Travel Tips

Our visit to Arkadi with the organized Crete trip with Frosch sports travels began the day before with some briefing about what to expect there. We could have a look at photos and read about the monastry. Especially the sentence that when the last bus of tourists is gone, the silence would cover again the monastry, made us interested.
So the next day we took the bus from Bali via Rethymno to the monastry. As the who travel was not just cultural focused, we decided to first have a look at the monastry and then to do some hike. Up to us there was no hike around Arkadi so we agreed to be on the first trial hike. After a while the path stopped and we had to climb some fence to get again the needed direction. Suddenly the we found us on a goat path which lead towards a small creek. We decided to follow that creek cause we knew that it will lead us to the correct direction. The whole way was a real adventure, even though I would not recommend to do it again. We (probably except out guide) had a lot of fun and we enjoyed the hike very much. Finally coming back to the monastry we had to hurry quite much cause due to the difficulties of the hike, we were late. So it happend that hundred meters before our arrival the bus started to leave. There was no chance to reach it... it was gone! So I remembered the sentence from the day before: When the last bus is gone ..... and it is true. The whole place got quiet touching our mind. So we had to take a taxi down to Rethymno for the bus home and of course a lot to tell the others who decided for something different this day.

About the monastry of Arkadi:
It is located about 23 kilometers south east of Rethymno about 500 meters above the sealevel. Because of the history the Monastry is a symbol of the Crete freedom. At the 9. Nov. 1866 a collective suicide took place in the walls of the monastry. Turkish soldiers, which occupied Crete, besieged the monastry in which about 1000 people tried to find shelter against them. Women, children, monks and partisans were among them. As the situation became hopeless against the 15000 soldiers, all people came together into the powder tower, in which all the gunpowder was stored, and committed suicide by blowing themselves up.
This event marked the starting point for an international interest on the conflict and now the day is sort of Cretes 'Nationalday'.

At the monastry there is a monument to remember the dead of the November day in 1866.

The track-log of our wild hike through the landscape of Arkadi.

Inside the church of the monastry areal.

Inside the monastry areal.

Somehow the whole scenery reminded me very much of a scene in some Italo western. Every second I expected some horse with a dirty guy sitting on it passing by. But no horse came, so all just fantasy.... ;)

Inside the monastry areal.

Outside the monastry close to teh parking area you will find the monument for those who were killed by the collective suicide.

Some plate at the monument. Do you know what it means? Would be great to know! ....
Edit: Oops, who can read, is in advantage... thanks globetrott! Yes, looks like bonehouse in different languages (also my own mother language)... ;)