Hi Again Everyone,
>
> I think I can promise that I will not be clogging your e-mail after
this
> one. I have probably said enough, and now will have nothing to tell
you
> when I return home.
>
> Rob and I are now in Iraklia, north central coast of Crete. The
weather,
> which can be a pest anywhere, has tested our patience the last week.
>
> After a good day of rest in Chania, we were eager to hit the road
once
> again, but poopy weather, with wind and rain, persisted.
Nevertheless, we
> packed up yesterday (Friday)and hit the road eastward. We did many
ups
> and downs in the hills inland as we took an "old road" route here.
The
> weather improved as the day went on. We passed through many quaint
> villages and stopped for lunch: beer bread and a huge Greek salad at
a
> little "mom and pop" kitchen. By late in the day, we had covered 55
hard
> Kms, but were feeling great. Unfortunately, more rain was
approaching, and
> a village we planned to stay at was, as we've come to expect, closed
for
> the season. So, as a bus came by, we flagged it down (they are good
for
> responding to that kind of thing) and we bused it into town. To our
> horror, we found out quickly that we had just reached the apex, so
the bus
> ride (which could have been a bike ride) was 25 Km DOWNHILL all the
way to
> Iraklia.
> To make up for that dire loss we are going to take the bus back up
> tommorrow, and ride that great rollercoaster to the bottom! That only
> seems right and fair, nes pa?
>
> Today we rode out to the Knossas ruin, which is a Minoan city/palace
> dating back to about 4000 BC: sort of the cradle of all modern
> civilization. Really unbelievable for us prairie dogs who view a 75
year
> barn as a valuable piece of history!!
>
> Continuing to have great food. Last night, at an excellent but
relatively
> cheap restaurant, we had some outstanding appies. One was grilled
> mushrooms that were unlike anything I've had before. Another was, in
the
> special English translations you see on the menus here: "pepers with
much
> cheeses"; which was actually home grown longer chile type peppers,
stuffed
> with special cheese, and covered with another type of grated cheese.
> Chile Rellenos: you have found your match!! Great stuff.
>
> Tommorrow we are taking a bus ride with our bikes up to a famous
mountain
> plateau where farming has been done for centuries, including the use
of
> windmills for irrigation. Also in the area is a significant cave:
one of
> the major of dozens that exist all over the island.
>
> Wednesday night, we are catching a ferry back to Athens, where we
will
> have a little final free time before Rob heads off on the biggest
> challenges of his epic trip over the middle east and lower Asia.
>
> I catch my plane home very early on Saturday.
>
> I am truly anxious to see everyone and catch up on things. I'm
especially
> wanting to touch base with Gina, who is facing another complication
with
> her health challenges.
>
> Very best regards,
>
> Ed

> Hi Family and Friends,
>
> This place seems to go from sublime to better.
>
> After spending yesterday and the last two nights in Chania, where we
> relaxed, walked, window shopped, drank coffee, read, and ate
delicious
> food, Rob and I got up to see more rain and unsettled weather in
front of
> us. It actuallly snowed in the higher elevations yesterday. There
was
> another big snow back in Athens. And the sea was so rough, they shut
down
> the ferries (which are as large as cruise ships).
>
> So we put our bikes and gear on the bus, and came to our current
location
> using diesel fuel. We are in another drop dead perfect small and
ancient
> coastal city called Rethymno. I think this is where the Catholics
> developed their strange method of birth control.
>
> Anyway, it has a small university campus, as well as a thriving
summertime
> tourist trade. It has an old quarter with hundreds of narrow winding
> streets and alleys; and endless small stores and restaurants. Easy
to get
> lost. (Marion, you would need to trail a very long string behind you
if
> you went shopping here.) We scored an unbelievable historical
> hotel/restaurant property for only $65.00 Can/night; right inside the
old
> quarter. It is equivalent or better to the relais and chateau places
we
> stayed in with the Sutherlands in France.
> We can walk to anything we need within steps of the place. We are
only a
> few blocks from a nice beach, and from a well preserved fortification
> dating from Venetian times: I think around 400 AD. You would know,
Mr
> Farnell.
>
> Even with this marginal weather, I could live here. Rob is wondering
> whether he could transfer his teaching work to Crete. (This is a guy
who
> is a renowned sceptic about tourist traps: such as the pyramids in
> Egypt!!) It's that good.
>
> The countryside is gorgeous. Bill and Peggy, if you ever wanted the
best
> motorcycle ride of your life, this is it. The roads are good, and
the
> scenery matches the best that the west coast of North America has to
> offer. And motorcycling is part of the culture. Rentals readily
> available. The drivers are way better than in Greece itself. And
there
> is a tavern every few KMS.
>
> As a result of all of these superlatives, we have chosen to stay in
Crete
> until our return to Athens. This is a big island ( about 300 Km long
and
> 100 Km wide) so we have no end of area still to explore. And the
weather
> here is as good as it gets in the Greek islands.
>
> We plan some biking in the immediate area tommorrow, then on to the
> Iraklia city area the next day by bike; which may turn into a two day
> haul.
>
> I am very happy to hear the Millers will be hosting their "annual"
Xmas
> party in brandon this year. It is always a good one. Will be home on
Dec
> 3rd, so will be there. Thanks.
>
> Too bad we lost the snow back home. Surely more will come.
>
> Will stay in touch.
>
> Ed

