Be jealous. I just spent the weekend on a Greek island for the first time. I'd bet that when I first told people I was coming to Greece, they pictured a sea-side village with round, white buildings and blue rooftops stacked on top of each other on the side of the mountain. I can tell you right now, I had thought something like this, too...only to discover that you find that on the island of Santorini, not Athens! Goodness, not Athens. Greek islands are where people want to go! The weather is always better, the scenery is composed of beauty, and...well, it's a Greek island, what can I say?
I didn't go to Santorini, actually. I probably won't go to Santorini. I don't need to go to Santorini, I've seen so many pictures, I feel like I've already been there, seen that. This weekend I went to Crete!
Now, Crete is a giant island, and it's the farthest south of Athens you can get while staying in Greek territory. Needless to say, the ferry ride was super long and uncomfortable. Our cheap trip leader booked us roundtrip overnight ferries, but didn't even get us beds. After having to sleep on freezing cold hard floors less than a week ago for Spain, I wasn't really up for that. Actually, since this was a hiking trip organized by the school, I was in no physical condition to even be going on a hiking trip less than a week after Spain, since my feet were in such a painful situation. I didn't complain about that NEARLY enough here. However, I had known about the trip for a while and really wanted to come, since this would be my first Greek island, and my first time hiking in months.
We got there really really early in the morning on Saturday, and were expected to embark on an 11-mile hike after, like, one hour of sleep. We started at the top and descended into the Samaria Gorge and then toughed out the entire length of the rocky gorge under blazing sun. I wonder if I can even convey to you just how huge this Samaria Gorge is. It was impossible for me to believe that I was on an island, because the mountains were just massive.
There was one spot along the path that looked almost like something you'd expect out of an enchanted forest. Anyone who has hiked in the woods has seen piles of rocks marking the way. But in one grove, we found literally hundreds of them:
The hike was a super-trek. It was so rocky that our feet just slipped in between crevices and our ankles were twisting constantly. I seriously considered doing it barefoot, but the trip leader was right behind me, and I'd told him before we left that I wouldn't cause any trouble. But overall, it was a fantastic hike and I would do it again if I ever return to Crete.
The next day was a free day. I hadn't known that, because nobody tells me anything in Greece, so I hadn't brought a swimsuit or sandals, or even enough sunscreen (you don't even want to look at my skin right now, unless your favorite color is red). But that didn't stop me from thoroughly enjoying the first half of the day in our town, Chania (pronounced "han-YAH"). There were a gajillion shops and great food. The beach wasn't gorgeous, but it was nice enough to hang out on. The water was warm enough to put your feet in, so I walked out onto some rocks in the middle of the water to sit and take in the fact that I was on an island. Everyone would want to come to Crete. I know it's a giant island and we were only in one part, but I feel as though the scenery made me really get a taste of the life there. That aspect was the nice part.
The not-so-nice part, for me, was the OTHER good thing about islands: parties. I got a little mixed up in that. Couldn't really help it, since I had to stick with the people from my school all day. So the British Navy happened to be there for some reason. There were 700 men in the town that day. And they all wanted two things: beer, and to sleep with me and the girls I was with. My classmates loved the attention, I hated it. It's just one more thing for me to consider about island life, and paradise in general...guess there is always more than one side to every paradise.
But overall, I loved Crete, I wish I was still there and not in big-unorganized-city Athens, and I hope to visit more islands before I leave, because they are so pretty, and very relaxing! Kind of. If you're not hiking. And even though my body is in pretty bad shape now, it feels like a great accomplishment to an aspiring outdoors girl like me, so I'm very content and proud. At this point, I feel accomplished. I feel like there is a whole lot to do in Greece, and that I've done so much that I can go back to the States with no regrets. So anything else that comes along will only be cause for more of that sense of accomplishment. That agonizing foot pain I had, that I had said stole the pain in my calves...returned ALL the pain back to my calves, to the point where I can't even jump off my bed without cringing just a little, and I am sunburned in the weirdest places...have you ever been burned in the crook of your elbow? I didn't even know it was possible, but I have temporary evidence!
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