Crete

I know, it's been forever since I posted.  I owe y'all about 5 different blog posts.  To go in order, here are some pictures from our weekend in Crete!  The beach pictures cannot adequately convey the gorgeous turquoise and blue water, so clear.  Just like the photos in travel magazines that you always thought were digitally enhanced!

[caption id="attachment_1457" align="alignnone" width="645"] We started off the Saturday morning with the family's regular visit to the open-air market. Mrs. R and I had an awesome time tasting all the different kinds of olives, and the olive merchant insisted that I take a picture with the stall! (They were really, really good olives...)[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1458" align="alignnone" width="645"] This is the view from the back window of the house complete with photographers.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1459" align="alignnone" width="645"] We spent a little bit of time testing our archery skills in the driveway with the boys. I think someone hit the target once. I lost an arrow.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1460" align="alignnone" width="645"] Greek Cat. Which acts the same as any other cat, plus sharpening its claws on the grapevines.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1461" align="alignnone" width="645"] Greek horse. Well, mostly the view. We took a short walk around midday - even the scrub brush in Crete is lovely. There were lots and lots of wildflowers, which was so nice after being in the big city with nothing but cobblestone.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1462" align="alignnone" width="645"] Doesn't this look like Middle Earth?[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1463" align="alignnone" width="645"] For Maggie - goats! Cute little Cretan goats, which I don't think were supposed to be escaping the fence, but we don't really know.  Also Cretan chickens.  I now have a loathing for roosters after experiencing the local one.  He sounded like he was going to collapse and die on every third crow, which was about every fifteen minutes![/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1464" align="alignnone" width="645"] I LOVE THE BEACH.  These are my new Italian sandals, for practical purposes, and so far they have been wonderful.  But they were going to get sandy anyway, so why bother wearing them?[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1465" align="alignnone" width="645"] This picture speaks for itself.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1466" align="alignnone" width="645"] Happy sandy feet!  They were a shade or two darker by the end of the afternoon.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1467" align="alignnone" width="645"] The water was so very clear! There was a convenient rock shelf off the beach, so you could wade out with no difficulty and feel the waves. Conveniently, the beach was also mostly empty, so it was just us.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1468" align="alignnone" width="645"] Just look at that blue![/caption]



[caption id="attachment_1471" align="alignnone" width="645"] After the beach, we visited a beautiful Greek Orthodox monastery. Unfortunately, I was not able to take pictures inside, but here is the facade and bell tower.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1472" align="alignnone" width="645"] View from the base of the bell tower.  I believe those are olive trees.[/caption]



[caption id="attachment_1474" align="alignnone" width="645"] Lindsay, Minion and I, with a picture of our dear friend from college.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1475" align="alignnone" width="645"] Chania harbor's lighthouse, which I believe dates back to the Venetian era of the town.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1476" align="alignnone" width="645"] Not all the doorsteps were like this, but I just though this one was really cute![/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1477" align="alignnone" width="645"] Downtown Chania, the cute shopping district.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1478" align="alignnone" width="645"] Sunset over the harbor before we went to Mass.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1479" align="alignnone" width="645"] Just to remind me that I was actually in Greece![/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1481" align="alignnone" width="645"] Chania's harborfront.  Notice the mountains in the distance![/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1482" align="alignnone" width="645"] We woke up to this view from the girls' bedroom window! Chania was an amazing experience - I am so, so glad we were able to visit![/caption]