A Wonderful Weekend in Crete

For the Fourth of July holiday weekend we made a fairly last minute decision to visit Greece.  Our friends Danny and Carolee had recently visited a town called Hersonissos on the island of Crete.  They loved it so much that they wanted to go back as soon as possible. After some quick planning and some late night phone calls while booking flights and hotels online we had a plan.

We flew out of Nürnberg airport at 4:25 am on Friday morning (yes, you read that correctly, I said am).  For those of you who know me, you know that I don't do early mornings well at all, and we had to be at the airport 2 hours before our flight.  Because of this we opted to just stay up all night on Thursday night, which was fine, but it did make Friday pretty much one of the longest days of my whole life.  We couldn't complain too much because we landed at the Heraklion airport in Crete and were at our hotel by 9:00 am.  The sun was warm, it was a beautiful day, and we were starting a weekend at the beach so we didn't have time to be tired!

View from our hotel balcony-not perfect but I'll take it!



View from the hotel balcony away from the beach


We checked into the hotel and then went to find some breakfast.  We ended up at a great little restaurant with a balcony overlooking the rocky beach below.  Our waitress was soon our new best friend and she gave us a taste of the Greek hospitality that we would see from countless people the entire time we were there.  I still can't believe it.  Everywhere we went the next person was nicer than the last and it was amazing.  The only other place that we've ever encountered such amazing people was Ireland.  The Irish seemed to be willing to give the shirt off of their backs to make you feel welcome and the people of Crete were the same way.  I know that their business is tourism and that may be why they are so nice, but it always seemed very genuine.  We've been to lots of places where tourism is their business and the people weren't even close to being as nice as the people we met in Crete.

We don't look like we've been up all night, do we?



Delicious breakfast (and yes, the omelette came with french fries)


Our day on Friday was a wonderful start to our weekend. After enjoying breakfast, we walked about 15 minutes to a place called Star Beach.  It's a huge complex with water rides, tiki bars, pools, shopping, water sports, games, bungee jumping, and of course the beach.  I could have spent the whole weekend there since there was plenty to do and the people watching was excellent.  We enjoyed a drink while we waited for our turn on the parasailing boat.  When we were ready, the four of us headed onto the boat and Rick and I were first to sail.  This was our first time parasailing and I have to say that we are now addicted.  It was a beautiful day and the feeling of floating above the water was incredible.  Our view was spectacular as we went up and down the coastline of Hersonissos, taking in the contrast of the gray mountains behind all of the brightly colored buildings lining the Sea of Crete.  As we floated with the warm sea air rushing over us, we took a minute to reflect on how lucky we are to live in Europe and how blessed we are to have had the opportunities that we've been given.  I love to do new things that remind me that we are all just a small part of a huge world around us. This particular moment was definitely one of those for me. 

The parasailing boat



Rick and I floating above the water!


After our parasailing adventure we roamed around the Star Beach complex looking at the shops.  At one point Carolee and I were separated from Danny and Rick and we couldn't believe our eyes when we found them.  They were preparing to put their feet in a clear tank that held a ton of little fish that were ready to give them a pedicure!  I've read about this and we even saw it in action through a salon window while in Prague, so I've always wanted to try it.  Rick on the other hand is someone that I NEVER thought would try something like that.  He and Danny took the plunge (so to speak) and proceeded to giggle like school girls (ha!) while the fish nibbled away at their feet and legs for 10 minutes or so.  Carolee and I went next and it was just as odd as I thought it would be.  It tickled like crazy and having little fish swimming in between your toes is a very strange feeling to say the least!  I spent most of the time stifling the inner scream that was trying to escape, but also enjoying it (weird, I know).  In the true Greek spirit, the girl who was in charge of the fish gave Carolee and I a 'gift' of keeping our feet in the water for 3 minutes longer.  I'm not sure that's the gift we really wanted, but oh well.  Our feet were remarkably soft afterwards, so it was money well spent for the physical effects as well as the experience.


Enjoying the little fish giving him a pedicure (yeah, right)



The fish liked Rick's ankles



Stifling my inner scream



Fish in between my toes!

 That night for dinner we went to a wonderful place called Porto Greco. It's a hotel and restaurant with a nice bar and seating area next to the water.  Danny and Carolee had discovered this place on their first visit and loved it immediately.  Not only was it the best food we had on the island (shrimp saganaki, calamari, and souvlaki-yum!) but the people were SO much fun.  Danny and Carolee had gotten to know two guys, Leon and Costa on their previous visit and they couldn't stop talking about how great they were.  Leon is half Greek and half South African, which makes for a very interesting combination.  We could have spent forever listening to Leon switch from speaking English with his South African accent to speaking Greek and also German flawlessly.  He's had a very interesting life and he's very witty, so it was such fun to talk and laugh with him.  Costa is Greek and he has a very colorful personality.  He knows more about music (American and every other kind) than I will ever know and he's quite the joker.  Between the two guys, a very sweet Greek girl named Olga who also worked there, and some hotel guests from the Netherlands, we had three nights of interesting conversation, overflowing drinks, and awesome music that I dare say will probably never again be replicated.  (A huge THANK YOU to Leon, Costa, and Olga if you're reading this.  Your hospitality was amazing and we hope to visit you again someday soon).   

