Tag 152+153 Palekastro - Toplou Monastery - Kouremenos Beach

Yesterday morning was one of the few days when I couldn't go to the gym. With the quick change between rain with hail and sun, I preferred to stay in the van. Our destination today was the palm beach of Vai, about 12 km away. The Cretan date palm forms the largest natural palm grove in Europe. In the mid-1970s, Vai became a hidden gem for backpackers from all over Europe, but unfortunately it turned into a mixture of a chaotic campsite and a landfill, which prompted the authorities to react rigorously. Vai was fenced off and designated as a nature reserve. Wild campers and the remaining hippies were driven away with drastic methods. That's what happened to us yesterday. The police kindly explained that camping is not allowed here. There were about 4-5 campers there. Of course, we left such a parking space and drove to the nearby monastery. The suggestion came from Rene. He is traveling with a Land Rover and a roof tent. By the way, the dates of the palm trees there are not edible, due to their peculiar taste. I didn't notice the police action because I was once again on the rocks 😅. Since it started raining in the evening, we invited Rene to join us and spent a nice evening. He actually wanted to go on a world trip in 2020. He quit his job, sublet his apartment, and then came Corona. Like many others, he had to reorganize himself. Now he has been on a tour of Europe for 1.5 years and enjoys slow and intense traveling.

This morning we drove to Itanos. This was an ancient harbor city. Today it is a vast archaeological area with ruins from the classical and Hellenistic periods. They are scattered on several hills and in the plain behind the sea. The most impressive structure is the remains of a Byzantine basilica from the 6th century. It is clear to see that there is still a lot of digging going on here.

We took a short hike over to Vai Beach. Beautiful views and strong wind along the way. In between, I became aware again of how luxurious it is to experience this beautiful region in such solitude. In the summer, we would quickly turn back here.