Rethymno

And now, on to Rethymno. Our next stop is in the old part of town, and we drive slowly and carefully through the streets, squeezed by houses on both sides and energized by the impatient honking of cars behind us. Fortunately, the hotel has its own parking lot. Palazzo Veccio turned out to be a miniature 15th-century Venetian palace with a modern twist, complete with a courtyard and a swimming pool in the center.We leave our things in the room and go for a walk. 

  Meanwhile, evening had fallen in the city, that "golden" hour that all photographers treasure. Idle tourists, including us, were already crowding the embankment, taking photos of the fortress against the sunset, and of ourselves against it.All of this is, of course, incredibly picturesque, but it's best to appreciate beauty on a full stomach, and then everything becomes even more picturesque and beautiful. There are numerous restaurants right here in the harbor, offering a wide variety of seafood to suit every taste. While waiting for dinner, we watch a sailing ship enter the harbor, the lighthouse light up, and dusk gently descend.

After sunset, Rethymno continues to bustle with activity. Shops, restaurants, and souvenir shops are open, and the sounds of street musicians can be heard here and there.  It's warm. It's hard to believe it's October, and somewhere, rain and a cold wind are blowing fallen leaves. Here, you can't help but fall under the charm of a southern town. You stroll along the ancient streets and smile foolishly at the people, equally idle, relaxed by the abundant Greek food and mild climate.

A little later, back at the hotel, we're sitting in the courtyard finishing the bottle of wine we started yesterday. There's also fruit, cheese, and olives—the celebration continues. What more could you want for complete enjoyment?

…And for complete enjoyment, you need to get up early in the morning, sip coffee, and climb, for example, the fortress walls, which are a five-minute walk from the hotel. I noticed earlier that the best time to visit interesting outdoor places is in the morning. And if it's sunny, there should be beautiful lighting at this time. Besides, there are usually few people around, because tourists are people on vacation, supposed to linger in morning bliss until about ten o'clock. We're more the exception than the rule. We just want to see everything and as much as possible. Denis and I were probably the first visitors to the fortress that day.

From the top, there was a beautiful view of the city and the sea. At each corner of the fortress was a chapel dedicated to a saint, which also served as a sentry post.

We walked around the perimeter of the fortifications and discovered a wide variety of buildings from different eras: in addition to chapels, we saw a Muslim mausoleum with excellent acoustics, a Christian church with a pile of rusty cannonballs near a dilapidated wall, gunpowder warehouses, and a building that housed a military commandant's office during World War II. 

But it's time to go back. We need to pack our things, have breakfast, and check out of the hotel.

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