Our first night at Porto Greco.  At this point we've been awake for close to two days!

Leon, Olga, and Costa serving up some drinks

Our day on Saturday was spent on the beach and in the water-my two happy places!   Danny, Rick, and I rented snorkel gear and had fun exploring the rocks on the coastline.  The water was clear enough to see the bottom and we had fun seeing some fish and other crazy things (like beach chairs) that inevitably end up in the water. 



Professional snorkeler?  I think so!



We kind of look like the three stooges getting ready to snorkel


Saturday night's dinner was at a place where the locals eat.  It's a small restaurant where they cook something different every night.  Danny and Carolee ate there a number of times on their previous trip.  When we walked in, there were big hugs from the owners once they recognized Danny and Carolee.  Once again the Greek hospitality was amazing.  We were promptly ushered over to the counter where the owner opened up different giant pots on the stove to tell us what our choices were for the evening.  Our choices were fish, chicken, lamb, or beef along with green beans, okra, and rice. The food was delicious, the Mythos (Greek beer) was cold, and the owners were welcoming, so it was a great experience.  Of course after dinner in true Greek style, they gave us as much Raki as we wanted.  This is a shot of liquor that is enjoyed in Crete that I came to find out is my Kryptonite.  I can do shots of just about anything (Greek ouzo, home-made German schnapps, even absinthe while in Prague) but I am definitely not a fan of Raki.  Every restaurant in Crete offered this after dinner and it usually flows freely for those who would like.  Since it tasted much like I imagine lighter fluid would and I'm pretty sure my car could run on it too, I had to pass - thank you very much.

Four shots of Raki ready to go...

We spent Sunday shopping, eating, and drinking our way though the streets and the harbor of Hersonissos.  Of course we had to buy some olives, olive oil, and olive oil soaps to bring home with us. We had dinner overlooking the water and the beautiful lights of the harbor.



Having fun in the sun

 

Beautiful view of the harbor



A giant octopus and some fish displayed by a restaurant



The main street in front of our hotel with lots of shopping!



Four different modes of transportation all in one picture



Greek food-yum!

 

Local beer and olives-two of my favorite things!

 

In case you aren't sure how to use the toilet (this makes me laugh)!

 Of course we ended our last night on the island at Porto Greco laughing and drinking while wishing that we didn't have go home so soon.



Group shot behind the bar on our last night at Porto Greco


Until now Spain has been our absolute favorite place to visit, but I think that the island of Crete might be our new favorite place.  The beauty of it, the laid back beach atmosphere, and the warm welcoming people all made it a wonderful weekend in Crete!

The End
(Can we go back yet??)

A Visit to the Black Forest

Last weekend Rick, Jersey, and I spent a night in Germany's Black Forest.  Known as 'Schwarzwald' in German, it's located in the southwest corner of the country near the border of France and Switzerland.  We were there to see Germany's highest waterfall in the small town of Triberg (pronounced Treeberg in German), which is a short  and easy three hour drive from our house. 

As we approached our destination it became very apparent that we were heading into the land of the cuckoo clock.  Every establishment boasted  that they in fact had the 'Original Schwarzwald Kuckucksuhr' or 'Original Black Forest Cuckoo Clock' for the non-German speaking visitor.  It soon became overwhelming and once we started looking it was apparent that they were all extremely overpriced as well. 


They really do...


We had a hotel room right in the middle of town that was on the fourth story above a bank.  Rick and I couldn't help but giggle when we had to fit us, our bags, and Jersey into a very tiny elevator.  Jersey, being the world-traveler that she is, just took it all in stride while turning her head back and forth trying to figure out all of the noises the elevator was making.  For the duration of our stay, we laughed every time the three of  us squeezed into the ancient elevator to go up and down from the hotel.

View from our hotel balcony

Upon our arrival, we checked into our hotel and had a quick lunch at another hotel before making our way to the waterfall.  The waterfall didn't disappoint and it was breath taking.  There were multiple paved walkways and bridges criss-crossing the different tiers of the waterfall.  Even though there were lots of people making their way up and down the paths, it was easy to get lost in nature's spectacular beauty.  There's something so calming about the loud rush of the water cascading down the rocks and we could have stared at it forever.  The air was warm but you could feel the cold from the waterfall and it was such a pleasant contrast.  Even Jersey sniffed at the cool air while we stood and took it all in.  The forest surrounding the waterfall was also a sight to see, with many different shades of brown and green and trees so thick that you couldn't see the sky above.  The dense tree cover came in handy a few times as we tried to stay dry from some rain showers while we were on the mountain.

That night we had dinner at a cozy place that was having a wedding reception, a high school reunion, and another party all under one roof.  We could hear music coming from various locations throughout the restaurant as we enjoyed a Rothaus beer (brewed in the Black Forest) and some delicious food.  Jersey was exhausted from the day, so she snoozed quietly under the table.  (Side note - I love that German restaurants always welcome your dog.  Jersey isn't going to know what to do with herself when we're back in the States and she can't go out to dinner with us-ha!).

