Today we started our day by visiting Kanakis Olive Oil Mill near Chania, Crete. The Boundourakis family started their business over ten years ago. We learned the process of production of olive oil which starts with the cleaning of the olives, then the pitting. There were various machines that beat the olives in order to separate the oil. We learned that there are different kinds of olive oil and that they specialize in extra virgin olive oil. The man leading the tour let us try his olive oil that he garnished with salt and lemon. It tasted amazing and inspired many of us to purchase the mill’s products as souvenirs and gifts.
We then visited a Venetian fortress in Rethymno, Crete. It was built by the Venetians and took seven years to finish. It was taken over by the Ottoman Empire 1645 and attacked by pirates which led to destruction and reconstruction. It housed Mosques and Catholic Churches with its various owners and today, there still remains evidence of the original Ottoman built minaret. It is unique for its hexagonal shape created strategically for protection. With a view of the city of Rethymno and the sea in the background, Ben performed his declamation of a Timothy chapter in the Bible. After, we all enjoyed the view and took many, many photos.
We were lucky enough to then visit a filo factory owned by a very charming Mr. George. He had been perfecting the craft of making filo since he was just twelve years old in 1946. It took him years to get the right proportion of ingredients (salt, flour, and water) to achieve the perfect dough. He demonstrated how he spreads out the dough to a very thin layer that stretched across a large table, and showed us the different ways film can be served. They were generous enough to let us try their Baklava and it was amazing. We walked around Rethymno for a little until we all spread out for lunch. We then drove to Heraklion where we checked into a new hotel. What a day!
By: Linnea Cheek
Oles in Greece 2020 