Greece 2022 - Day 5: A day of exploring Chania

We woke up to rain and a much cooler temperature.  The mercury barely raised above 18 degrees Celcius today which was a bit of a shock to our system after having 4 straight days of 28 degrees and sunny sunny skies.  Admittedly, my shoulders welcomed the break from the sun!  We took the opportunity to do some laundry and enjoy a lazy breakfast of Greek yogurt with oats and brown sugar, local eggs, and freshly grown tomatoes and zucchini that we had purchased at the market yesterday.

Farm fresh eggs!

Greek yogurt in North America is NOT real Greek yogurt!

It's all Greek to me!

After breakfast we decided to set off for a day of exploring by car.  We headed east in search of Stavros beach where scenes from the famed movie, Zorba the Greek, were filmed.  Given the stormy day and cooler temps, the beach was not inviting for a swim. 

After wandering the beach for a bit, we noticed a large cave high up on the mountain overlooking the beach.  We then noticed what appeared to be a trail leading to said cave.  We drove a short distance and found what appeared to be a small parking area at the “trail head”.  We decided, why not?  Off we went.  The views of Stavros beach from high above were breathtaking.  The cave was huge and appeared to serve as a “barn” for the mountain goats that are prevalent on Crete. 

After descending the mountain, we set off in search of another spectacle…Seitan Limania, a remote beach in a cove surrounded by rock formations in the shape of a lightning bolt.  The drive to the parking area for Seitan Limania was a steep, winding road with treacherous switch backs and minimal road guards to save you should the brakes in your car let go.  I think I held my breath most of the way.  After the harrowing drive, we arrived at the parking lot which was nearly overrun by a heard of goats.  We believe the goats belonged to a farmer as they all had ear tags and many of them were wearing bells.  After a 10-minute hike down a rocky path, we reached the beach.  Again, due to the storm that had rolled in, the ocean was not safe for swimming, but I imagined what it would be like on a calm, summer’s day…spectacular!

We made our way back up the steep road and headed ‘home’ to Chania where we took some time to explore a bit more of the old town seeing the angry ocean in the port before returning to the apartment to get ready for dinner. 

We decided to try a little restaurant called Evgonia, far from the touristy area, known for it’s daily specials and use of local ingredients.  We were not disappointed.  We ordered bread, olives and tzatziki to start, followed by a Greek salad, something we vowed to have at least one of every day while in Greece.  Then, we took the restaurant owner’s advice and shared the fresh grilled fish as a main.  All of it was amazing.  The fish was cooked to perfection, and the Greek salad and Tzatziki were the best we’ve had yet.  To top off the delicious meal, we were severed complimentary Greek yogurt with preserved apricots, fresh apple slices and cherries, and of course, Raki…an alcoholic drink made from twice distilled grapes which is often served after a meal in local tavernas.   The experience at Evgonia truly epitomized Greek hospitality at it’s finest!