Our reverie in Finix has ended. We bid "avtío" to the staff of the lodge and to the stark beauty of the south coast to make our way to the north east coast of this mysterious island. 10 hours of travel has brought us to Elounda, a picturesque but modern village on the Gulf of Mirambelo. Situated between the ancient towns of Schisma (whence "schism", "schismatic") and Fourni, modern Elounda began as a movie set for the Walt Disney movie "The Moon-Spinners", starring Haley Mills (my major crush when I was 10 years old). Built up since the 1960's, it is tucked far enough off the tourist pipeline to have a good sense of its own local character. Our home for the next few days is at the Elounda Heights Apartments, where we rest comfortably in the Ariadne suite. A gusty zephyr lends a wild air to the view from the hills.
Sitting on a bus for hours provides space for reflection and rest. Consequently, some random thoughts:
- I realized a few days ago that I couldn't remember what day of the week it was; still not sure. Not in the least disturbed by this fact.
- have developed a great admiration for the bus drivers of Greece. These guys (inevitably) wheel their huge vehicles along hairpin highways and down narrow streets (often lined with parked cars and pedestrians), places I would hesitate to go even with a bicycle. Each bus usually includes a conductor as well; it's a very human and humane way to travel.
- not all of Crete is pretty. We passed through a major sprawl of overbuilt resorts along the north coast, a wasteland of dead eyed tourists wandering between anglicized tavernas and curio shop after curio shop after ... furrier shop!
- gave our heads a shake at seeing numerous furrier stores in said wasteland. With the temperature pushing 34 degrees, who would want a fur coat? Short answer: Russian tourists. Farmed fur from northern Greece is dirt cheap compared to the domestic brand and Russia represents the 3rd largest travel cadré here, after Germany and Britain. (As with soccer, Canada stands outside the rankings.)
- still trying to adjust to the eating pattern here. As it stands, a healthy breakfast before 9 lasts until Greek salad (with dolmades and tzatziki and hummus and taramasalata and whatever else looks yummy) which has to hold you until supper, which never begins before 8 pm, generally lasts 'til 11:00 and is always completed with a complementary plate of fruit (REAL watermelon is in season right now, do you remember, the kind with seeds, that actually tastes like watermelon?) and a bottomless vial of râkí. By the time I push myself away from the table and groan to my feet, I realize it's only a few hours until the cycle starts all over again! No wonder my pants have shrunk.
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