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Crete 2023, Greece
  • Gina Steiner
  • Gina Steiner

Crete 2023, Greece

A 30-day adventure by Gina Read more
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  • Gina SteinerCrete 2023, GreeceTraveler

    Loukoumades and Souvlaki

    November 18, 2023 in Greece ⋅ 🌬 21 °C

    When we went to the farmers market today we stopped by a café to eat loukoumades - I love it... it's a dessert originated from Egypt made of leavened and deep fried dough balls, soaked in syrup or honey, coated with cinnamon. The dish was described as early as the 13th century by al-Baghdadi as luqmat al-qādi "judge's morsels".

    But you can't leave a Greek market without eating Souvlaki made by the local butcher, so we definitely also had to stop at the taverna next to the butcher 🤣.    Read more

  • Gina SteinerCrete 2023, GreeceTraveler

    My serpentines ❤️

    November 18, 2023 in Greece ⋅ 🌬 21 °C

    I have to drive these serpentines if I want to go shopping somewhere other than in the vegetable car.

    I love the view and as long as it doesn't rain cats and dogs, the route is a lot of fun.

    You can see my private beach as well as my village from far away and it is the only settlement here far and wide 😍.Read more

  • Gina SteinerCrete 2023, GreeceTraveler

    Manolis' gem

    November 18, 2023 in Greece ⋅ 🌙 16 °C

    Manolis has built a little gem between two very small villages, each with no more than 10-15 people living in it. It's called Sunny Hill Café and reminds me a lot of our fire kitchen.

    Manolis is 28 years old, born here and returned here after working in England for a few years. Within two years he build his café with a lot of love, work, ideas, wood and heart.

    From my apartment I pass it straight after the serpentines and just stopped by. Manolis conjured up all sorts of little things for us, like tapas, and we chatted for a while.

    Little by little a few farmers from the villages appeared and suddenly we were sitting in the middle of the loud and very funny Friday evening event of the two small villages. The vegetable man was also there and invited us to a raki.

    The true Greeks rocked the evening and I followed the spectacle with a happy heart and good mood, impressed by the large wooden crosses that one guy wore around his neck, the thick Greek peasant boots and the voice like a buzz saw.

    The oven was booming, everyone was sitting in a circle and Manolis was standing at the stove and kept conjuring up treats that he distributed on the tables.

    What a wonderful evening, what hospitality, what great people! ❤️❤️❤️    Read more

  • Gina SteinerCrete 2023, GreeceTraveler

    Blue, bluer, bluest

    November 19, 2023 in Greece ⋅ 🌬 15 °C

    Today we followed the stony unpaved roads along the coast until our little car couldn't drive anymore. 🤣

    Of course we could have continued for a much loooooonger time if we would have had Töffi 🚒 with us.

    But it was definitely enough for a trip along the coast in today's stormy winds 🌬️. The north wind not only creates high waves 🌊, but also steel blue seas and clear visibility 👀.    Read more

  • Gina SteinerCrete 2023, GreeceTraveler

    Pyrgos farmer's market

    November 22, 2023 in Greece ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

    The farmer's market in Pyrgos takes place once a week. The stalls are located along the small street that leads to Church of Agion Georgiou and Constantine ⛪.

    There are also a few cafes ☕ and small taverns 🍲 on the street, and a visit to a Greek hairdresser 💇 is also possible. You can find everything on the market, but especially food.

    The olives 🫒, fresh sheep's cheese 🧀 and raisins 🍇 are particularly recommended. The kiwis 🥝 and khakis 🍎 are also ripe at the moment, so these shouldn't be ignored either.

    It's a farmer's market of small farmers and has nothing to do with professional sellers. Theses are absolutely local vegetables and fruits from the gardens around the village.

    However, you stand out because there are no tourists here - apart from me 🤪. It's clear to see that you're an attraction and the Greek hospitality and business acumen shines through as there's something to try everywhere 😋.

    What a great country and shopping experience ❤️.    Read more

  • Gina SteinerCrete 2023, GreeceTraveler

    Prickly pears

    November 23, 2023 in Greece ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    Opuntia ficus-indica, the Indian fig opuntia, fig opuntia, or prickly pear, is a species of cactus that has long been a domesticated crop plant grown in agricultural economies throughout arid and semiarid parts of the world.

    I like to eat them and they are very healthy. They are currently ripe and growing all along the side of the road. The small spines are thin and hard to see, but it is still a very bad idea to pick them with your bare hands because the spines penetrate the skin very easily and are extremely annoying.

    So for me it's prickly pears time at the moment ❤️.    Read more

  • Gina SteinerCrete 2023, GreeceTraveler

    Sermon on the Mount

    November 24, 2023 in Greece ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    I think there is a translation error in the Sermon on the Mount, it should read:
    Look at the goats of the roof: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?Read more

  • Gina SteinerCrete 2023, GreeceTraveler

    Milky way

    November 24, 2023 in Greece ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    Shortly after sunset it is pitch black here and you can admire the Milky Way in all its beauty 👀⭐️✨💫🌟.

