Sunday Outing to the South Coast

A Sunday coach trip acroos the white mountains from Chania to Sougia with amazing scenery along the way. My ankle still being dodgy, didn't go on the walk along the coastal path to Lissos but found several good painting locations ( I've done more watercolours than on any other holiday - subject of a post on my return) . Ian made himself comfortable reaing his book on the Trojan wars perched on an old gun. This whole area of Crete is where soldiers were evacuated from  in WW11, What looked like rain cluds descending was actually dust storms from Africa. Quite pertinent as we've been hearing lots of jet fighters overheda destined for Libya.

 On the way back we stopped off at the Omalos plateau , parrtly to look at the start of the infamous Samaria Gorge but mainly to look at the flowers- beacuse of unseasonal rain it's the best year for  a long time.

 There were field of Tulipa cretica - the endemic Tulip besides orchid like yellow Orchis provincalis.

 Being May Day there were locals everywhere gathering greens (horta) and picnicing and there were wreaths of wild flowers on many doors on our return.