With a hectic 3 days in Istanbul and a travel day to Crete, I was looking forward to some relaxation. We stayed at an incredible resort. The water here is beautiful at a refreshing temperature. The tap water was drinkable, the food was good not great, and our package included a hospitality package so I could have a glass of wine whenever I wanted. The objective of this part of the trip was to relax and this place delivered.
We did book one tour - a sail in the large bay our resort was in. The captain and his mate were limited in their English, so it was actually nice to just enjoy the boat and not have someone constantly talking. We made a couple stops to swim / snorkel, sailed around an island that was a Venetian then Ottoman fort which at some point became a leper colony, and a stop for lunch at a nice seafood restaurant. Overall, just nice to be out on the water for a day.
My wife and I also got out for a hike. A 4.5 mile loop on the Spinalonga peninsula taking us through goats grazing, a significant number of rock fences, down to a beach for a swim and consistently amazing views of the Mediterranean Sea. We also on a couple other days explored the adjacent town of Plaka for some shopping and a drink.
I quickly got in the habit of waking up for a short workout - jog, yoga, or some weights. Breakfast with the family at 9:30. Beach and some level of activity filled the late morning and afternoon, which then rolled us into happy hour and dinner. It was nice to have the time with our daughters to hear what is all on their minds. I thought they might be smokers, but now I know and even enjoyed partaking myself every evening. A couple conversations ventured into politics, I am left of center and the rest of the family is progressive, so the political discussion is similar to the pull within the Democratic Party.
