Elämää asuntoautossa KAHDEN (!) koiran kanssa

Kuten jotkut teistä ovat jo huomanneet, on blogipäivitysteni väli pidentynyt, tai siis oikeammin voidaan sanoa, että niitä ei ole edes ollut, siis päivityksiä. Miksi? Koska kohdalleni sattui tämän pienen neropatin löytäminen Kreetan vuorilta jo ennen joulua. Neropattini, on tietenkin tämä Nero-koira, jolle olen etsinyt kotia siitä päivästä lähtien. Arki on siis hiukan muuttunut kahden koiran kanssa asuntoautossa rytmiä etsien, kunnes Nerolle saadaan se ihka oma koti. Vaikkakin alan jo kiintymään Neroon ja tuo oma ”vanhuskin” on Neron sata lasissa hyväksynyt, olen järkevä ja tiedän, että kahden koiran kanssa matkustaminen on meikäläiselle mahdotonta, koska elämäni matkalle ei vielä ole loppua tulossa...

Searching a home for Nero

*scroll down for English/ελληνικά/French/Finnish*

Hello Friends! Found this skinny female dog, called now Nero (the name comes because she was found next to a source and nero means water in Greek and in my language it means genius) on the Cretan mountains just before Christmas and I have been looking a place since that day, but I could just not leave her behind and get starved. I can´t keep her myself since I stay in a camper van and I do already have one bigger rescue dog, space is limited and it is not an option for me to traverse Europe with two dogs in my van...

Hyvää itsenäisyyspäivää!

Hyvää itsenäisyyspäivää 98-vuotiaalle Suomelle <3,

Happy Independence Day for 98 years old Finland!

Pukujen loisto jää (tänäkin vuonna) meiltä väliin, mutta juhlistamme päivää täällä saaressa hyvällä aterialla parhaassa seurassa <3. Nauttikaa päivästänne Ystävät! Terveisin Nomadish ja sen koira

Learning new!

The best thing in travelling is meeting people and learning new things! This time my camper friend, Paula, was teaching me macrame- work and by this she surely gave me a new addiction!

As I do make jewerlies already quite some years, its even more fascinating to learn new techniques! We spent two days in my camper by doing works and talks and drinking coffee, how welcome was that!

So this is what I made as my first work, feeling proud :)

Trekking day through Hohlakies (Chochlakies) Gorge

I wanted to walk through this gorge after Kato Zakros, but no way that I could have manage to pass the village of Chochlakies with my camper, so narrow it got. Didn´t like the idea to park either next to the road, so I thought I must skip the idea of walking this one. BUT...After spending few days in Kouremenos with my Swedish friend, he suggested why not to borrow his scooter and get there? I was thrilled! It was 11 km drive, so why not :)

Kouremenos - Port and beach life with a friend

Kouremenos is a small place with a beach and port just beside to Palekastro / Palaiokastro in eastern Crete, south of the known Vai- beach.Vai is known for its palm forest and Kouremenos is known for its surfing. It is a well known spot for surfers, so you can understand that there is quite nice amount of wind in there! We stayed at the port some days, had nice time again with my Swedish camper friend whom I met frist time three years ago in Peloponnesos.

Back in Kato Zakros

Kato Zakros is always a nice stop for me, due the nice walkings and due Christina and Jorgos from Taverna Glaros. Many people come there to do hiking, mainly to walk through the Dead´s Gorge which I have already walked quite a few times. Another nice walk I did earlier this year was Pelekita Cave , so I needed to look for something new. Meeting new people, enjoying time by the sea, that is enough to do in Kato Zakros beside the walks.

Discover Crete with a sea kayak!

I love this photo, it deserves to be bigger, but then again it wouldn´t fit on my page :P

 
I did write already earlier that why not discover Crete without a fixed place? Well I have something new to add on this one, see Crete from the seaside with a sea kayak! Sounds great for me!

I met this nice German guy in Kato Zakros, one afternoon he came to ask if there are many mosquitos around (hahaha, this question can ONLY mean that he has been in *Xerokambos!) and I told him that it´s okay in Kato Zakros, why, was you just in Xerokambos? And you can guess what the answer was. This poor guy spent entire night (sunset comes much earlier now than in summer) in his tent due the mosquitos and I think he didn´t wish to have another night like that (well, I wish that to him too). So welcome to Kato Zakros, you will manage it over here! He built his tent up and the next days we had some nice conversations.     *I passed in 2013 in Xerokambos during the day and got bitten by many mosquitos in a sunny afternoon and surely did not want to camp there, so that time I continued my route to Kato Zakros which is only 10 km away and mosquito free!

One day stop at Asprolithos Beach

Plan was to continue the road from the Kapsa monastery to Kato Zakros, but already five km later I could suddenly see this beautiful beach in this rocky area. Ah, Kato Zakros can wait one more day :) 

Asprolithos means in Greek, "white stones" and yes it was kinda contrast between the darker rocks. Just close your eyes from all the greenhouses which are behind your back, take your shoes off and wonder around this sandy beach. That day was no wind, water was turquoise and sun was shining!

Perfect stop for a swim, there was even a beach shower to use and a large parking to have an overnight stop with camper.

Hiking through Pervolakia Gorge

Pervolakia Gorge is located east from Ierapetra, before Gouduras, right beside the monastery Kapsa.

