Crete day 1

Among the ruins
of the Phoenician fort, wild
winds stir young poppies


So many images, where to begin?
After breakfast at our hotel, my friend Una (the one who's turning 50), her cousin Siobhan and daughter Niamh walked up through Rethymnon's old town to where her mother Dee and Una's adopted sons were breakfasting near Dee's apartment. After stopping there awhile, we continued our uphill journey to the Phoenician fort, where wild chamomile and poppies danced in the breeze and the distant sea was a travel agent's dream shade.

Later, after a quick change, we walked back up around the harbour to the restaurant where we'd arranged to meet some more of Una's extended family who are also staying here for her birthday. What an amazing family!

Lunch and the walk back lasted around five hours! I had swordfish, the best I've ever tasted, plus many types of salad, chips, olives, plus polenta for pudding. Then Niamh set up a spa in one of our bedrooms and 'did' our toenails. Mine are green.

Now we're having a light snack and drinking Lipton's tea! The nightclubs will have to wait a while longer.