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Over the mountain,
nestled in a protected valley, sits Elounda. Less bustling than
Aghios, but
warm and inviting, Elounda is home to a unique Canuck Connection.
The Blue Parrot Taverna (a name you may recognize from "Casablanca") was
co-owned by our two new found tour guides, who had
been vacationing in
Crete for several years, and decided to make an
investment there.
A great way to write off vacation time !
The Parrot is a popular Canadian stopover spot. There's even a fun little Maple Leaf cap
amid the knicks and knacks on the walls. A beautiful hand milled, long
wooden bar with a giant mirror at back, is the center piece of the room.
The spacious patio and superb cuisine round out the Parrot's appeal.
Our tour continued further down the road to the large enclosed harbour
front, to say hi to Yannis at his spot.
We grabbed a seat on the deck at the water's edge and we're introduced by Sue and Sarah, as a couple of hapless
Canadians in search of Greco good times. It seems there was a tradition we
had not yet had the pleasure of discovering. Out from the back room came an
ancient jug containing the local elixir of life, "Raki". This strong
home-brewed moonshine is a local tradition, the recipe for which is passed
down within the family for generations. To turn down an offered cupful is
considered an insult, so we partook, with some trepidation.
After sipping on a few of these potent potables, the conversation turned to the most
notorious of the local legends.
From our oceanside perch, we stared across the harbour to the infamous
island of Spinalonga. For decades the ancient fortress on Spinalonga was the
last stop for thousands of lepers from all over the Greek kingdom. Up
until the late 1950s, boatloads of those inflicted with that horrific
disease were marooned on this remote piece of earth to live and die anyway
they could. Now, interesting though somewhat morbid tours are conducted of
the old leper colony
Updated Dec. 16, 1997
(including a mid-afternoon picnic, which seemed less
than appetizing !). One of the tour guides was actually born in this
hellhole and spins some incredible tales of life & death within this
God forsaken world. The island and its weathered ruins make quite an adventure, despite the spot's
tainted past.
Our Story Continues...
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