By John Freedman
Originally posted elsewhere July 4, 2019
Posted anew on Contemplating Crete.
Oh, boy. Sougia! Another small Cretan village tucked away between mountain, sea and sky. Another sneaky-perfect place that is brimming with, well, je ne sais quoi. You don’t see the perfection when you drive into the town by way of the only road coming in. Perfection of this kind this doesn’t show itself immediately. The place (pronounced SOO-ya) looks a bit sleepy, a bit backward. A dusty dirt road to the left (east) is lined with cars and the tents of people camping out. You can pitch your tent anywhere you want – on the beach, up against the cliffs, or back in the thick brush of wooded area between the two. The sweeping swath of the soft-rocky beach has plenty of people on it, but nobody has to share space. Some sea turtles have come here to lay eggs in nests and people have been kind enough to mark them with rocks and signs, to keep anything from happening to them. Most of the folks out this way (the eastern side) are nude, some partially, some entirely. The beach heading the other way “into town,” if I can put it so boldly, entertains families and kids, and folks there are more modest. The waters of the Libyan Sea are astonishingly crisp and clear. There are numerous beachside tavernas in Sougia, I’d guess 15 at least, maybe 20. Each has its own personality, all are tastefully, even beautifully appointed. All are full of what you want – cold water, beer, Greek salads, moussaka and lamb chops. There are lots of small hotels, pansions, hostels and such if you, as we did, decide on the spur of the moment to spend the night. At around 6 p.m. we got a beautiful room overlooking the sea for 50 Euros. Immediately beyond the last taverna on the eastern side there are some ancient relics of the old Roman and 1st Byzantine-era city of Syia. There is a tiny harbor on the western side that provides haven to sea-travelers on boats, ferries, ships and rafts all day long. None of what I have written can explain the deep sense of peace and joy that Sougia brings upon one. It is a place in tune with nature. At times you might feel that you have fallen into an Italian film from the 1950s, at others you might suspect you have slipped through a black hole into a world that is actually structured as it should be. One restaurant on the beachside road gets it perfectly on its sandwich board advertisement: “The greatest gift of our garden is the restoration of the five SENSES.” Sea-slippers are recommended – they make it easy to navigate the rocky shore. Sougia is about a 1 hour, 45 minute drive from Chania. The road was washed out in numerous places during the violent storms of early 2019, but has been restored everywhere to safe driving, if sometimes in one lane. Don’t forget to enjoy the spectacular mountain and valley views on your way. All text and photos © 2019 John Freedman. If you wish to reproduce, repost or use any of the text or any photo, please ask for permission. Renewal of copyright © 2021 John Freedman.
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