Polyrinia

I finally got around to visiting the old city of Polyrinia, with a fellow I met on the CIC trip into the mountains in the beginning of March. He had never been out this far west, so we made a day out of it. Definitely worth doing, the ruins are very interesting and extensive, and there are some beautiful views at the top. I'm looking forward to taking my sister there when she comes in May.

After Polyrinia, we drove east to his neck of the woods, Megala Horafia, and he took me for a brief visit to Aptera. Unfortunately much of it was closed (he said they usually close the gates at 2pm) but we were able to see the amphitheater and some nice views of Souda Bay.










This is Stephen, who has been coming to Crete for years on holiday but finally decided to move here on a permanent basis several months ago.










Friendly guy on a donkey ambling by.















The building in the background is supposedly an old Roman aqueduct, but we had trouble identifying the Roman part. It looks like it's been completely rebuilt with concrete.


































We picked up a very old, friendly dog in the village before heading up to the church and acropolis. We met her owner on the way back, Yiorgos, who has a very nice little shop with lots of olive wood products. He treated us to olives and raki, and I bought a bottle of his raki and his olive oil. He said business has been very slow, I hope it picks up for him this summer.

BTW, his dogs name is Lula and she's 15!!





























From my "Rough Guide": Miscellaneous Roman and Greek masonry is incorporated into the church...which is constructed on the base of what must have been an enormously impressive Hellenistic building, possibly a 4th century BC temple."












A view of the port of Kissamos in the distance.







The acropolis.































Lula playing with a friend, whose photo I took because I thought he/she had such interesting markings.















So cute. Makes me sad to think of all the lambs that will soon be slaughtered for the Easter feast. But not sad enough that I won't be eating one of them if the opportunity presents itself!!















Stephen noticed this "cave" as we were climbing up the trail. I think I would have missed it entirely on my own, it is so well hidden in the foliage. We were able to get a glimpse inside, and there is a stone wall on the far right side, so this must have functioned as...something...at one time.
































































These little daisy-like flowers covered the ground around us, and almost looked like snow at times.






























I love these flowers, the petals of which are purple on the underside and white on the top side.






Lula explaining that after she accompanied us all that way, the least I could do was pet her belly.














These were the pictures I took at Aptera.