Four go mad in Kissamos!

Gramenon

Two days to warm up, wash and stow the barely-adequate-for-UK-August clothes, re-acquaint ourselves with beach and sea, and hose down the camping kit; and then it was time to  meet Chloë and Jack from the bus. They had arrived with ease from Bristol and taken lunch in Chania on the Nea Hora, They would stay eight nights in Paleo and had several plans for walks and trips, but in reality did little but chill-out with a new Lilo and do a few wedding-related visits. We ate together on the majority of evenings:- covering some old favourites ( Maria, Tassos, Crocodile, Small Garden). The only deviation from the usual was on their last day in Paleo when - in the face of some wind and having uncovered Yvette and taken her for a wash - we took Chloë to Ammos beach at Gramenon (6 km away) and had a very pleasant afternoon at the beach bar, on sunbeds and in the wonderful sea of the bay there, with its perfect access!

Crete: the top left corner!

Next day we all set off for NW Crete and the town of Kissamos - also known as Kastelli! We had two studios booked for a stay of three nights in a spot near the pedestrian section of  the beach-side.

En route we made a diversion to Kandanos in order to show Jack the site and memorials of the 1941 atrocity.  Then we journeyed on through the loaded chestnut trees and "the tunnel".near Topolia, which is fascinating and slightly daunting on first encounter!

It became clear quickly that we had not escaped the wind, and this means Greyrocks can say nothing useful about newly-found beaches! Instead on two days we repeated what we had done on previous visits when we had camped. In fact it transpired that this was what Chloë had in mind in suggesting we stay in the area!

Norpigia

One of the two campsites has a large swimming pool, so we spent time there until the late afternoon behaviour of others got too much, and we then went to the other which has a taverna fondly remembered  - particularly by Chloë! The beach there is not very special, but is quiet and has free sunbeds. The sea was rough but we had a bit of a frolic and then ate early and very well in the taverna and drove back to base. It made a change!

Mithimna

Another day was spent in Chania. The kids took a bus an hour earlier than us and did a lot of shopping. We also had a serious walk from bus station to the Nea Hora, where all met up. The wind was less here and the sea calmer so we had a pleasant beach afternoon and then ate nearby at a new and well-reviewed restaurant: "Portes". It is quaint with three eating areas decorated with old doors, and the dishes we chose were all excellent! We took the bus back and in walking through Kissamos were hailed. Giorgos and Mima were sitting with a friend in an office.They ran the (our) cantina in Paleochora for several years from about fifteen years ago! What a coincidence! On Sunday morning we drove to the airport to drop off the kids. As we killed time in the old taverna the weather was glorious. Ah well!