepancy between the labor costs on the way to this place and the result obtained, if closer, probably, the impressions were not so blurry. But the kids were impressed. For them, it was something mystical, fabulous. After leaving the cave, it began: where did little Zeus sleep? And why was he born here? And how did he live here, is it cold? And who is more important - our God or Zeus? And a bunch of other mind-blowing questions : )))
Agios Nikolaos City
On one of the days, they were noted in Agios Nikolaos. Nice coastal town. Perhaps the most striking attraction of which is the mysterious Lake Vulizmeni, shrouded in the most incredible legends
Tourists, shops, souvenirs. . . I probably would not have even mentioned the town in my report if the children hadn't found a barbecue from a car in one of the streets. And this was the most striking impression for them. A funny unit, it was funny called))
What would that mean? Most likely an attraction of some kind. Question to the audience)) Maybe someone knows?
Somehow we walked aimlessly and drove home (to the hotel). And only there I remembered about the boat with a transparent bottom, I wanted to take the children for a ride, I became quite old. Well, at least I didn’t tell them about my intentions, they would have torn to pieces for forgetfulness. Or vice versa, it was necessary to voice it - they would not let it be forgotten)))
This is how we spent our CRITICAL vacation, completely unplanned and completely unplanned, so bright, light, untiring.
Good luck to everyone!!!
