049 – Chania and Surrounds, Crete – Eat, Drink and Be Married…With Children

With the Chania lighthouse walk,

3000 year-old Minoan Ruins,

And a trip to the local beach under our belts, 

 

(Hey, nice down jacket….wimp)

We’d pretty much checked all the local activities off our list.

So we figured it was time to saddle up a new ride and start branching out. Officially, a Hyundai Getz, but we like to refer to it as the Lemonborghini…

The thing ain’t much bigger than a Cracker Jack box, but with some minor remodeling, we have managed to successfully shoehorn our children, stroller and meager daily requirements (snacks for Ciel, snacks for Taz, lunch for Taz, lunch for the family, sippy cup for Ciel, water bottle for Taz, toy for Taz, blankies, soothies, more snacks for Ciel, snacks for Britt, diapers, wipes, spare pants/underwear for Ciel, spare onesies, sweatshirts for the family,  another shirt for Taz, bathing suits, towels, camera, telephoto lens, guide book, three maps, water bottle…) into the back with minimal difficulty.

We’ve been navigating using an assortment of maps, all of which are different and don’t necessarily reflect the local geography. For example, depending on which map you choose, a single place might appear:

a)    as a destination at the end of a long dirt road;

b)   as a way point on a major thoroughfare; or,

c)    not at all.

Fortunately, many of the signs are in English and for those that aren’t, my second-year undergrad bird course “Intro to Ancient Greek”, has proven it’s worth.

In fact, the driving has been a breeze,

Despite the odd bit of congestion on the “National Highway”.

(Goats. Wiki FYI: Tails up = Goats, Tails down = Sheep. Who knew?)

This is also in part due to the fact that, in Crete, as soon as the temperature dips below 25°C (like to a frigid 22°C), it is now “the off-season” and the entire place starts to shut down.  We have clearly reaped the benefits.

Elafonisi Beach – Google Image

Elafonisi  Beach – Last Tuesday

We have covered a good bit of ground on the west end of the island,

And true to form, Britt has ensured that the agenda has revolved largely around eating. 

Snacks are plentiful,

But we have also found some great little tavernas and wineries serving their own home-cooked local meals. It was a bit of a trek out to the estiatório in Milia,

But the views and food (all locally farmed and produced) were well worth it.

 Traditional Cretan Tyropita and Greek Salad.

Goat and Vegetable Soup.

 Goat with Rice Pilaf.

Roast Pork.

On Thursday, Mama Dourakis  cooked up quite a feast for our visit to the Dourakis Winery.

Deep-fried Eggplant, Roasted Peppers, Feta, Kalamata Olives, Cabbage Salad

Feta Omelet, Salted Pork Chops

And the wine wasn’t half-bad

Ciel didn’t quite manage to scoop one from the cellar,

But we still came away with a good selection from the shop.

With all these gastronomic wonders about, it’s not surprising that Taz has started to take a little more interest in solid foods. He is rapidly progressing through all the major food groups.

Fruits and veggies

(Cucumber),

Meat and Alternatives

 (Roast Beef),

Dairy

(Pistachio Sundae with Whipped Cream)

Grains 

 (WHAT?! That counts!)

Ciel, meanwhile is rapidly progressing through every pair of pants she brought.

Whether it’s holes from who knows where,

 Bloodstains from incessantly wiping out on cobblestones/gravel/stairs/gravity,

Or the odd “accident” (not shown), her wardrobe is dwindling fast.

I suspect it’s all part of her ploy to convince Britt to buy her that sparkly dress in the shop window thirty paces from our door. 

Yes, that’s right, there are one or two challenges to travelling with kids.

Trying to get the team mobilized and out of the house before 10:00 am can be a bit of a battle.

You’ve got to participate in your fair share of toddler-friendly activities.

(You tell him, Ciel!)

Sometimes you have to stop and spend ten minutes looking at a roadside poster with Winnie the Pooh on it.

And, without liberal use of Photoshop, it’s damn near impossible to get a toddler, a baby and their corralling parent to look at the camera, or smile, or (Zeus forbid) look at the camera and smile, at exactly the same time.

But, we wouldn’t have it any other way.