We were joining the pilgrimage of 100 NewZealanders and 50 Australians for the 70th Commemoration of the Battle of Crete.
After being met by the tour organisers and taken by bus to our accomodation in Athens, we gathered on the rooftop for welcome cocktails, overlooking the Acropolis.
The evening after that was ours so we walked to a nearby Greek cafe and enjoyed the local cuisine.
After a buffet breakfast on the 18th we walked to Syntagma square where we watched the changing of the guard in front of "the tomb of the unknown soldier" followed by a service to remember the fallen. We felt proud to be with some of our countrymen veterans and in the days to follow were to understand what they had been through.
After a walk through the surrounding streets near the parliament buildings we relaxed in a cafe for lunch and enjoyed our local surroundings. Eric and I strolled to the markets while his mum took a break.
In the afternoon we left by coach for a private service at the Faliron Commonwealth seaside war cemetry at Alimos which is impeccably maintained. We felt sobered walking amongst the graves of so many men who died defending Greece during the Nazi invasion.
Next stop was Piraeus and a magnificent feast at Zorbas restaurant, overlooking the harbour, prior to boarding the overnight ferry to Crete.
At 2100hrs we set sail bound for Souda Bay.
It was a great opportunity to talk with others in our tour group and confirm the six degrees of separation theory. We met so many people who knew people we knew.. We slept well in our cabin on the ship and got up in time for the sunrise.
On Thursday the 19th after disembarking the ferry, the coaches took us to the Souda Bay commonwealth war cemetry.
It lies on a small plateau open just above sea-level on the eastern rim of Souda Bay. A beautiful spot flanked by a steeply rising hillside to the north and only a few kilometers to the base of the white mountains to the south. It is a quiet, peaceful spot and is immaculately kept, the cemetery proper bounded by trees and shrubs on three sides and the open sea of the bay in front.
We felt humbled as we walked amongst the graves of those who had fought and died for our freedom.We placed a wreath at the base of a pohutakawa tree which had been planted several years previous from my sister and bro in laws NZ native nursery
We arrived at the Minoa Palace resort mid morning where we were welcomed then escorted to the dining room for a delicious breakfast/brunch.
We only managed 1 swim in this amazing hotel pool complex
and 1 quick dip in the Mediterranean from the private beach
After checking in we met in the conference room for a presentation on the battles in Galatas and the prison valley area. Our historians Greg, Mark and Boris were to be commended on their knowledge and enthusiasm.
We were introduced to a mother and her daughter who told their story about how they and their family had helped NZ and Australian soldiers who had escaped and hid in the caves in the surrounding mountains.
On our battlefield tour that afternoon we walked up to the village of Galatas where a bloody battle took place.
New Zealander Sandy Thomas led a platoon to the town centre and told us his story ( We believe Eric's Dad may have been with them) and drove out the Germans.
This wonderful Cretian woman took blankets to cover our fallen soldiers in the streets and gave them food
Prison valley and battlefields
We were to experience time and time again the generosity and gratitude of the Cretian elders and their descendants during our stay in Crete. On visiting the beautiful seaside village of Chania that evening Eric's mum was given gifts by a shop owner when her pilgrimage name tag was noticed and we were brought Raki and cake as a compliment after enjoying a meal of succulent mutton.
She returned the hospitality by giving this particularly helpful waitress one of her handmade "throw overs". The girl was thrilled as she was getting married in the near future
Friday 20th was a day of official services at Rethymnon and Stavromenos at the Australian and Greek memorials and Galatas in the evening for the NZ and Greek commemoration.
Saturday the 21st we visited the German cemetry above Meleme and the battlefields below. It was shocking to see the numbers of young paratroopers who died in vain, most of them before they reached the ground.
5,000 German soldiers lie here
One of our NZ medic veterans, Peter Curtis, met and shook hands with a German veteran who had just turned 19yrs when he enlisted. He was turning 90yrs in a few days. Peter thanked him for the lunch he was given by the Germans prior to becoming a prisoner of war.
We visited a battlefield and bridge on the outskirts of the village of Platinius and Eric spoke to an old man who at the age of 12yrs had enjoyed the sweets and chocolates given to him by the NZ and Australian soldiers. He and his mother, bros and sisters had fled to the hills after the Germans landed.
Bullet holes were riddled along the structure of the bridge
In the evening we visited Souda Bay for an official service where the ship HMS Sutherland gave a 21 gun salute.
Sunday 22nd after a presentation in the conference room we departed by coach to 42nd street where the 28th Maori Battalion held there own.. Our boys performed a very moving Haka on the side of the street in remembrance to their fallen ancestors.
To follow was a thrilling coach ride up into, over and down the White mountains where soldiers retreated to the village of Sfakia for evacuation by British war ships.
We sang "Now is the hour" in rememberance of the 5000 odd soldiers who were left behind and sang this as they watched their comrades depart. The remainder were either taken as prisoners of war or escaped to the caves in the mountains.
In the evening we attended the official service at Meleme airport where we had hoped they were going to stage a reinactment of the paratrooper invasion. It didn't happen but we had a Falcon fighting jet flyover with some pretty amazing stunts
To top off an extremely full day a farewell BBQ was held on the beach front with an amazing banquet and we said goodbye to our pilgrimidge tour.
The next morning, Monday 23rd, we were up early for our transit to Heraklion airport. The coach didn't arrive so a Mercedes taxi was ordered and we had a high speed drive to catch our flight to Germany via Athens.
Eric's mum flew out of Chania for Athens to join a tour of Athens.
We were met at Frankfurt airport by my nephew Georg and son Jonah. What a joy it was to see Georg after 13yrs and meet Jonah. We drove an hour to the Westerwelds, to the village of Wahlrod where my sister Margaret and husband George live and enjoyed their hospitality for 4 days.
Village of Wahlrod
The countryside is beautiful and green with fields of wheat, barley and other crops and windmills everywhere
We enjoyed a glass of wine and hors douves overlooking the vineyards and watching the barges go by.
George took us to a monastery where the monks brew their own beer and we enjoyed a meal of sauercraut, German sausage and mashed spuds
Spaghetti icecream was fun! Just looked like a spaghetti bolagnaisse with cheese ontop.... It was delicious
On the 28th May we left by train for Frankfurt where nephew Georg met us with an amazing bike for our luggage..
After picking up 2 more bikes Georg took us on a tour of Frankfurt. It was great!..
That night we flew out to Athens to reunite with Eric's mum. The bus couldn't take us into Syntagma suare as there was a political demonstration on so we walked around 2kms to our hotel. Feeling fired up, we headed down town to enjoy an early morning drink then back to the hotel to sleep.
The next morning after breakfast with Mum Gray we visited the markets and did some last minute shopping. then it was a taxi to the airport and a flight to Dubai.
After 28hrs awake we crashed and slept past the check out time, but they didn't seem to mind..We walked to a cafe, had breakfast and awaited the arrival of our hire car...
We have been back at the Asia France yard for nearly 2 weeks and enjoying our cruising lifestyle again
