Athens and Crete

We arrived in Athens on 7 May and the following day went to the Acropolis and Hadrian's Arch area. Paddy is certainly getting around too.




Caught a car ferry from Pireaus to Iraklion/Heraklion on the north coast which cost 340 euro return. A nightmare sleep overnight alternating between the aircraft style chair and the floor and docked around 0600 hrs. We then went to the area where the Allied's fought and defeated the Germans on the hills above, maintaining control of that airport and travelled via Rethimnon to Chania/Hania on the northern coast, west of Iraklion.



Yesterday we went to Maleme where the German War Cemetary is located and 4700 lay buried. Then onto the Souda Bay Commonwealth War Grave where the Australian, New Zealand and British troops are buried. Laid flowers on the grave of Alexander Duncan Kaiatia MacPhee, Fiona's grandfather's first cousin who was killed on 20 May 1941, the first day of the Battle of Crete.





It has been a really amazing experience to then see and travel alongside the gorge the troops trekked to get to this beach area.



We are now on the south coast of Crete in a hotel overlooking the beach where the British, Australian and New Zealanders evacuated the island bound for Egypt. It is called Chora/Hora Sfakia/Sfakion.



Absolutely glorious weather and great for a swim. The tan is coming along nicely thanks. A tough life but someone has to do it.

A local man named Yannis spoke to us this morning and he was 13 at the time of the evacuation which took several nights, given there were 32,000 Allied troops in the area waiting. Many villagers were executed for harbouring the Allied's and there is a small memorial to them up behind the village. To the left of the harbour is the memorial to the Allied's and the mayor arranged for all the flags to be erected and we had photos taken there. The convoy is attracting a lot of interest wherever we go, with the locals and tourists lining up to photograph the vehicles and learn why we are here. We are staying again tonight before heading back to Iraklion and Knossos and the ferry back to Pireaus. Must make sure we get a decent night's sleep for the return ferry.