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We are hoping to take the car and visit friends and family in Europe on our way to Crete in late August 2006. Not our usual time (too hot, and too busy), but there's a reason for our madness.
If - and it's a big if - we are going to take the car, then chances are that we'll arrive in Patras, and as our destination is SW Crete, we would be looking towards sailing from the Pelopponese to western Crete.
I seem to remember that there's a boat sailing between Monemvasia in the SE Pelopponese and Kissamos/Kastelli (west of Chania), but I can't find any informative links now. Does anybody know of this or another similar route?
TIA, Henry.
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War Museum - Gen Kreipe
15 April 2005 - 07:18 PM
[This is a reply to a reader here, who asked me privately about this subject. Unfortunately has changed his Sneakemail address since he wrote to me. Hoping that this (a) will reach him via the forum, and (
may conceivably be of interest to others too, I have taken the liberty of posting my reply to him here].
The little War Museum that I have referred to in ExploreCrete is in Azogires, about 10km or so from Paleochora. Go north towards Kandanos, and take the first proper road right when you are well out of town. When you get to Azogires you’ll find the museum down a track to your right. It is signposted – just – and is splendidly situated in a disused monastery. It seems to be open when it’s open – but I gather that you can usually find somebody in one of the two tavernas who can let you in.
The buildings were bought and converted to a war museum by an old lady. I believe she is from a rich family in the area, and they own amongst much else also one of the tavernas. Worth going to the museum just for the setting!
There are quite a few exhibits about the various liberation battles the Cretans have fought, not least of course all the years of struggle against the Turkish occupants.
However, there is quite a bit from WW2 as well, including quite a bit of memorabilia from and about Patrick Leigh Fermor. I don’t have any recollection specifically about the famous Kreipe (that’s the correct spelling, by the way) abduction, but of course this cross-island tour didn’t get too close to this part of Crete.
But be warned: exhibits are only marked and written about in Greek – so brush up on your Greek written language, or see if you can find somebody who can translate for you.
When my wife and I were in Paleochora last autumn I picked up a couple of excellent books about the German occupation etc by a Cretan by the name of George Harokopos; he was there, he took part, he saw it all. One is ‘The Fortress Crete 1941-1944’ (ISBN 960-7296-35-4), and the other is ‘The Abduction of General Kreipe’ (ISBN 960-86883-3-7). I recommend them both!
As I said, I’m sorry to have taken so long to reply, but if there’s anything else I can possibly provide then please do not hesitate to contact me again: my next response will be quicker than this one!
HTH, Henry.
may conceivably be of interest to others too, I have taken the liberty of posting my reply to him here].The little War Museum that I have referred to in ExploreCrete is in Azogires, about 10km or so from Paleochora. Go north towards Kandanos, and take the first proper road right when you are well out of town. When you get to Azogires you’ll find the museum down a track to your right. It is signposted – just – and is splendidly situated in a disused monastery. It seems to be open when it’s open – but I gather that you can usually find somebody in one of the two tavernas who can let you in.
The buildings were bought and converted to a war museum by an old lady. I believe she is from a rich family in the area, and they own amongst much else also one of the tavernas. Worth going to the museum just for the setting!
There are quite a few exhibits about the various liberation battles the Cretans have fought, not least of course all the years of struggle against the Turkish occupants.
However, there is quite a bit from WW2 as well, including quite a bit of memorabilia from and about Patrick Leigh Fermor. I don’t have any recollection specifically about the famous Kreipe (that’s the correct spelling, by the way) abduction, but of course this cross-island tour didn’t get too close to this part of Crete.
But be warned: exhibits are only marked and written about in Greek – so brush up on your Greek written language, or see if you can find somebody who can translate for you.
When my wife and I were in Paleochora last autumn I picked up a couple of excellent books about the German occupation etc by a Cretan by the name of George Harokopos; he was there, he took part, he saw it all. One is ‘The Fortress Crete 1941-1944’ (ISBN 960-7296-35-4), and the other is ‘The Abduction of General Kreipe’ (ISBN 960-86883-3-7). I recommend them both!
As I said, I’m sorry to have taken so long to reply, but if there’s anything else I can possibly provide then please do not hesitate to contact me again: my next response will be quicker than this one!
HTH, Henry.
