Walk from Paleochora to Kantanos

Walk around Crete in 50 days – Day 32 from Paleochora to Kantanos

Steps 21174 (step length is normal again)
Burned calories 832
Distance 16 km
Hours walk 03h 05′
Pulse at arrival 83
Weather: Heavy clouds, light rain and very cold Average 11C

Woke up at 07.00 after a peaceful night at the “Taits” house. Lynn served me an excellent breakfast at 08.00 which I enjoyed together with her and Bob. This was luxuary hotel service ! At 09.30 I could use their internet connection to send my reports to the webmaster and check some email. It took me until 12.30…In the meantime Suzanna, Anna and Herve passed by.

At 14.00 I set off to Kantanos, guided by Bob. Suzanna and Anna joined us.
Lynn would pick them up at Kantanos. Bob showed us the way via a path at the back of his house, where I discovered a real “orchid garden” !

Hundreds of “orchis cretica”..! Nice present for my “32nd day” ! The path was leading us uphill to a quiet, local road with no traffic. We should use this type of road until Kantanos. On the way lots of orchids again, and some “Orchis Italica” too, surrounded by “Gladiola italica”, alll in one day ! Just perfect! A

t 15.00 we took a short break at the edge of an old water canal, to eat something. Threatening clouds and some raindrops, but lasted only for a few minutes. Strong North Wind and only 11,7C. Realy cold !

Suzanna, not feeling well, left us and would join us, together with Lynn at Kantanos. We turned right on another local road and Bob was leading us over small, but very nice and interesting paths.. Perfect guide ! We crossed “lords and ladies” fields, a fast streaming river and reached the main road.. Not for long, because Bob knew another “short cut”. He knows them all ! Pitty that we found also a lot of rubbish in the small gorges and rivers that we passed… Everywhere oranges on the ground…

Around 17.00 we arrived in Kantanos, almost together with Lynn and Anna.. What a timing ! I found a room in the local village Hotel (no hot water and no heating because not open yet), which saved me from camping outside.. It was freezing cold in Kantanos, only 8 C ! In my room it is 11C ! Never mind, I am well equiped and will manage to survive ! At least I had a good meal at Soula’s taverna “O Platanos”.. She made me “fassolia”, served with fresh bread, “white tarama” and olives.. A good glass of local (old) wine, next to the open fire, made my evening !
Soula kept me some company and told me about her late husband, children and grandchildren. After dinner I got a raki to warm up a bit… I showed my respect for this very courageous woman, did some shopping in the local mini market and went to bed at about 20.45.

Tomorrow Elos.. Another 20 km…

Day 33: from Kantanos to Elos