Thanks to all for favourable comments on my sunset. Plakias in April: around 20c daytime, mostly sunny, much cooler at night when a jumper and jacket are needed. Strong wind got up for a couple of days. Town very quiet but most tavernas and some bars open (not Ostraco). Much hammering, drilling and painting going on as they all gear up. A very clever tractor was going up and down the beach riddling stones out of the sand and dumping them up near the harbour, leaving the sand looking nice and smooth. Prices much cheaper than my usual haunt (Antiparos) -e.g. 2.2 euros for half a kilo of local wine and dinner for two with wine rarely more than 20 euros. Walk up to Mirthios was very pleasant with little sign of last year's fire. Main advantage of April is the wonderful wild flowers, especially if you drive around a bit (see attached pix). If you're there on April 23 and have a car, go to Asi Gonia for the blessing of the sheep. St George is patron of sheep and shepherds and they bring them down to the church where they are milked and the milk is given away with Cretan rusks to any visitors. Every cafe has a charcoal grill going for lamb souvlaki at 1 euro a stick. It's a wonderful occasion, with few tourists but many Cretans piling in from all parts with empty jugs and bottles for the free milk. Allow an hour and a half to get there and be there for 10am. The route is: Mirthios - Kanevos - Kali Sikea - Velonado - Roustika - Ag. Konstantinos - Argiroupolis - Asi Gonia. Your map may not show a road between Kali Sikea and Velonado but there is one. It's all quite good apart from a really rough section beyond Zouridi, after Ag. Konstantinos.
Pix show (top to bottom): Heldreich's ophrys, Tassel hyacinth, Monkey orchid, Caper.
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