> Another update, folks.
>
> Rob and I are back in Chania: a terrific place we have decided could
be a
> return destination.
>
> The last several days had a few elements that were interesting, as
the
> Chinese would say.
>
> Since my last e-mail, we proceeded back into the mountains from the
south
> coast of Crete. After a 12 Km ascent, the sky broke open with a
monsoon,
> and cold winds, that forced us to find refuge in a tiny church
(shrine?)
> perched on the edge of a mountain. We were caught with hard choices
> whether to proceed or retreat; but chose to stick it out for four
hours,
> the speed off when it stopped raining.
>
> At that point, pleased that we weren't stranded for an overnight stay
with
> the graves at the church, we found ourselves climbing another 15 KMs
that
> we had not anticipated. The maps we are using are less than perfect.
>
> That got us to a remote mountain village at dark--cold, hungry and
wet.
>
> We were greeted by a scene out of a Greek version of the movie
> "Deliverance". Some human throwbacks, with no English, and probably
no
> vocabulary in their own language, were the only residents. Thank
gawd,
> one 300 pound guy had a fire burning in his pot bellied stove in the
pig
> sty that was apparantly his home. We warmed up there for a while,
> grunting and nodding at one another; till we decided to pitch camp
down
> the road, again in an old church yard. Rob made some very decent
pasta.
> We drank some gin from a plastic bottle; then slept through a windy
night,
> with one eye open, listening to the strange sounds of dogs, mountain
goats
> bleating--all the while hoping we would not be the subjects of a
special
> party with the locals!!
>
> Next day, with our dignity still intact, we broke camp and headed
down the
> mountain into huge winds. The weather in this part of the world has
been
> unsettled these last few days. Even a big snow in Athens.
>
> Our trip downhill was a big letdown as the road turned out to be
volcanic
> rubble that was like riding in an earthquake zone. Then we arrived
at our
> next destination that turned out to be closed for the winter. So,
short
> on food and water, we had to grit our teeth and plow on another 24 Km
to
> the next decent town.
>
> It turned out to be a little beauty of a place--just what you would
hope a
> mountain village would be--where we had a great lunch of local
sausage and
> beer. Then a 25 KM ride all downhill on a fine winding valley road
to the
> north coast. Stayed at a neat little pensionne, whose owner could be
> anyone's favourite grandma.
>
> Today we returned to Chania with a pleasant 45 Km ride along the
coast.
> Now staying for two days in one place to catch up with some needed R
& R.
>
> After losing Sasha, it is heartwarming to see kitties all over the
place
> here. One was walking around my computer keyboard a few minutes ago.
>
> We hope to have a good meal tonight, and take in the market
tommorrow.
>
> Right now the olive harvest is in full force. There are oranges and
other
> fruits ripening. The stores (all little neighbourhood types--no
> Walmarts!) are loaded with beautiful fruits a veggies. I am even
loving
> the feta cheese. It is just superb.
>
> Thanks for reading.
>
> Miss everyone. Looking forward the Xmas season.
>
> Ed

