Oradour-sur-Glane massacre in 1944

As I am interested from the World War II, my goal was this summer to visit Oradour-sur-Glane where the German Nazis destroyed the whole village and the village was never rebuilt, they built new village next to it instead. Today this place is a memorial Martyr Town.

Auschwitz-Birkenau - The death camps

Arbeit macht frei - Works gives you freedom

This entrance has become worldwide known - it leads to the largest nazi German concentration camp and death camp - AUSCHWITZ.

Little chapel

 
Ive been passing Amiras Memorial monument several times, spent even a night next to the monument, but first time I saw the door open to the little chapel next to it. It is an emotional place with its 461 candle holders, one for each victim who was executed by the Germans.

The monument is made to not forget the Holocaust of Viannos in 14-16 September 1943 when the Nazi forces attacked the Cretan civilian residents east of Ierapetra. Totally in 20 villages they were executed 500 people, burning most of the villages and destroying their harvest. The massive loss of live made this place one of the deadliest massacres during the occupation of Greece. Müller, the German general who was behind this attack earned his nickname "the Butcher of Crete". After the war he got executed for his part in this and other massacres.

fête du village - Village party

Found a very nice spot for campers in Puy-Saint-Martin, it used to be a tiny campsite, but now its a free spot reserved for campers. Basicly came there just to have a lunch but then I found out that there was a village party coming so I stayed there for a long weekend. Commune offers this spot free of charge and you have water and all the emptying services. There is a small box to leave money to support their  kindness and with this money the commune is paying the costs of water etc.

Puy-Saint-Martin camper stop, after 7 pm in the shade

Slow days in Vassieux-en-Vercors

I spent several days in this tiny village of Vassieux-en-Vercors (altitude 1100 m, 80 km south-west of Grenoble). Beautiful scenery road to get there if you come from north and the road is getting even prettier if you are heading to south from there!

Today there is living 350 habitants with one bakery, a very little grocery shop, few bars and one pizzeria (very tasty pizzas!). You can make nice hikings around there and the commune is offering a spot for campers with water and emptying free of charge. To support their camper spot it is recommended to buy as a souvenir a sticker of Vercors at the price of 3 euro. And of course I do have one now :)

Camper spot in Vassieux-en-Vercors

Touring with mom

This village name works only for the Finns, means Village for perverts in Finnish

My mom was visiting Crete in April and we were touring together for a week. We had sun, rain, wind and loads of laugh :). After the Spinalonga Island, we started to drive to south-east in Kato Zakros and walked through the Dead´s Gorge (my fourth time already this winter, but always such a nice experience to walk there, see PHOTOS IN HERE), spent good moments again in Taverna Glaros. We had a stop in Ierapetra, one easy going day in Tsoutsouros beach in full peace and then we went to Matala for two nights, meeting the hippies :P. Last night a stop in Zorbas Island next to Heraklion and so was the week over!

Amiras memorial

Many memorial monuments or places makes me silent, when you are aware of the cruelty that has happen in that place. Biggest silence in my life I experienced in Normandy France, when visiting the American Cemetary. Of course to follow the path of World War II in Normandy was in every way impressive, but thats again another story..

Frangokastello to Chora Sfakion

Frangokastello castle was built by the Venetians in 1371-74 to deter pirates and to protect Venetian nobles and their properties. Official name was originally Castle of St. Nikitas, but since the local never accepted the Catholic foreigners they called the castle Frangokastello, meaning "Franks = the Catholic foreigners". The name eventually stuck and was adopted by the Venetians as well and today it still carry the same name. The castle is located next to see and could be a nice spot to stay in a sunny day, but I was not lucky with the weather so the road continued to Chora Sfakion - village nearby...