Walk around Crete - Frangocastello to Hora Sfakion

Walk around Crete in 50 days - Day 27 from Frangocastello to Hora Sfakion (Sweet Water beach)

Steps 20884
Burned calories 810
Distance 15,8 km
Pulse at arrival 85
Weather: Very sunny Average 24C

Woke up at 08.00 and it was already 09.00 ! Did not know we had to advance the clock for an hour ! No newspaper, no radio, no tv! No problem ! Anyway I have time, Sfakia is only about 15 km from here. Ate my "croissant" and drank coffee (elleniko sketto) at Flisvos. I paid 25 Euro’s for the room (no breakfast) and left about 10.30. The weather is ok. No wind, my Lybian Lady is very quiet. Temperature is 24C.. En route. I crossed Frangokastello, but spot no barrel dogs..All dogs are free running and very friendly. No strays, all of them belong to somebody.

11,40 Fantastic view of Frangokastello after a steep climb on a winding road. The only positive thing, the road is boring!

11.45 Agios Nektarios village. Few houses, don’t see anything move.

12.10 Arrival at Nomikiana. Same as formal village, but more movement (building)..

12.30 Village of Vouvas. Idem dito, but two local cafenions are open and a few older men are enjoying their "Fanta".

12.40 I find a lamb, stuck with his head in a fence.. Can’t save it by myself and I call a man working on a field. He helps me and we save the poor animal. So far nobody paid attention on it!

12.45 I am in Vraskas. Only 5 houses, I count. A man is singing Cretan songs in his small garden and salutes me. Kala Tragoudia !

12.50 I pass the entrance (from Komitades) of the Imbros gorge, where I spent already so many beautiful moments.. I meet Drimitris again (the driver whom I saw at Phaistos, remember ?). He is waiting for the same group of tourists, walking down the gorge.. We chat and drink together at the taverna "Komitades", animated by the always friendly Manolis. Nice place to stay !

13.15 I continue the climb to the village of Komitades and arrive there 10’ later. Small village and nearly all people are living on the Imbros gorge.

13.40 Junction on the winding road, coming from Vrisses and bringing so many tourists to Sfakia, in the summer season for the Samaria "lazy way" or bringing them back from the "long way".

14.10 I spot Loutro and Sweet water beach, where I am going to overnight in my tent. Loutro is for tomorrow.

14.15 Arrival at Hora Sfakia. I go to Daniel’s cafe and meet Pantelis, my formal "taxi driver" to Aradaina! Here I wait for Alan and Andy, who are going to join me on the walks to Paleohora . They show up at 15.15 and we have a meal at Nikos’ taverna in Sfakia harbor (swordfish).
Weather is very sunny.

At 18,00 we leave the taverna and walk to "Glika Nera", Sweet water beach, to camp. Arrival at the beach at about 18.45 and putting up our tents, enjoying the fantastic evening. Only us three.. Alan brought some Retsina.

It is 21,00 and the stars are watching us..I decide to go for a swim! Gorgeous! joining my Lybian Lady! No lights needed now, full moon.

At 22,00 we went to bed for a "cool" night.

Ivan van Driessche walked around Crete to collect funds for "The Haven", the Animal Welfare Group of Malia.

The volunteers of the Haven struggle for the protection of the stray animals of Crete and they deserve all the support they can get.

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