New Year's Day

1^st JANUARY 2009

The sun was shining and the wind had ceased. Stef had threatened to go for a swim and as it was nearly lunchtime before we set off on today’s tour we made a detour down to the deserted beach at Amoudi.  Did we say deserted? Parking the car a bright red pickup pulled up close to us and whilst Stef prepared to go into the sea I went to look at the field of wild crocuses only to discover they have all died.  On the headland a couple were peering over the edge looking down onto the sea below.  I had to laugh to myself and returning to join Keith, who was now walking down to the water’s edge with Stef, we found a young man and a motor scooter. 

Still, not to be put off Stef entered the water and enjoyed a lovely swim coming out just as the young man joined us to pick up his fishing reel that he had buried in the sand.  It looked as though he was reeling Stef in.  We shivered whilst Stef said the water was warm and the air temperature felt warm too and she was pleased she had had her New Year’s Day swim.

The remains of a camp fire on the now deserted Amoudi beach 

Now today’s adventure began as we stopped to take photos of the snow beyond Kali Sekia before travelling on to the village of Roustika. 

As we took her under the beamed arch leading from the village Square into the back streets of Routstika we kept seeing one particular man and when we stopped to take a photo of some cats on the wall and behind fencing opposite his home we think he also wanted us to take a photo of his little dog.  He was making a hand gesture of rubbing his thumb along his fingers as if asking for money so we chose to ignore him and moved on. 

The sky on the north coast was clear and looked very inviting but it was getting late and we still hadn’t stopped for our picnic lunch.  Returning to the car we tried to find a suitable stop and it was only when we reached the village of Zouridi could we have our snack.  We pulled into a little track at the edge of the village and whilst enjoying our picnic in the car watched the birds flying in and out of the hedgerow.  Another first for us was to see a robin in Crete.  Again in the late afternoon we had a look around this village with many old derelict buildings, but very friendly people who wished us a happy new year.  Once again we had some lovely views of the snow clad mountains before returning home