I caught an early bus from Chania to Xyloskal in the White Mountains for a walk down to the south coast. It’s a journey I’ve made several times, although not for many years. The bus to the start of the walk, now comfortable and air-conditioned, still grinds its way through Chania’s traffic and suburban spread of businesses and factories, a bit scruffy and rundown like industrial areas everywhere.

These days, although still a bit scruffy, things look quite different. Gliding along in the bus I recalled older buildings, many of which have been replaced by steel and glass with fancy signs and decor. More swank. Back in the 70s there were a lot of older, even ancient buildings, often adorned with hand-painted adverts, sometimes covering entire walls. Perhaps they were from the 60s or even earlier. They looked great.

Most were for all the bad stuff like booze and fags. One that I loved, and where the advertising obviously worked on me, was for Sante cigarettes. I smoked back then but wasn’t particularly discerning about tobacco; I bought them solely because of the brand’s look. I was just being a fancy pants but they did look great.

I’m amazed that it took so long but they only stopped production of them a few years ago, prior to which they changed the name to Zante, presumably in the hope that critics would give them a break.

There was a lot of speculation in Greece about who the woman was. Some suggested that she was the painter’s lover and others a well-connected Athenian woman. In fact, she was Zozo Dalmas, an actress and well-known operetta singer. She’d had a hushed up affair with Mustafa Ataturk, the founder of the Turkish Republic and its first President. Given the two countries’ tricky relationship, not least that the Turks ruled Greece for 400 years, it wouldn’t have gone down too well if it had got out.

I’m sidetracked. And exhausted. After lugging my heavy rucksack down to the south coast, mostly in the sun (10 miles), I’m just going to post some pictures, which speak for themselves. I’m off for a beer.

Update

I realise that last night I didn’t mention where all the photos were taken. The start of the walk was at Xyloskal, which is at the head of the Samaria gorge, the longest in Greece and possibly Europe. There are conflicting claims. It’s a well-trodden route visited by many thousands of people every year but well worth the effort. You get there by bus, as I did, and away by boat at the bottom.

There’s lots of info online about it, including a website by the national park authority, which is a bit clunky but lists the rules and regs, prices etc. You have to pay these days, although it’s only €5, unless you’re over sixty or a child. This site’s better for a quick look: https://www.visitgreece.gr/experiences/nature/gorges/samaria-gorge.

I stayed the night in the village at the foot of the gorge, Agia Roumeli. During the hundreds of years of Venetian and Turkish occupation it was an important ship-building centre, the force of the water flowing from the gorge being a perfect source of power for sawmills, fed by a plentiful supply of timber close by. Today its fortunes are still powered by the gorge, through which several hundred weary tourist’s flow daily during the summer months, all thirsty and hungry.

The enterprising locals soon cottoned on to the possibilities and numerous hotels and tavernas have sprung up since my first visit in 74, when it was just a place from where you caught a boat along the coast and away. That’s what I’ll be doing this evening, to Sougia, which my auto-correct keeps wanting to call Slough.

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