What's happening

We've had a quiet few days. It seems to rain every other day and then a sunny day.  Once the sun comes out it is really warm - warmer outside then in the house! LOL!!

One day after it was finished raining we went out for a walk around the village.  I'm using my trekking poles to pick up the pace a bit. They work not too bad on pavement. It would be better to have nordic walking poles which have little rubber feet.  My rubber tips tend to slip once in awhile on the wet pavement. But still help to walk faster.

Kitties are always happy when we stay home on a rainy day :) 

Might as well bake cookies on a rainy day

Once it cleared up a bit I walked around and collected some flowers for the small vase on the table

As we are walking we take a different road going up the mountain.  Not sure where it goes but will try it. It's very steep so I'm puffing away!! But the poles are helping a lot.  We're not sure if this is just a road to a new house up the hill or what.  As we keep walking we pass the house and the road continues. It seems to be an old road so maybe we can go quite a ways up the mountain.  As the road winds higher up we have great views of Souda Bay, Chania and of course Tsikalaria itself.

But then we get to the end of the road.  I think the road does carry on but owner of the land has built a  large gate across the road.  So now we just have to turn around and go back since there are no other routes that turnoff this old road.

I've circled where our house is as we walk up the mountain road

We eventually get back to the village and walk towards the highway to take the long way home. We pass the local cemetery.  So much marble and color from the silk arrangements!! One grave has a roof and totally enclosed with lots of vases, plants and trinkets inside.  Also lots of little solar lights.  We should come back when its dark to see if they all work! By the time we get back home its 5:30 and starting to get dark.  My phone app shows we walked 3.3km but did climb 33 floors!! So that was quite the hike up the mountain for a quick walk around after the rain :)

Up on the mountain in the middle is a white house - that is one we passed going up.

The enclosed gravesite

Baby lamb on the run from me!

We went into Chania on Friday since it was sunny. First we were just going to walk into Souda but there isn't much happening there - no people to really sit and watch LOL!  Plus since we are meeting Vivien and Chris for lunch on Saturday we wont be going in to the market.  Nothing we need to buy but just go check things out in the city.  We walk to the harbour and sit and have coffee and people watch. Seems there may be a cruise ship docked in Souda because there are quite a few groups of people being lead around. We had noticed a lot of tour buses also when we got off the bus. While we are sitting there I say that I'm going back to the "Fish Spa" and check and see what a pedicure costs.

Walk back to the "Fish Spa" and speak with the girl running the place.  Pedicure is 25E but I go for the extra 5E and have a Spa treatment but wont be putting my feet into the fish tank! Not this time, but think I'll come back sometime and try it out. We first saw these fish spas when we were in Bangkok and they do look interesting.  Dwayne goes and walks around for awhile but returns before my pedicure is finished so just sat in the chair next to me. The chairs here are funny - think about those oval chairs where there were speakers in the sides to listen to... well that's what I'm sitting in.  Not like the nice massage chairs at most pedicure places :(  I have to put my feet in a little portable foot tub she brings over. The spa part is just having cream put on my feet before the polish and wrapping them in saran wrap for 15 mins.  But it was nice because my heels are pretty sore and need some special attention :)  After she is finished putting on my nail polish I ask if she can give Dwayne a foot massage (10E) for 10 mins. Yes, that would work out so my polish can dry well before I head out.  And I know Dwayne will enjoy the special treatment :)  I booked massages for both of us for Tuesday 50E each.  Will enjoy that.

Tank you dangle your feet in for the toothless fish to clean your feet!

Christmas tree up in front of the Agora

Saturday we met with Vivien and Chris at 12:30 and they took us to a couple of local beaches just 4 kms outside of Chania.  Beautiful long beach (I totally forgot to take pics!!) and surprised to actually see people out there swimming for exercise. No one is really "Playing" in the water.  I tested the calm clear water and it's probably about the temp of Okanagan Lake - cool but bearable.  We are coming back once we have the rental car so will get pics then.  We drive back into central Chania to have lunch in an Italian restaurant which is VERY popular!  But we were able to find 4 seats together. Here you look at the menu then go to the cashier to order and pay and they give you a little pager to let you know when your order is ready to pick up!! Strange - no waiters.  The cashier comes around to give you water but that is it. Of course the menu is pastas and pizzas.  The carbonara pasta catches my attention and I order that, Dwayne gets the Pollo (chicken) pasta, Chris orders a pasta and Vivien orders a small personal sized pizza and salad.  Plus 2 glasses of wine for Viv and I :)  They don't sell wine here in a carafe of 500ml or litre - only by the bottle which is expensive! We opt for a glass of white wine each 2.50E  The meals were very tasty and Vivien's salad was big enough for 4 people to share! And of course dessert is always included - one plate 4 forks :)  It was a fudge cake with a scoop of ice cream :)  But no raki LOL!!

Vivien asks us to join them along with a large group of friends for Christmas Day Lunch at one of the restaurants along the harbour. Sounds like it should be fun so we accept.  After our meal they drive us back home.  Probably meet up with them again next weekend once we have the car.

Hope you all have a nice Sunday :)  I've now started a second pair of socks for Dwayne - and again the 2 colours really don't match!! Maybe once I finish them I'll get a matching pair using the first pair LOL!!!