For those of you who are wondering why you need to put up with one
more
> daily diary message, which is being sent to seasoned world travellers
who
> couldn't be less impressed, just press "Delete" now. I won't be
offended.
>
> As my last rushed message was filled with awful typos, I will take
more
> care this time.
>
> Rob and I are now in the beautiful little resort town of Paleochora
on the
> south coast of Crete. And I must say, Crete is a keeper.
>
> I have heard that many of you have been here one time or another.
The
> place offers so much. Terrific character towns, knock-out scenery,
and
> right now, the best possible weather for biking.
>
> We left Chania on the north coast yesterday, and had the great luck
of
> having the owner of our little hotel, who also owns an olive farm up
in
> the mountains, offer us a ride in his truck part way to our
destination.
> He was a fine fellow who also gave us fruit, nuts, and wine that he
> produces on his property.
>
> From his farm we road up to higher altitudes with very steep grades
and a
> fierce headwind. But from the top, it was a fantastic 20 Km ride
mainly
> downhill to the south shore. We stayed in a tiny hippy resort (now
mainly
> closed down for the winter) called Sougia. We camped,and had an
early
> evening reading in the tent, as it began raining about 7:00PM. Then
it
> poured, with winds, lightning and thunder like the sky was alive.
Stayed
> warm and dry, though.
>
> Today we lucked onto another truck ride that took us up some
elevation
> that we had already travelled the day before, then started on our
bikes
> way up into the mountains (about 10 Km up without a break). But boy,
was
> it worth it!! Rob was taking some of the best video of his total
trip
> (by the way, we watched his bike odometer turn over 10,000 Km--then
back
> to zero--yesterday). The views were incredible and the scenery
> breathtaking. And another ride down to the coast that was killer
fun.
>
> We plan to buy some groceries and camp out on the west coast
tommorrow.
> Another tough ride is ahead, but we are feeling great. Rob takes
those
> hills hardly breaking a sweat. I take my time, with my Ipod plugged
into
> my ears, and just keep the peddles turning. As we passed through one
> little mountain town today, a group of old guys (it's only old guys
who
> are left living in the mountain villages) stopped us and gave us some
warm
> chestnuts and a shot of local home brew. Man! It was like jet
fuel--at
> least for a few hundred meters. Nice folks these Cretans.
>
> I am fully adjusted to the local time--nine hrs difference from
Brandon.
> But we are having a hard time waiting for 10:00PM to eat at night.
It's
> just like a party at the Millers! But that's the system here as you
know.
> As Barry Burdeny would say: "Europe is so civilized". Long afternoon
> lunches/siestas. Late evening meals. And no one seems to care to be
> working before 9 or 10 AM.
>
> Thanks everyone for the replies to these boring e-mails. Some have
been a
> real chuckle (Jeff F--that was a classic). I can genuinely say, I
wish
> every one of you could be part of this; but there are many more good
times
> ahead, I hope, for all of us.
>
> All the best,
>
> Ed

