My retreat in Astrikas, Crete

Back in Chania now after a lovely week in the hills of northwest Crete ... what a gorgeous isolated little village for a yoga retreat ... the instructor from Scotland/London was Amy ... a super knowledgeable, compassionate teacher who has been instructing for many years and lead the six of us in a series of wonderful classes, approximately 3 hours each day, morning and evening. We had our meals in a nearby taverna under a beautiful magnolia tree ... cooked by the lovely owner of the taverna with fresh, organic, local ingredients. The surrounding countryside was laden with olive groves, the smell was often overwhelming ... this has been an extremely dry summer and the olive trees are heavy with fruit demanding to be picked, which they will be by migrant workers in mid-October.

I was so excited at the retreat because when I arrived at the hotel I was led to my own room with a large balcony overlooking the mountains and hills spotted with farms and olive groves, the sounds were only of animals ... roosters, sheep, birds ... often pretty noisy. We visited various villages close by, walking up and down the lovely hills, the weather is wonderful, hot during the day and cooler at nite, perfect for travel. We practised yoga in an outdoor studio in the morning and the late afternoon, we also had a pool to sunbathe and swim during the day, a perfect time was had by all!

Now back to Chania, awaiting Wally's arrival tomorrow nite, then we begin our travels together, I have found a little studio apartment for us in old town Chania. More news to follow ...

Leaving Aghios Pavlos and Yoga Plus

This morning was hectic, left Yoga Plus early (after quite a few hugs and kisses from the owners of the centre, Pierre and Radha and my new friends here including the two cooks I worked with over the last 8 weeks)... 0830 for Spili by taxi. Had a lovely evening out last nite with five new friends ... both guests and coworkers ... it was a perfect nearly full moon nite, we sat way up on the hill at a taverna overlooking the rocky bay of Aghios Pavlos eating flavourful Greek vegetarian food. What a memorable nite, it was quickly followed by our favourite Baklava, a sweet, honey laden dessert. This morning came far too early, the taxi ride through the mountains and a lovely cafe au lait at a small outdoor (of course, everything is here as it is still very hot, around 30-35 degrees C during the day) ... then the bus to the north coast, Rethymno and on to Chania, arriving midday. I had some referrals for hotels and am staying in the old city ... traces of Turkish and Venetian pasts ... in a little hotel owned by Nelli. During a visit to a small cafe down the lane from my hotel, I met a Greek older man who has lived/worked in Canada, has offered to help me find an apartment for the week when Wally and I are here from the 28th to early October ... should be interesting. It's lovely here, I am enjoying the husstle and busstle ... for how long??? When will I yearn for the quiet of the beach and hidden southern coves?

The winds of change

Hello all, it has been a while, today is my day off, planning to leave here next week for a one week retreat in the northwest of Crete. Learned about it at a perfect time as I had decided I was ready to leave this beautiful Aghios Pavlos bay with its crystal clear waters, dynamic yoga and physically demanding work, to see more of Crete. Wally will join me at the end of the week and we will begin our travels together ... first to see more of Crete, especially the south and west, then to Rhodes and Turkey and up to the Ukraine.

It has been a great two month experience here, I have learned a ton MORE about myself, my yoga practice has been strengthened greatly, now doing self practice each morning, as well as having had a major shift in my confidence around the preparation of good, hearty vegetarian cooking. It is all good and I am now ready to move on.

The weather is lovely now, hot during the day, we are still swimming each day and sunbathing ... but cooler at nite and I have a blanket at the ready but we sleep in our three bed room that I share with two lovely Scottish lasses, open each nite to allow for fresh air and sound of the waves ... I love it here but it is starting to become a little claustrophobic and I am ready to begin my travels again.

More news after my week long retreat in west Crete ... see the website for Free Spirit holidays in the UK for more info.

Life in the quiet lane at Yoga Plus

Well things have definitely settled down now that September is here ... fewer guests, less work, today is my day off, practised challenging Ashtanga yoga at 6.30 for 1.5 hours, I'm getting stronger and stronger! And I need to be ... life in the kitchen of a retreat centre is demanding to say the least ... all that chopping, standing on ceramic floors ... lifting/carrying/washing/shelving large pots ... and then the multi tasking of ensuring everything is out by lunch or dinner time. The food is wonderful, all fresh and local from the Island of Crete ... vegetables are plentiful as is the fruit selection ... we make a wide variety of gain/vegetable/bean salads as well as lovely thick, rich soups, desserts (cakes of all types, puddings with chocolate sauces, flapjacks (must be a British or Scottish thing because it's more like a granola bar to me) ... some favourites are the millet salads mixed with dill and other fresh herbs, pizzas with Greek feta cheese and potato or beets ... mmmmm ... we pretty much live outside here ... it is still pretty hot ... around 25 Degrees Celsius, cooler at night. Still swimming every day and walking ... as well as having massages from our resident masseuse, Lily. Guests are much more laid back and commited to their yoga practises this time of year, the summer holidaymakers and families have returned home.

All in all, much more relaxed, we can breathe a little more and enjoy the lovely scenary, sunsets are magnificent, walking is much more pleasant ....more to follow.

B.xxx