Sunday in Chania

F lay on the cold tile floor for part of the night. I climbed down beside her and purred and purred and purred.

Today is breezy. Wind overnight partly opened a plastic folding door that encloses an understair space on the house next door. I found the gap. Mr B spotted me squeezing through.

Bother.

It might have been interesting. I gave it another try while he was cooking his breakfast but he seems to have latched the door and F spied me trying to wiggle it open again.

My humans pulled themselves together by midday and went off for a walk. There was discussion about me joining them, but I had settled down for a siesta by then so I did not have to accompany mad dogs and an Englishman out into the midday sun.

They returned smelling of beer and ice-cream and said the Old Town was indeed old, and was pretty much as we have come to expect .... wall to wall holidaymakers, bars, cafes and tavernas cheek by jowl and jam-packed with said holidaymakers. Shops selling trinkets, and clothes a human would never survive wearing in England, filled any available space between cafes and eating establishments. Some trinket shops had established themselves on fishing boats in the old harbour.

They brought me some photos taken in the less well-trodden streets and on their return promptly fell asleep again.

Is this what holiday really means? I am accustomed to seeing something new every day. At this rate I will have to shunt that potted fern away from the drain and go out to find things to report on.

A little off the beaten track Old Town

Evidence of a mixed history.


One way of trying to stop your cat going on Safari

Air Force Memorial

Doer-upper

Planning my next adventure
Chania is under my right back foot. I am making like the Dorians, Samians, Aiginians, Romans, Sarakines Arabs, Byzantine Empire, Venetians, Ottoman Turks, Italians, Germans and Austrians who all "set foot" on Crete in the last two and half thousand or so years (according to the potted history on the map - English version obscured by my tail). Some stayed longer than others. The Venetians had about 400 years of contributing to the culture and architecture of modern Crete, and Chania Old Town and in particular its harbour display their influence.

Comments

  1. Erm... why was F sleeping on the floor? A surfeit of red wine/ouzo or similar adult beverage?
    That doer-upper really does need some doing up.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Too hot and the tile floor is nice and cool. As for doer-upper we are staying next door to one but they caught it in the nick of time.

      Delete
  2. You're a good travel guide, T. Especially with the map pose.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Thank you Boud. I like sleeping on paper and that map was perfect. F made me give it up.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I think the world would be a far better world if you feline creatures were in charge Tigger.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Crete looks fascinating with all that mixed culture, but you really must curb your Houdini inclinations, Tigger :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm 15 years old. I don't jump high fences any more so I have to find other ways to explore.

      Delete
  6. We lived Chania for three years back in the eighties. It was a sleepy little town. Very few tourists. We probably saw it at its best . Still I'd love to go back...well off season

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It would have to be very off-season. We are told the old town has fewer and fewer redidents and ever more airbnb. There are moves to encourage northern europeans to overwinter here at good rates (Med version of the Canadian snowbirds in Bermuda). It is sad when a place becomes so popular that the culture the travellers came to enjoy has been driven out by the tourism. The culture now is that of any popular tourist destination on the Med. We are moving to the mountains tomorrow. Xxx Mr T

      Delete
    2. I've read about all those Europeans looking for houses on Crete. Such a pity that the city has changed so much.
      The laiki used to be in the middle of the red light district I remember back then. My father thought it a great laugh and took loads of photos.
      We used to live in Mournies, just outside. Also delightful little village. It's probably a suburb now

      Delete
  7. Hari OM
    It sounds to me like the hyoomons are taking time to recover some energy after all the packing and shifting - and that is what holiday actually means, Tigger dear. Once recharged, then proper exploration and safari begins!!! Still. Maps make a good starter point... Hugs and wags, YAM-aunty xxx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We saw some hinterland today....but (wait for the next installment. Xxx Mr T

      Delete
  8. Thank you for the photos, what an interesting place. I don’t really see the cat barrier keeping felines from escaping and going out on safari though, haha. Cute, with your paw on the map……

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Welcome back - how was your icons painting course?

      Delete

Post a Comment