Happy Monday, folks!!!

Kick your week off with a great view!
And if that doesn't work, add some caffeine in a funny mug!

Solo Traveling in Sfakia, Crete, Greece, tips & insights!

 

Frangokastello fortress: Traditional Dancing

If you are keen in meeting local people, taking in new surroundings and discovering original destinations, at your own pace, then Sfakia can be the perfect place to indulge yourself fully in an amazing experience.

Sfakian coastline from the path to Ag. Pavlos beach

Sfakia belongs to the prefecture of Chania, in southwestern Crete. Being the largest Greek island you would expect urban lifestyle invasion on all its municipalities; still Sfakia manages to preserve its authenticity. It has a few mountain villages, mostly clustered around the main road that connects the south with the north, however, the majority of the population can be found scattered across its coastline.

Frangokastello plain from the zig zag road to Kallikratis village

Though most of its villages can be accessed by car, there is still a handful of them than can only be approached by ferry boat or by following ancient footpaths, such as scenic Loutro. Car rental is necessary, as the area is not serviced by frequent bus routes. Some people take it one step further and choose to rent a 4x4 car, in order to have the option of visiting more isolated trails but in general the road network is kept in good condition.

Frangokastello fortress beach

If you like swimming in literally crystal clear waters then this is the place for you. Your choices are unlimited. Set up your umbrella in virtually any place you like, as most of the Sfakian coastline is accessible on foot. Choose the organized beach in front of Frangokastello fortress or the nearby Orthi Ammos beach, known for its vertical sand dunes. Alternatively, check Ilingas beach, a few minutes drive from Chora Sfakion. It has more than meets the eye. Swim to discover its two adjacent protected beaches. If you are interested in more secluded areas, then the whole shoreline from Sweet Water beach to Marmara beach and furthermore Agios Pavlos to Ag. Roumeli, is ideal as it can be approached only by boat or through hiking.

Aradena gorge: Marmara beach

 

Now hiking. Hiking is what I personally love to do solo, I choose to be alone as I relish the freedom that nature offers you, I cherish to take in the smells and the sounds at my own pace and to choose the trails I like to follow. Sfakia is surrounded by mountains which form an uneven terrain full of gorges. Samaria gorge is Crete's most famous attraction and a preserving ground for Cretan flora and fauna. Still, there are other less crowded gorges. Imbros is the second most popular gorge and easier to access. Asfendou and Kallikratis are neighboring gorges to each other and can be combined. Manikas gorge maintains a good spot for vulture spotting. Aradena gorge offers a stunning start, through the so-named abandoned village and it is also known for bungee jumping. And the list goes on, there are numerous trails to be followed as Crete is traversed by the European long distance path E4. Choose wisely, most of the routes are safe to inexperienced hikers, still some need caution, such as Kapnis gorge that requires climbing experience. 

Vulture over Manikas gorge

Another great chapter of the region is the Sfakian cuisine. In general, Cretan cuisine is known for its Mediterranean characteristics and rich diet in olive oil and natural grown products. As well, Sfakian cuisine has its own aroma that distinguishes it from Cretan. It embraces all of the Cretan attributes while introducing its own special dishes. Make sure to try Sfakian cheese pies for breakfast, or fried snails for appetizer. Sfakian graviera (cheese) is also a nice delicacy that can be consumed with honey any time of the day. Try the full-bodied red wine from the mountain village of Kallikratis and of course wash all this down with a few shots of tsikoudia (raki), a drink always offered for digestion in the tavernas these days.

Sfakian cheese pie!

 

Experience the Sfakian hospitality, not to mention the delicious food and wine, swim at isolated beaches, stroll in narrow village roads and admire the Sfakian architecture, wake up by the rooster crowning in the morning and enjoy hiking in nature. Sfakia awaits to be discovered!

Traditional hand stone grain grinder

For more information please ask at the reception.

Here's to the weekend..!

