Chilling in Chaina, Crete

Where I First Learned Greece How Awesome Greece Can Be

Crete was my introduction to Greece and it was everything that I expected a Greek Island to be.  So many times when visiting a new country for the first time I have these high expectations that are no where near met, or the country is still awesome but in a completely different way than I imagined.  The island of Crete is one of the rare occasions where I had an idea of how I wanted to spend my time and what it would be like and my expectations are actually met. 

A covered market in Crete, where dozens of vendors sell olives, cheese, and meats.  We bought some olive oil, olive oil hand cream, and pumice stones.

We spent our time on Crete in Chania, which we got to by taking a public bus from the nearby port of Souda where our cruise ship was docked.  The bus only went back and forth between the port and Chania and cost less than two euros per person each way.  The bus dropped us off right in front of the main market. 

The old port of Chaina is now only large enough for personal power and sail boats.  The water is clear enough to see sea creatures scurry about the bottom.

Before getting off in Souda I mentioned to David that I wanted a small pumice stone to manage the callouses on my hands.  I had taken up rock climbing a few weeks prior and found shaving down callouses on my hands a necessity to avoid blisters.  Most of the Greek Islands are volcanic in nature I reasoned.  So either natural or in a store, I should be able to find some pumice (a volcanic rock) somewhere in Crete.  Well the first stall in the market the bus dropped us off had two large baskets of pumice stones right out front.   I did not buy the stones right then, since I did not want to carry them around all day, but I made a mental note to come back to this stand on my way back to the bus. 

A Greek Orthodox Church on Crete, very different from the cathedrals we and recently seen in Italy.

Our sole plan for Chania was to wander around taking in the local sites.  This is how Chania really shines.  The streets are not busy.  The vendors and shop keeps will say hello but not bug for business like in many cities.  Chania was just a pleasant place to go for a stroll. 

I think "tacky" is the right word to describe he interior of this Greek Orthodox Church.  It was well-worth the gander inside.

We started with the market, filled with as many fish stalls and butcher shops as stores selling olive oil, pumice, and other items of interest to tourists.  We made our way down the streets toward the water coming across a Greek Orthodox Church on the way.  Having just come from Italy, we were wary of visiting yet another church, but this one was worth the stop.  David described it as tacky; I might say cluttered.  For sure there was a lot of silver decorations and large chandeliers.  The church was worth the stop. 

The walls in the background are the oldest structures in Chaina dating back to the Byzantine period.

Continuing downhill in Old Chania we came to the harbor.  Now not more than a marina, it is protected by a large seawall with a lighthouse on the point.  Byzantine walls and other historic structures were common along the harbor, and we encircled most of it, walking almost all the way out to the light house before turning back due to the heat. 

More Byzantines buildings in Chaina.  Most are now renovated into shops.

We decided to settle onto the patio of a café in the shade with a view of the marina for a snack and a drink.  There were plenty of waterside cafes and we chose one that had beer on draft.  We ordered two Greek beers and a plate of dolmas.  Dolmas are my favorite Greek snack, comprised of rice and seasonings wrapped up in grape leaves.  I usually frenquent Trader Joes in the US for dolmas in a can, or when I have more time the somewhat local Greek market.  I was excited to have some homemade dolmas in Greece.

These photos show the seaside (bottom) and seaside (top) of the wall protecting the Chaina harbor.

What I learned when our food arrived was that I’ve been eating dolmas all wrong.  The dolmas were served hot, with the rice cooked al dente (with bite) not so mushy like in the US.  In the middle of the dolmas was served a pile of Greek yogurt, more sour cream like than the Greek yogurt I am used to, and hot crusty bread.  The combination of hot dolmas, tart and rich yogurt, and crusty bread made for the perfect snack. 

This structure is built on the wall encircling the marina.  It is half way out to the lighthouse.

After finishing our snack I headed to the restroom and asked David to order the check.  When I came back our dirty dishes were gone, replaced with a dessert of yogurt with juicy raisins and honey and a small bottle of lyraki (a liquor like ouzo, but specific to Crete).  David informed me that is what came to the table when he asked for the check.  I saw no reason to complain and enjoyed the offerings.  The check finally came when we finished. 

Our Greek beers and dolmas.  The dolmas were served with Greek yogurt and hot crusty bread.

This dessert of Greek yogurt with honey and raisins, and a small bottle of the local liquor lyraki came when David asked for the check.

We continued to wander around Crete stopping for another drink at a restaurant where the host was fishing adjacent to the restaurant.  The water of the harbor was so clear he could lay a hook on the bottom with bait, then just watch and wait until he saw something dine on the bait, when he would pull it out of the water.  We saw him catch an octopus in this fashion, no fishing pole involved.  The octopus went right into the kitchen. 

The back streets of Chaina.

Eventually it was time to go and we wandered back to that first shop selling pumice stones.  I decided to parose the other wares.  I am not generally a fan of shopping in cruise ports.  I’ve seen too many so-called deals priced higher than in the US, bamboo sheets and pretty much all jewelry included.  When I saw the price of olive oil for so much cheaper than I usually try in the US and tasted the robust flavors of the varieties I bought a bottle.  This continued on until I walked out with pumice stones, saffron, olive oil, olives, lyraki, and olive oil hand cream.

This host at a restaurant we stopped at caught an octopus while we watched from the patio.

In all with its subdued streets, friendly shop keeps, affordable delicacies, and mix of old and new architecture, Chaina on Crete offers a tame an easy going day for those who want to enjoy Greece without all the hustle and bustle of Athens.

Who could ask for more in a restaurant?