Lazy Days of Sun and Sea
By Helen Grubner. Filed in Uncategorized |
The main reason I allocated a 2 week stay in Kini was to rest and relax after 10 days in the metropolis of Athens. Wishing to soak up the sun and sea with a sprinkling of walks thrown in for good measure… obviously feeling the need to maintain my level of fitness. The temperature too is beginning to creep up and for the first time last night, I needed the Aircon on to enable sleeping.
A walk of about 50m along the alleyway from my room takes me to the beach and Aeriko Tsipouradiko. Traditionally, tsipouradika were small tavernas serving tsipouro (in Crete known as tsikoudia) a distilled spirit having 40-45% alcohol by volume and produced from the residue of the wine press. Tsipouro is usually served with meze and although Aeriko caters for those wishing to enjoy their shots with meze, they also serve some cafe type meals and other Greek dishes.
For the past 3 days I have been eating midday at Aeriko. One day a delicious omelet with a double Greek coffee. Today Horta… more specifically Vlita – amaranthus viridis, which in summer grows wild in gardens all over Greece. It is boiled then dressed with extra virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice and salt. I had this with Patatas Tiganites (French fries) which are always cooked in olive oil here, fresh crusty bread and an Amstel beer. By the way, Horta can also be wild greens indigenous to Greece… in any case, I love them all!
Spending a minimum of E5 per person at Aeriko entitles you to the use of one of their very comfortable sunbeds, with umbrella, if you so wish, for the entire day. You can either eat at a table as I do then move down onto the beach or they will serve drinks and snacks at your sunbed…it’s not a bad life!
Today I discovered another Monopati which goes from Kini to Delfini beach. I walked about halfway around the coastline… the views stunning and breathtakingly beautiful!Although I have already been to Delfini walking via the road, I think I will go there again tomorrow via the path and spend some time on that beach.
