Crete - Episkopi Beach

Well the weather wasn't quite what I expected today but I decided to go to the beach anyway. We are having a bit of a heat wave and that is making it very hazy, almost foggy, The air is "close", feels heavy and moist. It's headache weather.

Anyway I made myself a sandwich and packed my painting stuff, towel, bathing suit and and headed for the bus to Chania. When I asked for a return ticket to Episkopi the woman told me that I would have to call the Chania bus station for the return journey and make sure there was room on the bus. I currently have no working phone so just bought a one way ticket, not really thinking that I would have any difficulty just getting on the bus at the stop and paying then. When the bus came into Rethymno there were crowds of people, very few empty seats and I was surprised how many more tourists there are, than just last week when I last took this bus.

Episkopi is 15 km west of Rethymno and the main road, that the bus takes to Chania, drives right along the beach. The far end has a cluster of large resort style hotels but I got off in the middle. This is looking west and you should be able to see the mountains but it was just too hazy.

This is looking east. There are a few of these lifeguard stations and I have seen pictures of the summer time when it is covered with sunbeds and sun umbrellas.

The beach is 31/2km long and I walked east just enjoying walking in the sand and watching the sea. I took lots of photos of the waves for painting reference.

The beach was mostly sand with some areas of small stones.

It was a warm enough day for a swim but there was no one else there and I felt the water was too rough to swim alone, so didn't.

I found a solitary sun lounger and dragged it out onto the beach and set up my painting paraphernalia. Painting is tough enough inside, on the kitchen table, outside it's a whole new ball game. The breeze wants to move the paper and the paint box. The water dries almost instantly on the paper so when you touch the brush to it, it immediately soaks up all the colour, so it is difficult to get the lovely wash effects that watercolour works so well for. I had been sitting there for about an hour, gradually getting the hang of how to deal with the environment when I felt a sort of misty rain. I turned and realized that the cloudy haze had moved in from the west and it was sort of drizzling. I quickly packed up. I will work more on the painting at home.

I sat under the canopy of this, closed, beach bar

ate my sandwich, drank some water, used the washroom (open by no tp, I always carry some with me) and it cleared enough for me to continue walking.

This time on the road that backs the beach.

Cottage?

It had a "Beware of the Dog" sign which I though was probably seasonal until a small dark dog crept out from underneath and gave me a look that said "Beware".

At the far end of the beach a river comes in, so I turned back.

On the other side of the main road is a beautifully painted church. I was tempted to investigate but really didn't want to deal with navigating the river, bridge and highway.

On the walk back I focused on the

diversity of the plants growing

on the sand dunes

and

beside the road.

On the other side of the main road, up on the hill, a herd of goats.

My last chance to get some goat pictures for Christine.

I navigated my way across the busy road and waited in the bus shelter. The bus was, again, nearly full, but I was able to get a seat and paid for my ticket on the bus.

Still hot and humid and I was sticky and my hair was wet so, for the first time, I paid for a taxi to take me up the hill. Well worth the 6 Euro.

Tomorrow will be packing, cleaning and hopefully some painting.