For Good Measure

 After another delicious breakfast at Boheme in Chania we visited the Catholic Church on Chalidon (street?) where English Masses are celebrated each day.  We then got a taxi to the airport via Souda Bay cemetery where NZ, Australian and British WW2 soldiers are buried. A sobering experience. Three cruise ships anchored in Souda Bay so an extra 15,000 tourists in Chania and surrounds. Steve spoke to a woman from one of the cruise ships at the cemetery. She runs the hangi stall in Mangere Bridge. It's a small world. Flight back to Athens delayed perhaps by the thunderstorm.  Dinner at our hotel and early night. Back to airport for our 12.55 flight to Dublin on Thursday 19th. The travelling days are long and not very interesting but here we are in Dublin with Aidan. Dinner and Guinness at a pub before an early night for us. Aidan has other plans but we will meet up for breakfast tomorrow before doing the tourist thing and then picking up our hire car and heading to Youghal. ...

 What a lovely day in Chania. First brunch at Boheme, fried eggs 3, zucchini marinated in spearmint, carob, tomato pesto and potato puffs (fried potato gnocchi). Next an hours ride through Chania in the horse and carriage, ice creams, walk around the harbour, shopping, siesta, drinks on hotel deck overlooking the water, another short siesta, followed by dinner. The horse is looking for a carrot at the end of the tour. Brother and sister posing as 'stupid people'. Erin and I wearing our purchases from Chania market. Practicing a pose. So many posers among the tourists.

 Sunday evening Erin, Steve and Teresa went to St Dionysus Cathedral for the Mass in English, then met up with Gae, Maurice and Brian for our last dinner together in Athens at Athinaikon restaurant. Monday morning, an early start for our flight to Chania. Arrived at the Amphitrite Hotel before 2 pm and went out for a leisurely lunch at Michalis restaurant beside the harbour followed by siesta time before dinner. This holiday certainly revolves around eating with walking and sightseeing in between. Our hotel is the white one in the centre and overlooks the harbour. Erin and Teresa, keeping noses out of the sun. View from our window. Late afternoon and in shadow. Sunset and early morning.

 Arrived in Athens Thursday early evening. Found our apartments and arranged to meet up with Gae and Maurice, Megan, Alex and children Ruby and Joe for dinner. Ruby and Joe coped well with the 11.30 pm finish to the evening. We ate at Plaki meze on old market square. Kalogrioni 6 Plaka. Went to the 11 am changing of the guard up by parliament on Friday morning, impressive, then Erin and Brian did a hop on hop off bus tour while we reacquainted ourselves with the neighbourhood. Gae, Maurice, Erin and Brian met up at our apartment for pre dinner drinks before we headed up to Platanos taverna for dinner. Early start on Saturday morning. Gae Maurice Erin and Brian did a 12 hour bus trip to Mycenae.  Steve and I went up to the Acropolis and Parthenon at 8 am to beat the heat and the crowds. By 9 am it was fairly crowded so we were pleased we had got up early. With the heat we are showering and washing clothes twice a day but they all dry in about 2 hours. Vouliagmeni Lake our lunch...

 Had 3 lovely days in London with Aidan. Unfortunately Steve had a bad case of air sickness which slowed him down a bit. Highlights for us were dinner at the Queens Head, the visit to Little Venice and the Agatha Christie spoof Murder of Coarse. Always enjoy live theatre. Erin and Brian enjoyed their Buckingham Palace tour and I enjoyed visiting the Barbican and Guild Hall art gallery with Aidan before we all met up and took the ferry to Greenwich and the docklands railway back. Friday we headed up to Leamington Spa through the Cotswolds. Had 3 nice days with Patrick Emma and George, and Stan the dog of course. Dinner out at the Drawing Board on Saturday night and Warwick Castle, Hatton Locks and Stratford on Avon on Sunday. Two nights in Liverpool followed. Fairly wet and windy. We enjoyed a visit to the Western Approaches exhibit recommended by Emma. At Runnymede tonight before our flight to Athens tomorrow. We walked along the Thames to the Magna Carta memorial. A lovely walk in...

 Sunday. Raining on and off. We had bought a few supplies at the supermercado yesterday so made ourselves muesli fruit and yoghurt breakfast and went out for coffee and croissant about 10.30. After lunch, between showers we walked along the promenade to the little beach at the end. Muxia is a lovely town. Enjoying it in spite of the rain. Photo above. We hope to climb this rocky hill at the other end of town before we leave tomorrow - weather dependent: Our apartment is on the third floor in the white building to the right of the red building at left side of above photo. Monday Once we checked out of apartment we walked along the waterfront and back then found the tourist information office and got our Muxia certificate. We were able to leave our packs there while we visited the church and climbed the rocky hill above the town. After some lunch at As Baleas we picked up our packs and caught the 2.15 pm bus back to Finisterre. €1.30. The bar opposite Cafe Berlin Madrid on Rua Real. ...