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Crete, Greece (May 25, 2016) Debra and I went on a wonderful sightseeing tour of Crete – a one-day stop on our Mediterranean cruise – with tour guide and new friend Xristos. We visited a 17th century monastery, strolled through a municipal market, toured an olive oil factory, enjoyed a delicious lunch in a coastal village, and drove through beautiful countryside.
We also explored a diverse archaeological site – the ancient city of Aptera – located on a plateau overlooking Souda Bay. Debra “sat this one out,” so I power walked a portion of the site with Xristos. The first building I came to was the restored Monastery of Agio Ioannis Theologos, built in the 12th century with material taken from the ancient city. Next, I walked through a Roman cistern (yes, the Romans were everywhere!), which collected rainwater from rooftops that was distributed to two large public baths. My last stop was at a Hellenistic theater; made of limestone, it seated up to 350 spectators. At the open end of the theater, behind the stage, was the “scene building,” with three large niches that corresponded to three entrances. I LOVE ancient ruins, so I was in seventh heaven! Thank you Xristos!! |
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