14 replies to this topic

[Martine Prest]

About a month ago I was at the Nida Plateau.
From there I could see a dirt road going to the Vorizia Gorge.
Back home I looked on Google Earth where the road was going, but almost half way to the south the road just stops.
I know the satelite images that are used by Google are about 5 years old.
Does anybody know how the road is now?
Does it continue to Vorizia or is it still a dead end?

thanks for the answers!

[chorianos]

There is absolutely no way to go from the Nida-plateau to the south coast with a vehicle (even not with the most sophisticated 4X4!). The only way is by foot. Which is not an easy walk to do and you have to know the area very well. The road on the plateau goes in the direction of Vorizia, but stops then at about 2 more kms. A piece of this road is part of the E4 walking route, coming from the Rouvas forest and going up to the Kamares cave. From there you can walk down to the village of Kamares, or proceed towards the top of the Psiloritis. The only road that goes over the Ida mountains is from Gergeri up. But then again you need a good 4X4 vehicle, and if you are afraid of heights, don’t try this >.
Personally, I think the Nida plateau has lost its beauty. The restaurant-hostel up there is completely destroyed, as well as the buildings at the former ski-resort. It’s like there has been a war recently! Also you have to be extremely careful that you are not run over by a bunch of 12 – 16 year olds who are joy-riding on the plateau with the newest pick-up trucks. The destruction is the very nice work of those, oh so nice, mountain-people of Anoghia and Zoniana.
Walking around in the mountains can be dangerous because the path signs are not always visible. There is even still a lot of snow up there, especially at the north-side. The snow covers the paths, so inexperienced walkers could easily lose track!

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[Martine Prest]

We've driving the road from Nida to Gergeri. And those are the kind of roads we like. We always make sure we have a good 4wd as car. You do need one there. I'm a bit afraid og heights, but still like being the navigator in the car (my husband drives on crete).

They are fixing Nida though, the road up to the cave is being renovated. The ski-resort is taken over by goats. We did not see any 12-16 years old driving in pick=up trucks though. But then again we were there at the end of May. And I was supprised to still see some snow there. That was nice.

Thanks for telling us the road is a dead end there. We won't go up there then. Next vacation we are going to Rouvas Gorge. And again to Tripiti. That road was also great! At some point I looked to the right of me and I couln't so the bottom of the ravine. Later I learned it was probably 300 metres down there somewhere. I loved it, so I think I'm getting better at heights.

Martine

[chorianos]

Police attacked again in Crete’s Zoniana

Police officers have been assaulted and threatened in the notorious Cretan village of Zoniana, the scene of a botched raid two years ago, in an incident that has been kept quiet for several weeks, sources told Sunday’s Kathimerini.

Three local police officers were allegedly beaten and threatened that they would be killed after they followed a pickup truck that had crashed into their vehicle and then drove off into the village.

The incident occurred on June 18 but authorities chose to keep it quiet, as there is already a highly tense atmosphere in the area since the trial of 42 locals began earlier this year in connection to the shooting of a police officer in November 2007. The policeman was left paralyzed after locals opened fire on officers.

Sources said that some of those who attacked the policemen last month are suspects in the ongoing trial.

[Martine Prest]

Why is this in this topic?

[lshall05]

Martine

Charming wrote:

Personally, I think the Nida plateau has lost its beauty. The restaurant-hostel up there is completely destroyed, as well as the buildings at the former ski-resort. It’s like there has been a war recently! Also you have to be extremely careful that you are not run over by a bunch of 12 – 16 year olds who are joy-riding on the plateau with the newest pick-up trucks. The destruction is the very nice work of those, oh so nice, mountain-people of Anoghia and Zoniana.

which is where the police were attacked.

[Martine Prest]

Ah, that's why... I've never been to Zoniana before, although there seems to be a nice cave there. I've been to Anogia though. In the old centre and the museum of Nikos Xilouris. Great player and good music.

[Tim]

Ishall05, thanks for saving me the job of explaining the connection.
I have been to Zoniana, with a Cretan who admittedly was a bit anxious. There was not the slightest problem from the drug barons (which you might find rather amusing if you knew my background ;-)) We visited the caves- which were fascinating.
I've also visited Anogia, on one occasion with our webmaster Yannis- and we had a splendid time as guests of the Mayor and the Papa.
Tourists have nothing to fear from the locals in either place. Zoniana was very quiet and seemed deserted but a man appeared from nowhere to show us the caves, Anogia is definitely worth a visit - but you can tell that they are a very proud people. not surprising given their background over the centuries.

[Martine Prest]

That really is true. They are proud people and they show it. Our greek koumpares was with us and also a bit anxious. But we had a great time at the kafenion. They were all very friendly and showed us around the museum.

[Tim]

I should have added that Anogia is an excellent place for any tourists interested in buying lace. My memory is failing me these days but I think the reason that it is such a speciality is to do with with the lack of menfolk at certain times due to them going off to fight and the women having to make a living as best they could in their absence. I'm sure Yannis will correct me if I am wrong ;-)

[chorianos]

They might be proud people, but killing Turks and more recent Germans to protect “your” country, does not give you the right to make a living in growing and selling drugs, nor shooting at police officers! Until 1 year ago the children in Zoniana didn’t even go to school anymore. The Zoniana inhabitants felt no need to send their children to school, they made easy money with their drug business, so why should they learn anything else? Greek authorities had to force them re-opening the school. The very friendly people tourists might meet in Zoniana are just a façade to mask what is really going on up there.
One year ago police found out that there was a link between the Zoniana gang and the harbor-village Kokkinos Pirgos. They sold their stuff in the bars near the harbor and used the harbor for import and export of their goods. In that period the police posted themselves often at night before our door in Lagolio, where the Zoniana people passed to go to Kokkinos Pirgos. One night when the police was not there, a pick-up truck stopped at our house, 2 man came out, smashed 2 doors in and began to throw around our furniture. They probably thought we had asked the police to be there at night.
After the arrival of 80 extra police men from the mainland to control the Moires – Timpaki area, things are slowly getting better. But a local police man told me that this 80 will stay much longer than presumed, so there is still a lot to do for them. Anyway, everybody feels much safer now.
By putting this reply, I don’t want to scare any possible tourists wanting to go to Zoniana. I even don’t want to give the impression that Crete is a dangerous place to come to! If this was so, we wouldn’t have moved to this beautiful island 5 years ago. We love Crete and their people, we have a lot of Cretan friends and they think the same about this “Zoniana affair”, police must end this as soon as possible!

[chorianos]

Very nice mountain village, Anogeia is!

Policemen attacked in Anogeia

A group of policemen were set upon by around 45 villagers in Anogeia, Crete, yesterday when they burst into a house in the area to investigate the source of gunshots heard. The villagers beat the policemen, using sticks and iron bars, leaving some of the officers with significant injuries. The assailants fled after the scuffles but police said that at least six of them are known offenders and would be traced.

Source: Ekathemerini, saturday 5 june

[chorianos]

This stupid mountain people even made the Belgian news!
As a promotion for Crete and tourism, this one counts!!

Bravo to them!

[Graeme]

This road is more exciting Click the link

[Martine Prest]

I've seen this road before in photo's and video's. It isn't a dirt road anymore. I like dirtroads better....