Chania, Greece

We drove along the winding coast road from Stavros to Chania Harbor town. And with only a few wrong turns and one short terrified stint going the wrong way down a one-way street, we made it.

As with the rest of Crete, the harbor was no exception when it came to beautiful turquoise waters, ancient buildings and clear blue skies.

We were treated to the this view along the waterfront. There are fishermen selling fresh catches and straight from the ocean sea sponges for mere pennies, compared to what you pay back home. There are horse drawn carriages and boat captains waiting to take you on a tour.

And above all else, the smell of espresso mingling with the scent of roasting chestnuts from the little cart next to the old harbor warehouse, and always a sea breeze at your back.

One of the most notable features of the waterfront is at the mouth of the harbor, this Venetian (and later rebuilt Egyptian) lighthouse is nearly blinding in the sun as it reflects off the clear blue waters.

I can never resist a good bit of history so I walked the sea wall to explore what I could, and was thoroughly impressed and delighted. It's hard to be anything but relaxed when there's warm stone beneath your feet, sunshine on your face and a cool sea breeze blowing through your hair.

Plus the view back of the harbor wasn't half bad.

It was far too beautiful out to simply let my eyes do all the exploring. So, finding our way past boat after boat, we found one who was willing to take us out despite the rather boisterous sea conditions that the wind was causing.

I never feel more at home than when I'm on a boat and on the ocean, it's really a feeling that just can't be beat. And if I can be on a boat, in the sun, slicing through the waters of the Sea of Crete.

It was such a blast, the people that made up our little group were such a fun collection of different cultures, and everyone was up for a some adventure. The captain had some fruit for us and a few generous pours of ouzo to warm us up before we hopped off the boat into the water.

We made it safely back to the harbor and after thanking our captain it was time to get some food, because all that swimming definitely gave me an appetite.

But not appetite enough not to stop for a few photos along the way of course.