Gorging Ourselves in Crete

Jeff here again.

When we first started planning this trip, Mark told me about a 12 mile hike that one of his co-workers had recommended. Laughing, I shook my head and said, "have fun!" As we continued to do our research, however, I kept reading how the Samarian Gorge was one of the "must do singular experiences of Crete." With a slight bit of trepidation (I've twisted both of my ankles too many times to count), I agreed.

Julia, our amazing property manager at the villa, looked into bus schedules, and at 7:45am on Wednesday morning, Mark and I were on a bus heading to the Gorge. We felt better seeing the other hikers with us: some in tennis shoes, some older than us, some heavier than us, all of us excited. Throughout our journey, we interacted with various Brits, Germans, Russians, and even a few Americans. I'm sure there were Greeks there as well. Hundreds of people hiked the Gorge that day with us.

After 5 hours of hiking over rocks, rickety wood bridges, and a few short actual paths, we emerged from the Gorge victorious. While we waited for the ferry that would take us to our return bus, we drank what was one of the best beers we had ever drank, chugged a bottle of water, and ate a delicious gyro.

The pics that follow really do not do the Gorge justice. It is breath-takingly beautiful.

A sign less than a kilometer into the hike. Nothing like positive reinforcement to start off a 13km hike. 

Mark "representing" with Cretan gang symbols. 

We came across a clearing where literally thousand of small stone sculptures adorned the ground, as well as fallen tree trunks. 

The Gorge is celebrating it's 50th anniversary as a national park. These are the remnants of the settlement of Samaria, who were relocated when it became a national park. 

A siting of the elusive kri-kri, an endangered Cretan wild goat. Be afraid. Be very afraid!

Believe it or not, we are not holding each other up from sore limbs (Mark has a bad knee to go with my bad ankles) or exhaustion.

A view from the "slowest...ferry...EVER!" of the tiny port town of Loutro. 

Next stop, our villa home and an amazing meal cooked by a local chef!