What's the worst day to travel in Greece? Possibly (Greek) Easter Sunday, which is exactly when we blithely set out from our hidden cove by small boat to Loutro. The ferry into Loutro disgorged a motley crew who'd come from an all night beach bonfire in Agia Galini. This included our musical friends from Britain, who somehow still had enough spark to send us off with a spirited scarf dance on the pier as we pulled away. Sadly no photos of a classic moment in folklore...
After the beautiful ferry ride to Chora Sfakion, things got a little ugly at the bus stop, as 3 different walking tour guides tried to make sure their clients got seats on the bus. We luckily squeezed on at the end, and stood up in the sweaty heat, hanging on as the bus wound its very slow way up the steep mountain switchbacks.
However, we made it back to Chania, and are now in a little studio on the Akrotiri peninsula near the village of Tersanas. Not quite the remote charm of the south coast, but pleasant enough, and a kitchen for cooking our own meals. We've befriended two young British women, Zoe and Hannah, exploring the coast and driving inland with them, and more importantly introducing them to our word-breaking game, at which they excel, the little rats! Yesterday we climbed from the monastery at Gouvernetou down a cliff-hanging path to the ruins of the older monastery in the gorge below, abandoned 300 years ago due to repeated pirate raids. Never a peaceful century in Cretan history!
The "scarf Dance" performed for you on Loutro quay by the brothers Forster was of course a nugget of Morris dance in the Sherbourne tradition .............. rare enough in England these days but unique in Loutro !
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