May at Monachus Monachus Apartments

Our preparation period, at least for the last six years, is usually in May. This is when we do all the pruning in the garden, we clean the pool and in general we run all day long to make it happen. So we thought it will be nice to share some of our most interesting moments. Enjoy!!!

Finished cleaning the pool and the deck around it. What a happy day as it means we can now start to fill it with water...

A couple of days later, admiring the weather early in the morning and thinking hmm...cloudy...

And then, while the pool was finally full, Sahara dust paid us a visit. Though, it did not rain for too long, you can see in the photo below how it is when the atmosphere is dust-laden, now imagine the aftermath in the tiles!

Next it was time for garden pruning. Well, sometimes that can be rewarding, yeah right, especially when you come upon a beautiful small nest hanging, literally, from an oleander's branches. 

It is hard to tell at that young age the type of the bird but I am guessing it is blackbird (Turdus Merula) due to the size and the position of the nest.

Unfortunately, the rain and the strong wind that followed these days did not help them survive. 

Thus, time passed and we reached our opening day, 1st of June. We prepared some chocolate treats for our first customers, yogurt-based to keep it on the healthy side!

And Greek yogurt with homemade apple marmalade, as breakfast supplement, some sugar there though!

Talk to you later...

Pergolas: Finished Project

Finally, a bet coming to an end, amid other last minute weather catastrophes due to this year's severe winter and spring conditions. So let me guide you through our pictures:

After finishing with the pergolas' frame we had to install a wooden sheathing that has been painted with a primer so as to create two smooth sound roof decks that we would later cover with asphalt shingles.

Underneath view of the wooden sheathing installed on the rafters.

Top view. Solid wood sheathing.

Top view of the second pergola.

A bituminous waterproofing eaves membrane was first applied as roofing felt, in order to better protect the sheathing against condensation, as well as against leaking.

Bituminous waterproofing membrane.

Next, it was time for the roll roofing with architectural shingles. Each of these rolls is 10 meters long by 1 meter wide and weights 40 kilos. Architectural shingles are in reality a mixture of asphalt with fiberglass topped with mineral granules that come in a variety of colors.

Getting ready for rolled asphalt roofing.

The first roll of shingles is installed by rolling it out and then driving nails along the eave edge at one end and on top of every rafter, while pulling it taut till you reach the other side. The next course will overlap the first enough to cover the area that is bare of mineral surfacing. Propane gas was used to heat the bottom sheet in order to fix them together. After finishing we went back to secure every rolled out sheet with nails on top of the rafters, along the edges and the overlaps. An asphalt cold-applied based material was used for sealing any small gaps along the joints. Heated asphalt compound had to be applied in one case when we had to secure a transition.

Architectural shingles in place.

Roll roofing is recommended for low-slope roofs.

As a final measure, to secure the durability of the shingles against granule loss and exposure of "bald spots" or cracking, we painted them with professional acrylic paint.

Both pergolas coated with acrylic paint.

Finally, we installed the fascia along the eave edges. Finished!!!

More photos will follow in June, when we officially open, with tables and chairs in place, as well as water in the pool!

Our project...

Progress so far. The roof will have to wait a couple of weeks.

DIY wooden pergolas

First of all, Happy New Year, all the best to you and your families. 

Usually we start the year with a photo wishing you Happy New Year but this time things were a little bit hectic. We decided to construct on our own two wooden pergolas to provide extra shade for the coffee house!!! Here are a few selected pictures of our work. We still have a lot to do but the weather is not playing nice at the moment. Lots of rain and strong cold winds, followed by snow on the mountains around the plateau, make it difficult to work outside.

These are the two metal pergolas we want to replace, on the right and left of the coffee house.

Disassembling the first one.

Indoor painting of wooden beams and purlins.

Installing the first ledger board.

Securing the posts and the corbels for the girders.

Girders in place.

Adding the rafters.

The same process will be followed in the second pergola.

Progress of the second pergola up to now.

6 meter rafters for the second pergola.

We will keep you up to speed with as many regular posts as possible, weather permitting.