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Gorgeous Gorge And Elafonisi
September 23, 2007

We are heading West again to the Topolia Gorge, past pomegranate, mulberry, eucalyptus, walnut and some of the 40 million olive trees that grow in Crete. Griffin Vultures circle way above the 290 steps up to the cave of Agia Sofia but somehow we get to the top without dropping.

On the way we pass through the beautiful tiny village of Eras [I think!] where there has just been a service given 40 days after the death of one of the villagers and it seems the whole village is descending on this one taverna. September is when the grape harvest starts, followed by the Raki making and then the olive picking from November to March. Coincidentally the tourist season seems to run from April to October. Convenient or what?

Beyond the Gorge lies Elafonisi, one of the most beautiful beaches you are ever likely to see. Bordering on the Libyan and scattered with tamarisk trees the sun is gloriously hot and we completely forget about the clouds we'd passed winding through the mountains earlier. On the way down to the coast we stop off at the Monastery of Hrissoskalitissa which has the smallest museum I have ever been in, housing some beautiful icons dating back as far as the 16th Century.

On the way home, back through the Limestone mountains, we pass terrace after terrace of olive groves designed to limit the run off of rain. We also pass, once more, through the incredibly narrow mountain tunnel, barely wide enough for the bus and with an incredibly sharp turn for a long vehicle to negotiate. We really want to come back and explore the South of the island more.

Categories: Art

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