Hania to Sougia

Hania to Sougia

We‘ve had a last stop at the side of a village to fill our water bottles from the fountain before reaching the south side of the white mountains and the Sea. Around three o’clock we arrived at the Libyan Sea. The midday sun sent us a golden smile, reflecting the relaxing warm rays of the sun on to the golden brown fine sand beach of Sougia. The ancient town of Syia is lying under Sougia, which today is a small fishing village. And as Mr. George assured Ms. Frauke, the weather there, already seemed to be slightly better than elsewhere. We left the car under the salty trees on a beach with a few taverns and two small hotels with rent rooms. We were carrying our baggage, three sleeping bags, some food and water for the small journey to Lissos through the Canyon. Mr. George had also with him a guitar, a flute, some quartz and agate crystals and his camera. I looked at the sun that it was directed towards the west, shinning behind clouds of dust into the dull atmosphere passing over the village. I couldn’t believe this weather change. Together with us came a well known sportsman from Heraklion, who has been repeatedly reported at the local press, a marathon athlet and long-distance runner, Mr. Idomeneas. He knows of all the E4 trails in Crete and Phoebus the dog is his faithful companion who shares all of his trips, sometimes even wearing an athletic jersey with the same as Idomeneus’ number on it. Once we reached the village, Idomeneus revealed that he had with him blessed bread from a friend in Heraklion to use it in an appropriate memorial. So we made a detour to the church on the edge of the village of Syia. In the churchyard, we saw the grave of an aviator called Elliniades and his tombstone that reads: "sacrificed himself to save his fellow’s life". Idomeneus was little embarrassed that he didn’t found the priest there and he hung the with a euro at the door of the church and we left ... As I was informed by Mr. George later - our companion Idomeneus was raised as a Christian Orthodox and kept some of the memorial habits for the dead... this bread was symbolically a gift to be shared as a liturgical activity for the Eastern Orthodox Divine Liturgy of this village.

Sougia to Lissos