David's First visit


Carol and I first visited Crete with our friends, Mark & Elaine in 1995. We couldn't decide where on the island to go and after a day of suggeston and counter-suggestion, Mark and I were sent into town to book somewhere. We settled on the Cuckoo's Nest in the pretty village of Sisi, about 40km east of Heraklion.

When we landed around midnight the air was warm and there was a mild breeze. I was fascinated by the Greek airforce jets sitting in their hangars or taking off from an adjacent runway. Of course, visitors should be aware that taking photographs at the airport is strictly forbidden. The terminal is approached by bus and we were disgorged with our hand luggage to walk up the steps into Passport Control where we heard our first example of the Greek language. After our papers had been examined we were sent on our way with a cheery "Kalimera". Next stop, luggage retrieval and two ancient carousels clanked and ground spewing out our cases. Once retrieved we made our way to Customs and having nothing to declare were free to make our way outside to the waiting fleet of tourist buses and the stll oppressive heat. We were herded onto our transfer bus and off we went along the old coast road through the touristy resorts of Stalis, Hersonnisos, Malia and then seemingly onto a deserted highway leading nowhere.

The bus lurched left and we continued in the dark until a few lights lit the dim road and the bus stopped, our cases put out and we were directed up a pitch-black alley to our apartment.

The Cuckoo's Nest was/is snuggled between the Blue Anchor pool bar, set in a delightfully green oasis and Mike's Place, a family-run restaurant owned suprisingly, by Mike, of whom we shall hear more later. Our apartment overlooked the path from the street to the pool bar, and we would sit there on the balcony sipping ouzo, watching the world go by. The Blue Anchor was typical of the type of place that served pool users. The small menu consisted of the ubiquitous Greek Salad, sandwiches and everything else with chips. The barman, Nico, was informative about the local area and friendly enough to let me into the kitchen so I could watch him making traditional Greek coffee. We spent many a happy hour propped up at the bar or swimming in the pool, one of the few in Sisi, talking to Nico about his family and his never finished house!

Sisi is not very large, a couple of streets and the harbour of course. Two beaches, one Manos, is rocky and leads to the mole protecting the tiny harbour. It is very popular with local families who gather there in the afternoons. Boufos on the other hand is sandy, touristy and has a little beach bar where you can hire a sunbed and umbrella. A hill above the Boufos Beach we named Pottery Hill as it is covered in pottery fragments.

We met our first Greek, Mike, whose apartments and taverna, Mike's Place, is in front of the Cuckoo's Nest Apartments. Mike sits on his rickety old chair across the road from his taverna urging everyone who passes to try his "special tonight". Also across the road is, Malia Cars, a car-hire company which can be very reasonable It also offers excursions and a Bureau de Change. To the left is 'Anthoula's Corner', an excellent place where you can eat inside or out overlooking the harbour. The harbour we christened Duck Harbour as invariably one would see ducks swimming about in it. If you continue down the steps and turn right you reach a restaurant with tables overlooking the harbour proper. Just to the right is where the Hersonnisos 'ferry' would anchor. Also overlooking the harbour on the right is the Cactus Pub and a couple of other bars.

Starting from Malia Cars, if you turn right and follow the road past Anthoula's Corner, then up the other side you come across the newly converted French hotel Palm Bay set in a lush forest of palms. Its rooms have magnificent views of the town and the surrounding countryside. A little further on is a 'supermarket' and directly across the road the 'Pink Flamingo' owned by our friends George & Maria Fardelakis and their family. As well as the restaurant they have a couple of apartments set in pretty gardens. If you continue past the 'Pink Flamingo' you come to a few more tavernas and shops, another newly opened hotel and then a dusty road which seems to go on forever until you reach the giant holiday complex of Kalimera Kriti. If you walk down to the water's edge here you will come across the tiny church of St Barbara.

Walk the other way and you come across the leather shop of Nikos and around the corner to the right a new bakery. Carry on to the right and you can find clothes shops, souvenir shops and supermarkets.