Journey to Greece: A Memorable Adventure

 Day 1: The Journey Begins

Excitement filled the air as we left home at around 19:00, heading for London Gatwick Airport. Anticipation turned into a mix of impatience and relief when, after a slight delay, our flight finally took off at 22:04. The plane ascended smoothly into the night sky, and despite the six-hour journey covering over 1,680 miles, the peaceful flight offered some much-needed rest.

We touched down at Heraklion International Airport, Kazantzakis, feeling the warmth of the Greek air as we disembarked. A cab awaited us, ready to whisk us away to our home for the trip—Maritimo Beach Hotel in Sissi. Exhausted from the journey, the only thing on our minds was food and rest. After being shown to our rooms, we had a quiet dinner, enjoying local delicacies, before heading to bed.

At Gatwick London Airport waiting on the flight

Day 2: Exploring Sissi
The next morning, with energy restored, we set out for our first adventure. A visit to the Pleasure Beach Club Restaurant followed by lunch at Geitonia Malia-Cretan Creative Cuisine gave us a taste of the island’s culinary offerings. The views and atmosphere were serene, setting the perfect tone for the day. Later, we returned to the hotel to rest, had dinner, and chilled by the pool under the warm glow of the evening sky.

A sight of the pool at Maritimo Hotel

Dining at the Hotel

Maritimo Beach Hotel

Day 3: A Slow, Relaxing Day
After two days of travel and exploration, fatigue had set in. This day was mostly spent indoors, lounging in the comfort of our hotel, a short visit to Pleasure Beach, catching up on sleep, and basking in the tranquility of the Maritimo Beach Hotel. It was a much-needed break before another day of exploring.

Maritimo Beach Hotel

Maritimo at going down of the sun

Pleasure Beach Hotel

Still the Pleasure Beach

Day 4: Stunning Views at Sissi Harbour
Feeling recharged, we ventured to the picturesque View Harbour at Sissi. The breathtaking sight of the crystal-clear water and bustling harbor never disappoints. We spent hours watching swimmers, tourists, and locals alike enjoy the day. A quick dip in the water was the perfect way to cool down before heading back to the hotel for more relaxation.

A view of Sissi Harbour

Sissi Harbour

Still at the Sissi harbour

Sissi

Day 5: A Wild Adventure at Amazonas Park
Ready for a change of scenery, we planned a day trip to Amazonas Park in Kourones. This wildlife haven was a delight! We wandered through the park, marveling at the exotic animals—birds, monkeys, goats, deer, and even lemurs. The experience was a joy for animal lovers and nature enthusiasts alike.

From Amazonas Park, we headed to Limenas High Street for a leisurely stroll through the shops. The local craftsmanship was impressive, and the energy of the street was infectious. We ended the day at the San Antonio Boutique Hotel and Spa, where we treated ourselves to a delightful meal before making our way back to Maritimo Beach Hotel to unwind.

Sissi at Night

Maritimo Hotel at Night

Outside Amazonas Park

Inside Amazonas

Amazonas

Amazonas

Amazonas

Amazonas

Amazonas

Feeding the Lemurs at Amazonas

Amazonas

Still at the Lemurs

San Antonio Beach Hotel

Amazonas

Day 6: Preparing for Departure
The penultimate day was quiet. We stayed mostly indoors, soaking up the last bits of the hotel’s tranquility and preparing for the journey home.

Day 7: The Journey Home
With mixed emotions, we made our way back to the airport for the return flight to London. This time, the journey seemed quicker—less than six hours later, we were back in familiar territory.

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Reflections
Greece, particularly in August, is a land of stunning vistas and friendly locals, but the heat is intense—sunscreen and evening outings are a must! Each day brought something new, from mesmerizing harbors to thrilling wildlife encounters. Despite the heat, the sights and experiences were unforgettable. Greece is a place that lingers in your mind, beckoning you to return.

No chance! Nude statues pulled from Olympic exhibition after Qatari authorities insist on veiling them

Cover up: Greece has pulled two ancient statues of nude males from an Olympic exhibition in Doha after Qatari authorities insisted on covering their genitalia

Greece has pulled two ancient statues of nude males from an Olympic exhibition in Doha after Qatari authorities insisted Covering the genitalia with black cloths.

A Culture Ministry official says exhibition organisers wanted to avoid scandalising female visitors.

Greek Deputy Culture Minister Costas Tzavaras, who visited the Muslim country last month for the exhibition opening, objected, saying the works should be displayed as they were or shipped home.

The statues have already returned to Greece,' a Culture Ministry source told Agence-France-Presse, who added that, 'Organizers in Qatar wanted to cover up the statues’ members with black cloth. So they were never put on display, they went back into storage and returned on April 19.'

Britain, Italy, and Greece believe hostages killed in Nigeria

The Greek, Italian, and British governments say they believe the seven hostages kidnapped in Nigeria have been killed. It follows an execution announcement from the Islamist Ansaru group, which allegedly posted pictures of the dead hostages online.Those kidnapped included four Lebanese citizens and one citizen each from Britain, Greece and Italy.
"This was an act of cold-blooded murder, which I condemn in the strongest terms," British Foreign Secretary William Hague said in a statement."It is with deep sadness that I must confirm that a British construction worker...is likely to have been killed at the hands of his captors, along with six other foreign nationals who we believe were also tragically murdered," he added.
On Saturday, the Ansaru group announced on an Islamist website that it had killed the men, after capturing them from a construction site in Bauchi on February 16. The statement was accompanied with screen shots of a video which allegedly showed the dead bodies.In the attack, gunmen first assaulted a local prison and burned police trucks, according to authorities. The attackers then blew up a back fence at the construction company’s compound, killing a guard in the process, witnesses and police told AP.The group blamed the killings on a pledge by Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan to do “everything possible” to free the hostages. It also said the kidnapping was in revenge for what it called “atrocities by European nationals against Islam.”Ansaru claimed the hostages were killed because of a failed military rescue operation by British and Nigerian forces.
However, the Italian foreign ministry says that is not the case."There was never any military attempt to rescue the hostages by any of the governments concerned,"the foreign ministry said in a statement.It added that the group's actions "can have no explanation other than blind and barbaric violence.”The Greek foreign ministry has also made a public statement regarding the situation, saying that it believes a Greek hostage has been killed."The information we have shows that the Greek citizen is dead," it said in a statement. "The ministry has informed his family."Lebanese authorities have yet to comment on the situation.Last year, Ansaru declared itself a splinter group of Boko Haram, the north’s main Islamic terrorist group.
Boko Haram is blamed for at least 792 killings last year alone.It’s the worst such foreign-abduction violence to hit Nigeria in decades. Most kidnappings in the country’s north see foreigners released after companies pay ransoms. However, the latest kidnappings in the north have seen hostages killed by their captors or in military raids to free them.