Medousa

[harribobs]

Medousa Packed out every night so far. - weather wonderful, Babis much on form (can't get away) - reserved table even - seems as if we've made it after 10 years. George - Chris and I (separately) done that new Killikratis Pass. Chris's hands still maintain the shape of steering wheel and he's gone very quiet    and Mandy still shaking. We found it ok - great - Gillian drove (looked for other vehicles) while I steered and peddled. It really is the most incredible road ever. Lots of photos to show you on my return. This is fresh news - just got back from that journey 1 hour ago.

Love to everyone from Plakias

John R

let's say it's an interesting little road which i can only say will test your driving skills and resolve  

i was ok by the time i got to the top but they'll never get the teeth marks out of the steering wheel  

[harribobs]

just to give you an idea...............

[Mandy Harrison]

The food was excellent and it was very full. However, I often have to eat on my own and found it very quiet - it didn't seem to have the atmosphere of places along the front, but for a couple who want a quiet evening together it may just the thing.

Greecemad

Well that's us exactly and perhaps explains our 99.999% devotion to Medousa over many years. Very rarely found it exactly quiet. As you say - busy and if you know what to look for (Babis frequently managing everything on his own) then there is rather a lot of entertainment to be found. Faulty towers occasionally comes to mind (in the nicest sense). Last year when we were ready to leave (we always go early), Babis refused to let us go and "commanded" us to stay - quite severely !!. He simply could not cope with anyone else coming - which would have happened had we vacated our table. We meekly obeyed orders and indeed stayed all evening till rather late (understatement) and the subsequent raki, wine and entertainment from Babis, his family and regular diners who also stayed was just superb. Now that sort of situation is what I call atmosphere.

John R

Hi John

Hope you and Gilly aren't missing me too much.  Hell at Heraklion checking in.  Had to board straight away it took soooooooooooooooooooooooooooo long!  Interesting flight when Chris had aisle seat too and the steward ran his trolley over chris's foot when he was trying to sleep. Need I say more?  Hope the wind has died down now.  Cold in Manchester and raining and grey - oh so grey - work is rubbish and VERY busy.  Did I visit Crete only 2 weeks ago I wonder?  It already seems a dream.  

Enjoy rest of your stay.  Kisses to all of you.

Mandaki

PS  : As for Kallikratis road - one may get me up there again but it will the gorge for me and I doubt you would get me up in the car - its hell! but stunning!

[George]

just to give you an idea...............


 

When I drove passed the bottom entrance to the road it was tarmaced, but couldn't see how far up it went.

george g...

[harribobs]

yep, tarmac all the way to the top, don't know how long for though!

it was just a bulldozed track last year

[Regulars since 1992]

Back yesterday from another excellent holiday in Plakias (our tenth in the last 15 years we think). Stella Studios and the welcome there from Stella, Yannis and son Markos as warm as ever and the company there as excellent as ever. Already booked for nex year.

As for restaurants, Medousa and Harakas were our definite favourites, the latter edging it overall.
 
As for the Killikratis Pass, doing it when it was still a gravel track would have been a bit of a challenge. Easy enough to negotiate now it's fully tarmaced from top to bottom. We drove up, stopped to admire the views and take a few photos, then drove back down and across to the coast for lunch and time on a deserted beach. Hasten to add I decided against my usual practice of coasting downhill (to save the environment as well as our own petrol!) when heading back down the Pass - think our little Yaris would have been fine in 'cruise' mode, but didn't want to risk any hint of brake fade!!

[George]

Hasten to add I decided against my usual practice of coasting downhill (to save the environment as well as our own petrol!) when heading back down the Pass - think our little Yaris would have been fine in 'cruise' mode, but didn't want to risk any hint of brake fade!!

I did that once (and only once) coming down the hill from Aredena, and the brakes failed completely. Luckily I was only doing around 5 MPH. Scary so I won't be doing that again. If I had been going any faster, I could have found the quick route down to Sweetwater  

Kallikratis still looks like a good bet for next year, even though I was dissapointed when I heard it was all Tarmac now   , it looks spectacular, really looking forward to it and if I miss the road going down again, I can always go up it.  

george g...

[John R]

Hi John

Hope you and Gilly aren't missing me too much.  Hell at Heraklion checking in.  Had to board straight away it took soooooooooooooooooooooooooooo long!  Interesting flight when Chris had aisle seat too and the steward ran his trolley over chris's foot when he was trying to sleep. Need I say more?  Hope the wind has died down now.  Cold in Manchester and raining and grey - oh so grey - work is rubbish and VERY busy.  Did I visit Crete only 2 weeks ago I wonder?  It already seems a dream.  

Enjoy rest of your stay.  Kisses to all of you.

Mandaki

PS  : As for Kallikratis road - one may get me up there again but it will the gorge for me and I doubt you would get me up in the car - its hell! but stunning!

Yes - we missed you a lot after your departure. Weather remained good and Medousa remained very busy indeed. Was great to see you there and we enjoyed your company very much indeed.

Our Heraklion departure experience was typical but we seemed to cope ok. We had a super self drive to airport and those BA flights to Manchester are superb. Booked the best seats as usual 24 hours before departure on line - no danger of being run over by food trolleys. Sadly we are with XL next year - slightly nervous about that.

Seen you next year if not sooner.

Love John and Gillian

[Mandy Harrison]

Hi John and Gillian

I'm sorry your holiday is over but I am glad you are back in UK - it bothers me when I leave friends behind in Plak when I have to return to work - selfish I know but I cant help it.  We have the photos but I think the raki is nearly finished  .  Work not much fun very busy and I started with a bad cold and feel most unwell.  I'm glad we have booked Wasdale for xmas - it will be something to look forward to.  Hopefully the boots will get an airing which they didn't get much of this September.  Hope you settle back into your routine quicker than I seem to be doing!

Did Gilly like the little cow you bought her?

We won on our syndicate at work last week - £60.00 - £80.00 in the kitty now - not enough to buy my mountain villa but who knows- this time next year I could be a millionaire  

Keep in touch

Mandy

[John R]

just to give you an idea...............

Some more taken on a less windy day so I had more opportunity than Chris :-



























This last one shows the pass taken from near Frankocastella

My thanks to Chris (Harribobs) for hosting these photos on his website.

John R

[Noopsy]

Never been down that road but looking at the pictures there's something artistic in the way it winds down the slope of the mountain...and a bit like the path a cautious novice would take going down a black run!  

[harribobs]

Great pictures John!

[harribobs]

To see them all, browse the list at http://www.flute.toucansurf.com/Killi/

These photos may have to be removed fairly soon as space on my website is getting used up.

John R

John

i can host these photos on one of my sites if you'd like

chris

[Greecemad]

That 'road' looks very narrow. What happens when you meet something coming the other way?

[harribobs]

That 'road' looks very narrow. What happens when you meet something coming the other way?

   the only passing points are at the bends



*breath in*