Crete   Greece Athens Santorini Oia Istanbul Travel Home People come to Greece for many different reasons. While Athens is country's capital, metropolitan center, and place where most history aficionados head, one common way to explore Greece is ''island hopping''. Schools tend to marginalize the Hellenic Republic with the legends of the ancient city-states of Athens and Sparta. However, beyond the Attican and Peloponnesus peninsulas lays some 2,000 islands. The largest of these islands is Crete - where almost a quarter of all Greece's tourists head. Crete has a little something for every type of tourist. There are awesome beaches scattered throughout the island. Trekkers can wander through the Samaria Gorge. The charming Venetian coastal towns of Hania and Rethymno will satisfy those seeking a more sedative vacation. While historians will be keen to check out the labyrinth ruins of Knossos, the most spectacular recollection of the Minoan civilization existing today, in search of King Minos and the Minotaur. It is also a great place to explore for drainage systems connoisseurs with Knossos boasting the remains of supposedly the world's most sophisticated sewage setups of its time, as well as supposedly the first ever flushable toilet in the Queen's Megaron. Getting to Crete was half the fun. I took the 10-hour night ferry across the Myrtoan Sea from Piraeus to Hania. The boat ride actually turned out to be quite fun. With an open deck bar / gyro cafe, as well as several other cafes, bars, and even disco - it turned out to be quite a pleasant experience. Don't know if I'd want it as my daily commute but it wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be. As the Samarian Canyon was rained out, I only spent two days in Crete. My first day and night was spent in the picturesque Venetian town of Hania - taking a glass bottom boat ride into the Sea of Crete, while marvelling at the city's tranquillity. It was then off to Iraklio the next day, via lunch in Rethymno - checking out the cities harbour and Venetian castle. From Iraklio, I then headed off to Crete's most revered historic site - the temple of Knossos, before catching the hydrofoil to Santorini. As there seemed to be a dearth of fish to entertain his guests with, the boatman gave me a free beer everytime I ducked under the Aphrodite   Left: Leaving Athens on the red-eye ferry Above & Below: Shots from my hotel room in Hania In case you didn't know, this is what a lighthouse looks like Aphrodite had a glass bottom, apparently It was cold in here Inspecting Aphrodite's bottom Hania Rethymno Rethymno Iraklio Though i did not find the actual Minator at Knossos, I did see this peacock Dogs are cute ... sometimes.... Souveneirs on display in Iraklio   Ouzo kegs? No, these are pithoi - large Minoan storage jars   the Bull Fresco in the Central Court Knossos boasted one of the worlds most advanced drainage systems of its time The Minoan ruins of Knossos Frescos in Knossos Corridor of the Procession Fresco .... so I think Bull-Leaping Fresco Griffin Fresco: Griffins were considered sacred to the Minoans   Singing competition in Iraklio - this guy was actually really good   This was supposedly the longest ever continuous chess game ever played Koules Venetian Fortress, Iraklio   A similar ferry to the one I came in on from Athens - Crete Heading off to Santorini on the hydrofoil! Greece Athens Santorini Oia Istanbul Travel Home E-mail: glennaldo_sf@hotmail.com Sign Guestbook View Guestbook