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| Sweet Water Bay Near Sfakia. |
Four days in Plakias had felt like time spent in heaven! This was such a place I could have stayed a whole lot longer but my plan was to continue with my tour and next take a bus to Chora Sfakion. My bus left at 9 am travelling though small villages and narrow roads on deep hills. We passed first the enormous castle at Frankocastello and then on to Chora Sfakion. The village looked tiny but very enchanting. As I entered the village I saw the hotel Samaria. There was a waiter/ receptionist setting tables and when he saw me, he came to me smiling and asking if I needed a room. I did need a room and I agreed to see what they had to offer. Room was on the second floor facing the harbour, with a balcony and its own bathroom. Cost was 20 euros per night with air-conditioner, 17 euros without air-conditioner. I agreed to take a room with air-conditioner, since I had got so used to it in Plakias and because I had slept so well there thanks to cool room during the nights.
The waiter, Spiros, left me to my room and asked me to come downstairs for a juice when I was settled. After a refreshing break at the restaurant, which was also called Samaria, I went for a walk and got to know the village better. I checked the beach and this was very nice, the harbour, which was almost empty, shops and supermarkets. Well, there was nothing much to see but being a small village it had its advantages. There were even such a small number of restaurants that it wasnt too difficult to pick one. The remainder of that day I spent at the beach, then dinner at the restaurant Limani and rest of the evening tasting local wines with my new local friends.
Next morning I got into a fight with a roach and it almost spoiled my entire morning. It was so creepy to wake up and the first thing you see is a roach on the ceiling above. Disgusting! After a short but intense fight I got rid off the roach and calmed myself. Still feeling cold creeps down my back I packed my bag for the beach and left for a breakfast. After having breakfast I went to buy a boat ticket for the next morning to my next destination Paleohora. Ticket was 7,92 euros one way. The departure would be at 10.30 am but unfortunately I didnt think to check also the arrival time to Paleohora. I assumed that since these two places are so close to one and another, it would take like a few hours to get there. Well I got that wrong as I found out later. Having obtained my ticket I then took a boat to a nearby beach called Sweet Water Bay. I wished to spend my day at the beach rather than in town. Sweet Water Bay is an unusual beach because it has sweet water springs here and there between the rocks. These little water ponds could show up just like that. Some of them were even quite big and deep too. Goats and ducks liked to come to the beach to drink from these springs. I took a dip in them after swimming in the salty seawater. Campers favour this beach as well as the naturists. The beach was not too crowded but good spots for sunbathing are few, because the beach is pebbled, with big rocks and little ponds are here and there. There was also a restaurant serving small meals and cold drinks. The boat taxi was a bit expensive, 3 euros one way and the boat leaves from the harbour at 10 am and returns at 5.30 pm.
On my last evening I had dinner at restaurant Samaria and while hav ing dinner I translated the menu by request into Finnish. I dont know how many Finnish tourists find their way to Chora Sfakion but I can only imagine their expressions when they get the menu in Finnish. I had the attention of all the waiters and they came to chat with me while waiting for customers. Not only did I translate the menu but of course they were interested in learning certain phrases in Finnish too. Phrases like Good morning and good evening followed by How are you? and I love you. Im amused by their interest and happy about their friendliness. I got my dinner free that night. I had so much fun that I didnt feel like leaving back to my room at all. It was already way past midnight when I finally got upstairs to my room. Next morning I didnt have any roaches on my ceiling and how relieved I was. The day was going to be special for me. I would be returning to Paleohora after three years and I was happy because I would meet an old friend there.
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