Beer garden next to the stream created by the waterfall

Hotel/guesthouse where we had lunch on the first day



Fun with hats!



The colors of Deutschland's flag

'Original' Black Forest Ham

The next morning we climbed back up to the waterfall and this time the sun was shining, which makes for much better photos.  We found a secluded area high above the waterfall where we let Jersey off of her leash and the three of us had a blast playing in the stream and on the rocks.  We enjoyed a nice lunch at an outside beer garden, did a little souvenir shopping, and then headed home.  It was a wonderful 24 hours in the land of cuckoo clocks, ham, and cake!

Directional signs for the different mountain trails

Self portait with the timer on the camera.
We had a wonderful time on our trip!

Sunny Days in Bavaria

Ever since our first year here, I have been convinced that springtime is the beautiful reward that you get for making it through the impossibly long and cold German winter.  As soon as it's even remotely warm and sunny it seems as if someone sends a signal and all of the flowers just pop right up and everything turns green.  Sometimes it almost feels like it happens overnight.  We have had a good amount of warm and sunny days lately so we've been trying to take advantage of them the most we can. 

Our town had the Frühlingsfest (Spring Festival) a couple of weeks ago.  We have a little festplatz (festival area) in our town where they set up rides, booths with games and snacks, and food trailers.  You can get many different types of  food - bratwurst and sauerkraut, a steak sandwich on a roll, pizza, a half of a roasted chicken with potato salad (yum!), or a whole fish that they serve in newspaper complete with eyes and tail (yuck!).  The festival basically looks just like a carnival in America except for one important difference...the beer tent!  The fests in our town are sponsored by our very own Bad Windsheim brewery called Brauhaus Döbler.  They brew all kinds of beers including a delicious dark Doppelbock that is a strong 8.1% but tastes smooth and delicious.  They also brew a beer for festivals aptly named 'Festbier' that we enjoyed at this particular festival.  You can always see the brewery owner Willie Döbler (his first name is actually Wilhelm!) dressed in a suit and surveying the beer sales at the festival.  I can just add that to the long list of reasons why I love small town Germany.

We met some friends at the fest on a Thursday night.  We took Jersey with us and we had a beautiful 20 minute walk in the warm sunshine from our house to the festplatz.  I snapped some pictures as we walked:

Rick and Jersey on the path behind our house



The gas station around the corner from our house. Yes, that is 1,49 Euro per liter!  We have no reason to complain about gas prices in the United States



The German grocery store



Adorable little garden house along our walk



Jersey was confused because she's never come face to face with her favorite food!



A flyer for the festival



We had food...



More food...



and beer!





Too much fun for one night


We met our friends and enjoyed a fun night with good friends, good food, and good beer.


The next day my girlfriend Teena and I took Jersey for a hike up a nearby hill/small mountain called Petersberg.  The hike is a nice mix of wooded trails and wide open fields where Jersey loves to run free.  There's a beautiful wooden cross at the top of the hill and I love to stand up there and look at all of the small towns in between all of the farmland.  The best view is of the town of Illesheim, which is a town by itself but it also houses the Army base where Rick and I work.  Teena and I always have a lot to laugh about so it was a wonderful way to spend the morning. 



The sign at the beginning of the walk. I'm not sure what the witches are all about, but they are all over the signs on this hill.



This is my favorite part of the trail-it's so woodsy and beautiful



Jersey loves to hike



Our destination-the cross on top of the hill

View of Illeshiem.  The red and white tower is right next to my office on the Army base



We made it to the top



View of another town from the hill top.  I love all of the red roofs.

Posing with Jersey and my beautiful friend Teena



Another cool part of the trail


The following day was Saturday, so Rick, our friend Joel, and I took the train to Würzburg.  It's a gorgeous city that sits on the Main River and it seems to be made for warm weather.  I will write another post dedicated entirely to Würzburg at another time.  This post is all about sunny days, so I will just say that we thoroughly enjoyed our day that included Spanish tapas for lunch and our view from a patio overlooking the river and the palace while sipping Cuba Libres (rum and coke with a lime).



A view from our table of a boat on the Main river



Enjoying our Cuba  Libres in the sun


This past Sunday was another sunny day (well, it turned out to be anyway) and I took a bike ride with the girls while Rick played golf.  We rode our bikes to Ipsheim which is a few towns away from us.  We rode part way up the mountain (which was quite a challenge) to a little outdoor cafe that features a different wine family each week.  We enjoyed a refreshing 'weinschorle', which is wine mixed with bubbly water.  It may not sound good, but I promise you it's the perfect drink on a sunny bavarian day.  We rode our bikes back down the mountain (much easier than climbing up!) and then stopped at another cafe at the bottom of the hill.  We all had a great time laughing, talking, and being silly while soaking up the sun and sipping another weinschorle.  It was just the girly afternoon that we all needed!



Being silly with a statue in Ipsheim



Heading up the mountain

Teena took this of me through her empty glass.  I love the way she sees the world ;-)



Our 'biker gang' with the vineyard behind us


Luckily, we're having some great weather, so there will be many more sunny days to enjoy.  Check back soon for more pictures of our Bavarian springtime!