Crete, August 24, 2018

Friday morning our ship arrived at the capital and port city of Heraklion, Crete. We had booked an excursion to the famous Palace of Knossos, where a local guide showed us the atriums, walls, storage and plumbing systems of the complex political and religious center. A highlight was the throne room with its gryphon and lily frescoes, created almost 4,000 years ago. Back in Heraklion we had a typical Greek lunch with Cretan wine, a Greek salad, fish and octopus. Then we visited the smartly renovated archaeological museum, where the displays illuminated ancient Minoan culture. Stellar objects included statues of bull heads, a goddess with serpents and the marvelous curvilinear frescoes of youths and maidens, almost reminiscent of the Art Nouveau style. - Dan