It was our last day in the village and we thought that the proper way to say our goodbye was a long walk at the countryside. This time we chose a circular route that takes around two hours, maybe two and a half, if you stop every now and then to take pictures :)
The objective of the trip was fulfilled. We harvested our olives, we visited places and meet friends that we hadn't seen in a while and despite the obstacles and the setbacks we were leaving in a victorious mood!
The good weather, that was part of our misfortune till then, was now our ally for a hike, necessary to decompress the tension of the previous days and leave us with the best impressions of our visit!
The company was the same as usual. 
The first building that we met was an old inn, from the time that people were traveling with their horses and donkeys and crossing the island could take weeks.
The sign on the wall informs us that it used to belong to a man called "Geronimakis" and that it was meant to be a resting place for people and their animals at the old Sitia to Heraklion road.
Hard to believe that this rocky path used to connect two major towns of the island but it did!
The land on either side of the road was once cultivated. In times of poverty every piece of land was cultivated even the most steep slopes. That's why if you walk in the Cretan countryside you'll see olive trees in the most peculiar places. In places that seem impossible for someone to have planted a tree!
We still cultivate steep slopes but many of them have been abandoned. Like the ones around our path, with the unattended olive trees, overgrown by wild vegetation.
Nevertheless I find it fascinating, to walk in this scenery. The view is breathtaking, the wild flowers scarce but lovely and even the abandoned trees add a touch of charm in a landscape that I love anyway :)
After a couple of "flora tunnels" we arrived to a water spring and a small chapel, our favourite spot for some resting. In the summer is almost obligatory to sit in the shadow of the trees and cool a bit, drinking fresh water from the spring. But in this case it was the 28th of November and despite the fact that it was the most warm November I can remember, a long stop wasn't necessary.
We drank some water anyway and we continued our way back to the village!
This was the twelfth part of our trip from Nafplio to Crete, in order to harvest our olives and visit the places and the people that formed our daily life for almost a decade. It lasted from the first of November till the fifth of December and it was totally different from whatever we anticipated.
Below are the links of the previous posts or you can just visit my blog and scroll down.
All the pictures and the words are mine.
Thank you for reading and if you want to know more about me you can check out my introduction post.
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