> Hi Again Everyone,
>
> Thanks to all those who respnded to my first e-mail. No time for now
for
> further indiviual responses, but it was great to hear from you.
>
> We are now in Crete. It was a gawd-awful overnight ferry ride. I
was
> stupif enough not to take a cabin. thought we coud "airplane snooze"
on
> the way over. No such luck. It was a huge cattle car experience,
and
> nothing better.
>
> It was surreal to arrive on this beautiful island as the sun rose and
then
> ride our bikes to Chania from the ferry port.
>
> After a breakfast we did a break-in run of about 30 kms into the
hills.
> Georgeous country.
>
> We are staying in a really quaint three room hotel just off the small
> harbour. It is just like old town Montreal or Quebec-- but even moe
> unique and historical--with no French people--so just fine indeed.
>
> The one people weakness of the Greeks is their awful need to smoke
all the
> time and everwhere. I am now coking on smoke in what would otherwise
be
> an ideal little internet cafe.
>
> They also drive motorcylces by the thousands--and fast!! Rob and I
had
> the bike of a lifetime on the freeways in Athens getting to the
ferry. At
> least here in Crete we have seen other bikers; and the roads and
traffic
> are much more rural and pleasant,
>
> We are heading on a 75km "over the mountains" run tommorrow. May
camp in
> the mountains, but our goal is a lost in time village on thew south
side
> of Crete,: then a hike into a famous gorge.
>
> Loving the food. Rob is, once again, a great companion. Get this:
he
> plans the days and routes--and I actually think his choices
consistently
> beat mine!! A miracle, but true.
>
> My i-net time is out. Must run. Will write again in a few days.
>
> Best wishes to all,
>
> Ed

Hi Everyone,

Just a quick note to catch up.

So far so great.

Got to Athens in one piece with all bags and bike just fine. Our
little
hotel at the foot of the Acropolis is just right. Clean. Excellent
roof
terrace for breakfasts. Right in the midst of super little bars and
restaraunts. The city is huge: five million people; but we have
stayed in
our little area, walking to everything. I am amazed how everything
here
happens to be named after restaraunts and pizza joints in western
Canada:
you know, Parthenon, Acropolis, Rhodos!!!

Rob and I are having a very nice time together. He is a great
conversationalist: listens well as I expound on all my theories of
life
and politics; and then has a reply to everything that carries the
topics
to another level. The wine and ouzo help as well!!

Sightseeing has been cool. But, as they say, you see one 3000 year
old
ruin, you've seen em all! We are having more fun just soaking up the
culture. And we are anxious to get on the bikes and roam.

The weather is cool but clear and pleasant.

As the ferry schedules to the various islands are haphazard, and
reduced
in the winter months, we have decided to alter our route somewhat.

We are catching a night ferry to Crete tonight, will fully bike and
explore it for 8 or 9 days, then on to Rhodes for three days, then
back to
Syros for a few more, then finally to Athens. A few days after I
leave,
Rob has the good fortune of having Alison from BC join him here, and
she
will bike through part of Turkey with him. After that he will
proceed
east through the "stans" but avoid Iran.

We are eating very well; and as Rob has lived basically on cheese and
bread for the last month, he is making up for it now.

We will be doing some camping on the islands, and am looking forward
to
that.

Heard there was some snow and stuff back home.

Hope all is well with everyone.

We will stay in touch.

My best to everyone,

Ed

Reflections on Europe.....

I accidentally published the last enter unfinished so.......Strangely enough none of the shops served hot coffee so we had to use the 'we can't understand what you are trying to tell us but we are in need of coffee so what can be done' approach until the friendly women finally found it easier to just make us coffee from her own kitchen. I was schooled in this technique by a very peculiar old man whom I had met on the streets of Gent, Belgium. He described it to me using a young Scandinavian fellow as an example. This 'happy boy' with a 'David bowie haircut', when in need of lodgings would simply approach a house, usually in a 'Toni'(a new word I learned from Ed meaning wealthy) neighborhood, knock on the door and when they answer he would state that he was from Sweden(maybe)and that he is traveling and is in need of a place to sleep and if it's alright with them he would like to stay at their house. So the homeowners would generally be taken aback a bit and do some humming and halhing(sp?), the example I was given:

man of the house: "well ahhh, I don't...ahh, humm. ahhh we don't really have a place set up for guest. Sorry."

DB: "Do you know of anyone else who would be able to help me?"

man of the house (yells to his wife): "Honey this young lad from Sweden is apparently in need of a place to stay, do we know anyone who could help him out?

Wife excitedly(possibly due the hint of spontaneity she detected in her husbands voice immediately reminded her of the idealistic, passionate young man she once knew)responds: Oh! Well what about Sue and Wilber. They have that cute little garden residence they have been restoring. I'm sure they'd love the company......

So DB ends up spending the night with Sue and Wilbur. Moral of the story....I'm not sure.