    Unfortunately, I don't have a telescope with me, but I do have a petroleum lamp, which makes sitting outside in the evening twice as comfortable 😍.Read more

  • Gina SteinerCrete 2023, GreeceTraveler

    Church of Agion Georgiou and Constantine

    November 25, 2023 in Greece ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

    This gem is located at the end of the main street of Pyrgos.

    A beautiful double chapel with frescoes from the 14th century. If it is closed you can get the key in the flower shop across the street. The friendly owner openes up to you. Absolutely worth seeing.

    But since it was open, we were able to walk right in and watch what exactly the churchgoers were doing there.

    First, a donation is placed in the cash register and one or more candles are taken, which are then lit and placed in the stand provided. Then the picture to the left and right of the act is kissed and, if necessary, the fresco to the right of the altar.

    Then they go into the room to the right and pay homage to the big spaghetti monster there - everything is very occult and exciting 🤪🥳.    Read more

  • Gina SteinerCrete 2023, GreeceTraveler

    After the storm

    November 27, 2023 in Greece ⋅ ☀️ 12 °C

    Back into the wateeeeeeeeer! 🌊🏊❤️

  • Gina SteinerCrete 2023, GreeceTraveler

    Breakfast time

    November 27, 2023 in Greece ⋅ ☀️ 14 °C

    I‘m a bit sad, only 6 more days here…

  • Gina SteinerCrete 2023, GreeceTraveler

    All over the mountains

    November 27, 2023 in Greece ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    Today we went all over the mountains.

    The unpaved roads that I had chosen for today were hardly passable anymore, every now and then I had to get out and clear stones out of the way or reduce the weight of the car.

    But I was too interested in what this small economic valley looks like. And we did it! We got to the intersection after the Εκκλησία Αγία Ειρήνη then we could have only continued with all-wheel drive and more ground clearance.

     I had expected to reach Εκκλησία Αγία Ειρήνη at best, but we even made it a few meters further.

    It was a great tour and I've already decided: I'll be back. The magnificent landscape, microclimate and hospitable people obviously stole my heart 😍.    Read more

  • Gina SteinerCrete 2023, GreeceTraveler

    Still heavy waves

    November 29, 2023 in Greece ⋅ 🌬 19 °C

    What a pitty for Rainer, it's nice and warm but there are still too many waves to go swimming today and it's his last day...

  • Gina SteinerCrete 2023, GreeceTraveler

    Ordinary working day

    November 30, 2023 in Greece ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

    Today is an ordinary working day and the waves have calmed down. I‘m going to miss this view from my balcony office 🌊🌞❤️ - back home there will presumably be gray sky, clouds and rain. So no more morning swim routine 😢.

    But I’m already looking forward to my next workation… mid of January to mid of March on the south cost of Sicily…. phew…    Read more

  • Gina SteinerCrete 2023, GreeceTraveler

    Finally cosy waves

    November 30, 2023 in Greece ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    The last days where nice and we had great waves, except of one day where it was cloudy, rainy and almost cold. The waves were great for watching but not for swimming. Today was the first nice swimming day and I went off in my lunch break to jump into the water 🏊💦❤️🌊🌞. I still can't believe it, it's end of November...Read more

  • Gina SteinerCrete 2023, GreeceTraveler

    Flatfoot

    December 2, 2023 in Greece ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

    Two days ago, when I drove Rainer to the airport in Heraklion at 5 a.m., I noticed that there was too little air in the tire on the left rear.

    We checked on the way, at the side of the road (in the dark🤪) but it didn't look too dramatic.

    Since all the gas stations were still closed, I drove for an hour and took him to the departure terminal first. There we inspected the tire more closely and found a screw in the tread.

    Rainer then checked in his suitcase and I changed to the spare tire.

    On the way back, the gas stations were open and I checked the air pressure several times (the indicator light didn't go out) but everything was fine.

    Today I drove 30 minutes up the serpentines to the first village. On my way back two days ago, when I was checking the air pressure several times, I found a promising gas station.

    It looked like they have everything and can repair everything. So this is where I went...

    Repairing the tire took one minute and costed 5.-.
    I'm still amazed 😲😳.    Read more

  • Gina SteinerCrete 2023, GreeceTraveler

    Eurasian griffon vulture

    December 2, 2023 in Greece ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    I watch them every time I lie on the beach and look at the sky. The griffon vultures of Crete circle along the coast in pairs, sometimes eight or ten.

    They glide majestically through the air and they only rarely flap their wings.

    It's difficult to photograph them because they're so high in the sky, but today I was able to spot some on the switchbacks.

    They are 93–122 cm long with a 2.3–2.8 m wingspan. The males weigh 6.2 to 10.5 kg and females typically weigh 6.5 to 10.5 kg. Hatched naked, it is a typical Old World vulture in appearance, with a very white head, very broad wings and short tail feathers. It has a white neck ruff and yellow bill. The buff body and wing coverts contrast with the dark flight feathers.

    Amazing creatures! I found some pics online to show them to you from near.    Read more

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