On the final day of my stay upon the Island of Crete, I decided to wind down and relax by the pool at the hotel. Our flight back to London was not until late evening. The staff of Socrates were even gracious enough to allow for a "late" checkout. A very unusually and kind gesture, I'm sure you'd agree. So a massive thank you to Sofia for her hospitality and helping make our stay there so comfortable and unforgettable.
The hotel offers a spacious swimming pool as well as a separate, smaller one for the children. Full length sun beds and umbrellas were available for all the residents to enjoy.
As you walked out by the pool, there was a terraced lounge area, providing a convenient snack bar and restaurant quality food. Sports fans could also enjoy watching their favourite games via satellite TV. Other entertainment facilities included table tennis and an American pool table.
More than enough to fulfil your needs.
Bathing in the sun whilst lying down on the sunbed, I realised just how beautiful this hotel actually was. The landscape was made up of sheets of green, stunning views of the mountains far away, lush exotic palm trees and scattered flower beds.
A Mediterranean paradise as far as the eye could see. Simply magnificent!
After an hour of lazing about, I jumped into the shimmering blue water. What a rush of energy! A feeling of being transported to this tranquil alternate world where my worries simply floated away and a sense of calm immediately enveloped me!
I just lost myself in this blue haven.
Generally, I've always loved to swim and so had a 40 minute session of doing lapped lengths. A perfect way to build up your strength and stamina but in the most enjoyable way possible!
Afterwards, I had a quiet stroll down to the beach front for a late lunch before the prospect of heading home became a reality.
I decided to stopped over at the Porto Greco Bar. Situated in a perfect, romantic location by the crashing waves of the sea enclosed within a beautiful setting. I found a great vantage spot to enjoy the spectacular sea view, looking out across the clear blue waters. It was such a magical sight.
The menu was varied, offering various dishes of seafood, snacks, pizza, grilled meats and authentic Greek cuisine. And you got two cocktails for the price of one (happy hour) which was a welcome added bonus!
After sipping down two glasses of Pina Colada between me and my husband, our mains turned out to be an absolute treat too. We ended up ordering a final selection of our, by now, usual enduring favourites - Lamb Moussaka and Pork Souvlaki. Both were mouth-watering delicious, as was the norm here in Crete.
This place comes highly recommended to try out for yourself.
And so, we finished up our final meal with a strawberry delight, providing the perfect end to a truly spellbinding trip. Crete is one of the most gorgeous places I've ever visiting. Stunning vistas at every turn, such friendly locals and food simply to die for!
I love you, Crete. And I can't wait until our paths cross once again... Till next time... :)
在克里特岛最后一天，我决定留在酒店游泳池边度过轻松休闲的一天。我们飞回伦敦的航班晚上才起飞，酒店工作人员了解情况以后，破例允许我们“晚退房”。非常感谢Sofia的热情好客，让我们在岛上度过了最舒适最难忘的一周。
酒店提供一个宽敞的游泳池，以及一个分开的小儿童池。沙滩椅和遮阳伞布满游泳池四周，供酒店客人随意享用。
在游泳池傍边，有提供饮品小吃的酒吧和小餐厅。球迷也可以在酒吧通过卫星电视欣赏自己喜欢的体育盛事。其他娱乐设施还包括乒乓球和美式桌球，满足您的各种需要。
躺在沙滩椅上享受日光浴，我才意识到这家酒店的确非常漂亮有特色。近看满眼的草坪绿，远处有壮观的山脉，郁郁葱葱的棕榈树和鲜艳缤纷的花坛，处处充满了地中海风情！
躺了一个小时以后，我跳进了游泳池。蔚蓝的水在阳光底下闪烁着，在水里畅泳我感觉自己被送到了另一个世界，宁静平和的感觉包围着我，没有忧愁没有烦恼，这是一个只属于自己的蓝色天堂。
我喜爱游泳，因为它可以强身健体，更可以磨练人的意志与耐力。游泳池里的人不多，大部分都在岸上晒太阳，我在水里游了大概40分钟，非常舒畅！
离回家的现实越来越近，我决定最后一次漫步到附近海滩吃午餐。
Porto Greco 餐馆酒吧位于美丽的海边，被海浪包围着，一个非常完美和浪漫的就餐位置。坐在靠海的一边，遥望壮观的海景，清澈蔚蓝的海水，感觉非常惬意！
餐馆菜式众多，有各种海鲜，小吃，比萨饼，烤肉还有希腊传统菜式。适逢欢乐时光推广，鸡尾酒也是买一送一， 非常划算，呵呵！
我和先生喝下两杯鸡尾酒 “Pina Colada” 以后，分别点了我们最爱的希腊佳肴“Moussaka” 和“Pork Souvlaki”。两 样都是令人垂涎的美味，强烈推荐！
最后，一杯草莓雪糕杯结束了我们在希腊的最后一餐，也为这趟旅行画上了完美的句号。克里特岛是我见过的最美丽岛屿之一，处处都是风景，本地人热情好客，食物更是美味之极！
克里特岛，期待我们下次再见吧！