the longest gorge hike in Europe- that's right. It's not that we're hard core, but when you have two options and one of them is called 'the Lazy way' and the other is called 'the Long way' - what would you choose?
The bus picked us up at 5:10 a.m. (still dark in Greece), and drove us up into the White Mountains. 
It was incredibly beautiful to watch the mountain range shimmer in the sunlight- they went from a dull gray color to pink to white. We had this cute little tour guide, Ingrid, who spoke about 7 languages and told us to look for her on the hike - she would be 'the one wearing Ferari red!' The bus stopped to give us a chance to eat breakfast, but Becky and I were already WAY prepared with snacks, breakfast, and about 2 gallons of water/gatorade. The hike begins at the top of the mountain range, and you climb down a couple miles into the gorge and then hike along the bottom of the gorge until you get to the beach. Pretty much the best way to end a hike. The whole thing is 12 miles, and takes about 5 hours.
It was incredibly beautiful to watch the mountain range shimmer in the sunlight- they went from a dull gray color to pink to white. We had this cute little tour guide, Ingrid, who spoke about 7 languages and told us to look for her on the hike - she would be 'the one wearing Ferari red!' The bus stopped to give us a chance to eat breakfast, but Becky and I were already WAY prepared with snacks, breakfast, and about 2 gallons of water/gatorade. The hike begins at the top of the mountain range, and you climb down a couple miles into the gorge and then hike along the bottom of the gorge until you get to the beach. Pretty much the best way to end a hike. The whole thing is 12 miles, and takes about 5 hours.
Everything was very barren and dry- yet at the bottom of the gorge was a stream of crystal clear mountain water. There would be tiny pink or blue flowers every once in a while - again I could not understand how they survived the wretchedly hot sunlight. The texture of the rocks was also very beautiful - as the water wears down the limestone over thousands of years, it creates patterns and shapes on the rocks. 
But I think the most wonderful of all was the sheer immensity of this ancient, natural landscape. It was so big - all around us, totally engulfing. We are so small in this big world- just tiny people with so little effect on a planet that doesn't even seem to notice us. That gorge didn't care if we came, went, or just sat on our bums- but we got to appreciate its beauty. They say if you hike the Samaria Gorge, you have conquered the isle of Crete - I don't think that's true.... more like if you hike the Samaria Gorge, you get an amazing 5 hours of nature, 
crazy sore muscles, and then you get to spend the afternoon on a black pebble beach.
But I think the most wonderful of all was the sheer immensity of this ancient, natural landscape. It was so big - all around us, totally engulfing. We are so small in this big world- just tiny people with so little effect on a planet that doesn't even seem to notice us. That gorge didn't care if we came, went, or just sat on our bums- but we got to appreciate its beauty. They say if you hike the Samaria Gorge, you have conquered the isle of Crete - I don't think that's true.... more like if you hike the Samaria Gorge, you get an amazing 5 hours of nature, 
crazy sore muscles, and then you get to spend the afternoon on a black pebble beach.
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