Feb
27
2010

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Hania Waterfront

by Tara

Note: Hania can also be spelled "Chania," (like Hanukkah and Chanukah) because we don't have adequate letters in our Roman alphabet to accurately evoke some Greek sounds. Many towns are spelled numerous ways.

Hania's waterfront was just as beautiful as we'd heard. Tyler and I both agree that Crete is a place we would like to return to someday on vacation. Even in February, the weather is warm and the sun shines, the people are friendly and hospitable, the scenery in remote places is second to none. Cities, which we don't normally enjoy all that much, are filled with character and quaint, winding streets.

There are churches, of course, whose bell-tolling rings can be heard throughout the city in pretty songs.

Hania Building

There are many narrow alleyways, and loads of interesting shops lining them.

Hania Street

The actual waterfront is filled with cafes, where people enjoy their coffees along with sea breezes. There are lots of cool rusty chains… (haha)

Rusty Chains

…beautiful views of town:

Hania Waterfront

…and even a mosque gracing the water's edge:

Hania Mosque

Fishermen fish…

Hania Fisherman

And water splashes up, wetting the sidewalk with its spray:

Hania Waterfront Splash (Post-DxO)

Hania exudes a lazy, relaxed sort of vibe, as evidenced by this dog zonkered out on the pavement. I can't imagine he'll be any different in the summer heat.

Hania Dog Lazing

The mild climate here means that people can grow plants outside most of the year. Along every street, lining nearly every balcony, are potted flowers. Climbing roses grow on walls, geraniums are a popular, and lemon trees are ever-present.

Hania Street Hania Window Grate Hania Plants

After a very inspiring (I love collecting ideas about how I want to design our house someday) walk, during which we both commented "I want to live here!" and "I want to come back here on vacation!" and "I wish we could pack this whole place up and take it with us!" we said goodbye, hopped on our bikes, and headed ten kilometers down the road to the ferry port.

There, we bought tickets for the 9:00PM sailing, and settled in at a nearby internet cafe for the afternoon. There is a very popular beverage here called a "cafe frappe", which is an iced frothy coffee drink served with milk and sugar. I love how the liquid swirls and falls. It reminds me of being transfixed, staring at the car windows in the drive-thru car wash as a kid:

φραπές (Iced Coffee Frappe)

Tonight we'll sleep on the ferry, and when we wake up, we'll be in the port of Athens!

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3 comments

See my website.. I talk about you!

".. my heart joins you on your adventure.."
Posted by Bobbi Lee on March 1st, 2010 at 2:39 PM
"I love collecting ideas about how I want to design our house someday"

You guys are continually doing this for the wife and me. All the different types of architecture and color schemes you guys are photographing are continuing to generate new ideas for us on how we want to redesign our own house, or how we want to combine different styles into a new house.

Of course there's also: "I want to live here!"

Yeah, we keep saying the same thing! hehe
Posted by Mike on March 1st, 2010 at 3:45 PM
Oh Bobbi, what a sweetheart you are! Thank you!

Mike - Glad we can help out! :-)
Posted by Tara on March 2nd, 2010 at 9:59 AM