I had a beautiful day when I hiked through Pervolakia Gorge, not too hot, little wind and time to time some clouds, the next day was full sun and no wind = more hot!. Roundtrip took all and all about six hours for me, five hours walking and one hour in a tavern. Totally 13 km.

In this walk you will meet some challenge, little climbing is necessary time to time but all worth it! Sometimes you walk on the river bed, but then the trail is bringing you back up and back down again. Beautiful smell from herbs were coming to my nosetrills over and over during this hike.

Kapsa Monastery

The day I visited this monastery in October, my father died at the age of 64, rest in peace Isi.

Orino Gorge, butterfly gorge

Hiking has started :). So our first hike was this autumn in Orino Gorge, known also as butterfly gorge, since it used to be known for its red butterflies. Some people called it also Koutsouras Park Gorge or Dasaki Gorge, but I believe the Orino Gorge is the most used one. It is located 20 kilometers east of Ierapetra, before Makrigialos. It is about 2.5 hours hike roundtrip (depending naturally for your pauses) and about 5 km. GPS coordinates for the parking  are N 35°02'06" E 25°55'59" .

Santorini mix

Santorini part 8/8 mixed photos

Days in romantic Santorini are now behind and it is time for a little summary. It is very picturesque island, that is very clear, full of romantic corners. But it is very expensive if you compare it to other Greek islands. If you like to have a glass of wine with a nice sea view in Fira, normal price for an ordinary wine is 7-8 euro per glass, small beer mythos 0.33 l starting from five euro a bottle. Somewhere I saw moussaka at 18 euros! But you pay for the view. If you stay in Kamari or Perissa, it will be lighter for your wallet, more standard level like in all other Greek islands. So do not let the prices scare you, you can also visit Santorini with normal budget. My personal choice would be Kamari or Perissa, if I would come for one week holiday. They are both beach holiday destinations, but there good connections with public transport to make visits to Oia, Pyrgos, Fira or you can rent a vehicle.

Once again P-I-C-T-U-R-E-S-Q-U-E, Firostefani

Santorini part 7/8, Firostefani

Firostefani is its own village, even it is a continuation of Fira and it is perched on the cliffs of the Caldera. It was calm, some tourists wondering around like we, but we didn´t see this village at night. When we walked the small alleys, stairs up and down, it was clear we hold our breath in front of its beauty!

Time for the beach life in Kamari

Santorini part 6/8, Kamari

It was time for my friend to get herself swimming to the mediterranean sea, so we drew to Kamari.
Kamari is a cosmopolitan beach resort on the south east of Santorini, which has been awarded the Blue Flag. The long stretch of beach lies under the impressive mountain of Mesa Vouno. The water is deep and blue, the sand is black (just imagine how hot it is to walk in summer!)

Oia by sunset

Santorini part 5/8, Oia

Oia, the most famous village in Santorini and maybe the most photographed village in Greece. Don´t forget to fill your wallet when you get here! We were the only at the evening/night time, so maybe it would be worth to see it in day time too. Obviesly it is beautiful, but we felt that so many areas were strictly private, so no view for us. Exclusive shopping, private terraces, long boulevard 150 meters above sea level.

In Oia there are two types of dwellings, the cave houses dug into the volcanic rock on the Caldera cliffs, and the Captains houses. The cave houses used to be the homes of ship crews, whereas the Captains houses belonged to the affluent class of ship owners. Many of the churches in Oia were dedicated to sailors.

On the way to Akrotiri Lighthouse

Santorini Part 4/8, Akrotiri Lighthouse

The Faros (lighthouse in Greek) was manufactured in 1892 from the French company of Lighthouses. The square tower stands 10m high above the lighthouse keepers house. It first worked, on 1892 with petroleum and its luminosity was 23 n.m. During the 2nd World War, the light stayed dead, until 1945 when Hellinic Navy decided to reconstruct the lighthouse network. On 1983 the Light supplied with electric power and operated as warded until 1988 when it completely automated. It is now flashing a white light every 10 seconds and luminosity 24 n.m. The junction just before Akrotiri leads to where Faros is. The sunset viewed from the stone wall around its countryard is one of the most beautiful on the island. We did not see the sunset over there, but can just imagine it!

On the mountains, Picturesque Pyrgos

Santorini part 3/8, Pyrgos

Pyrgos can found at the highest point of Santorini, with panoramic views of the whole island all the way to the village of Oia. This hillside village was declared a protected settlement in 1995.
Pyrgos is a typical Fortress Settlement of the Cyclades. On the hilltop you can find ruins of Kasteli Castle, one of the five 'kastelia' on the island. It became the capital of Santorini after the abandonment of Skaros Castle in the mid 18th century, and before Fira, which is the capital of Santorini today. There is a memorial plaque near the entrance to the castle, commemorating those who died in the Second World War.

Visiting Exo Gialos beach

Santorini part 2/8, Exo Gialos Beach

On our way to Exo Gialos Beach We made a drive to Oia, but didn´t have a stop yet, since we wanted to go there back one evening.

Baubos in Santorini

Santorini part 1/8, Fira

I felt like going on holiday, which is kinda odd thing to say, but that is how I felt. My dear friend came from Finland to Santorini and I took a ferry from Heraklion, Crete to get there as well. How exciting! We have this thing called "Baubo" - which is a Greek Goddess of Laughter and this is how we feel always when we meet. Laugh! So I made her a little souvenir, Baubos in Santorini :)