Having settled in, we went shopping in Souda, visited the Archaeological site of Aptera, explored the byways of Megala Chorafia, (renamed Aptera) and had the evening meal at the Aptera Taverna courtesy Pure Crete.

Cafe in Aptera Village

Beyond the front patio

Teenage mum

"Cretan Corner" Taverna. With Kri-Kri sculpture

Front Patio towards white mountains

Yellow Horned Poppy

Souda, Date Palms

Souda, Solanum eleagnifolium

Neighbour's House

Lunch in Aptera Monastery

Neighbour's dog has a Cretan Moustache

Pomegranate Tree

One ripe now

Half and half Mirabilis jalapa

Excavated Ballista Balls?

(or cannon)

From Turkish Fort  with Scilla maritima in front

Roman Graves

Olive trees left on plinths

Roman Cistern  quite dry

Clive and Stephen, note Peruvian hat

Lantana

Bougainvillea Flowers and Bracts

Dead, Carlina graeca, thistles

Ruby Tiger Moth

Brown Praying Mantis

Palpita vitrealis

White Oleander

Olives

Hibiscus

Monster Moth

Green Lizard

Yellowish Grasshopper

Green Mantis

Plumbago

Prickly Pear fruit

We visited a mountain habitat with crocuses and daphne and looked down the Samarian Gorge and visited the dried out Omalos Plain

Swallowtail

Crocus laevigatus

"Dandelion"

Mountain Habitat

Brown mantis

Shield Bug

Dried Omalos Pond

Smilax aspera

Typical Hillside

Scilla depressa

Colchicum cretense

Overlooking Omalos Plain

Crocus laevigatus

Bellis perennis

Meadow Brown

A biter?

We explored Hania old town; the shops and museums. then to the sea shore, Afternoon: Agia Reservoir, Stilos,  St Nicholas Hiliomoudo and the Taverna Limonas Bygone Centre followed by a Cretan meal there.

Lighthouse

Oh?

Smile then!

Knitting

More Photos

Squirting Cucumber

Ground Thorn Apple, Datura stramonium

Sea Daffodil  Pancratium maritimum

Pot Shop

Graffitti Wall

Harbour Wall

Ruined House

Hania Roofs

Secluded Cafe

Spotted Moth

Sea Daffodil, Pancratium maritimum

Green Shield Bug

Marsh Frog, Agia Reservoir

Great Green Grasshopper, Agia

Brown Banded Moth

Church of St Nicholas below the Bygones Centre

St Nicholas Church

Traditional cart, note the Raki still yet to be installed at the Bygones Centre

Breeding Kri-Kri

Olive Press

Hand Loom

We visited Vrisse and moist lowland areas, Lake Kournas  Armenoi Tombs, Beach at Petres Bridge and Asprouliani Dunes  Georgioupoli Spring and for a beer the harbour cafe. Then to Maza, to see the Chapel,  the Raki still and have a Cretan Meal

Ground Thistle, Atractylis gummifera, seed head

Narcissus serotinus

Redshank

Egret

Red Darter

Red Darter, Dragonfly, note female below

Lake Kournas

Surveyor

Scilla

Colchicum cretense

Colchicum cretense?

Some of the gang

Waiter and family, Vrisse

Dry river bed Vrisse

Spili Spa Lions

Where to put the aerial?

Embroidery Shop

Sand Lizard

Otanthus maritimus

Sea side Cafe

Cretan Grayling

Chicorium spinosum

Clematis cirrhosa

National Pastime

Dung Beetle, Scarab

Heliotrope

Lygaeus equestris  

Spring and pond,

About to take off

Look at proboscis, Cleopatra?

Shaded Broad-Bar

Still watching, Maza

Countryside

Three Generations, Maza

We visited Spili, the Koxare Turkish Fort ruins, plus  the Plakias Beach via Kotifos & Kourtaliotis Gorges and a spring at Mountros

Ruined Turkish Fort

Colchicum  macrophyllum

Colchicum White form

Monarch of the Gorge

What is it?

Sternbergia sicula

Thyme?

Plane tree fruit

Plakias Beach

Rock Samphire

Rock climbing school

Sea Daffodil

Vitex agnus-castus

Chicorium spinosum

Scilla autumnalis

 Spurge Hawkmoth

 Spurge Hawkmoth

Ruby Tiger Moth

Hornet

Common Swallowtail

Sternbergia sicula

Sternbergia Habitat

Strawberry tree

We saw the Vouves Olive Tree, Spilia Cyclamens and the Gorges and cave churches, south of Topolia, Koutsomatados?

"World's oldest Olive Tree"

Persimmon Tree

Persimmon

Griffon Vulture Chick

Icon in Cave Church

Griffon Vulture

Poke Weed

Cyclamen graecum

Pistacia lentiscus

Brown Grasshopper

Hibiscus

Cave church

Hibiscus

"Wedding Cake" Stalagmites

Old Olive Tree

Scabious

Hawkweeds

Small Church beyond Topolias

Green Grasshopper

Mallow

Cyclamen

Tribulus terrestris

First the Souda Bay coast reserve, Allied War Cemetery.Monasteries Agia Triada and Gouvernetto. Check-in, Kalives, Final, Final Meal, Depart from Hania airport. 01:15.

A millipede visits our house

Hornet Fly, Scolia hirta

Chicory

Spider

Painted Lady

Agia Triada Monastery

Angels

Pithoi

Look closely, note legs!

Monastery Gouvernetto

Rock Rose, Cistus

Black and White Grasshopper