In the Easter holidays, i.e. the first 2 weeks of April, 1998
Bill, Rory, Jens Peter and I spent 2 super weeks on Crete.
The second week we rented a car, which gave us a lot more freedom
to travel farther afield. After we had hiked the Imbros
Gorge, we drove along the south coast eastwards to Frangokastello and on
to the monastery Moni Preveli, before turning northward for "home".
Another day we visited the Minoan ruins at Phestos and Agia Triada, the Roman
ruins at Gortys and the beech and caves at Metala. Bill did most of the photography
with the video. Unfortunately the cassette is broken.
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The Venetian fort of Frangokastello on the south coast of Crete, east
of Horo Sfakion. In the background are the White Mountains. Pachnes, at
2453 metres the highest peak in the White Mountains, is only 6 metres lower
than Mount Ida in the central Psiloritis range, the highest mountain on
Crete. |
The massive outer walls of Frangokastello. The Venetians ruled Crete
from 1210 to 1669. Frangokastello was a defence against pirates from North
Africa and later the Turks. |
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The gateway into Frangokastello. |
An archway inside Frangokastello. |
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Inside Frangocastello. |
| Driving along the south coast of Crete eastwards from Frangokastello.
The road clung to the mountainside above the sea. Winter storms had washed
out the roadbed and only boulders placed on the pavement warned that there
was nothing under the asphalt. Even though we are approaching the eastern
end of the White Mountains, deep ravines still cut into the mountainside,
here dividing the towns of Ano and Kato Rodokino. |
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The town of Plakias on the south coast of Crete. |
| Moni Prevali monastery, perched high above the ocean. |
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A chapel at Moni Prevali. |
| On the other side of the mountain are the ruins of the old monastery,
Moni Prevali Kato. |
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Another view of Moni Prevali Kato |
| Poppies growing on the ruined walls of Phestos. |
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A courtyard at Phestos. Phestos has not been reconstructed like Knossos,
so it is much harder to imagine how it once looked. The mountain in the
background it Mount Ida, the highest mountain on Crete.
This photo is taken from Bill's video; that is why the colour is different
from my digital photos. |
| A Roman grave cut in the cliff at Metala. |
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