With absolutely no semblance of an itinerary whatsoever to follow on this little global trek I’m on, my next port of call typically comes from: 1) suggestions provided by the locals; and/or 2) the cheapest airfare I can find to a country I’ve never been before.
Discovering www.kiwi.com was a like having a virtual travel agent at your disposal, the absolute best website (app) on the planet to quickly find the lowest priced flights available.
Seeing I was on a Greek island, I thought it would be fun to change my mode of 
transportation to my next destination from air to sea. Logic would suggest it would be cheaper too, but flying around between European countries you quickly discover there are many flights that can be had for as little as €18/ $22 USD. Your travel dollar goes far if you watch your lodging costs, eat wisely, can be flexible with your travel dates and times, and can somehow refrain from buying wooden penis shaped bottle openers (keep reading for details on those must have travel gifts).
Amidst my many Santorini conversations with the catamaran crew, hotel staff, and friendly shop owners, I heard one common theme from them all – “If you’re going to Crete you have to check out Chania.” (pronounced: Han-yah) Searching out transportation options off the island to get me there, I discovered a 2.5 hour high speed ferry to Heraklion.
The process to load the ferry was a bit confusing to say the least. It felt more like participating in a poorly choreographed stampede then a well organized boarding of a passenger ship. Admittedly, the turnaround time to debark and load that mass of humanity was impressive, even to a faithful Southwest Airlines A-Lister like myself. After successfully making it on board without being trampled, I immediately dropped to my knees and gave thanks to the Creator. The reward was an extremely comfortable seat, which were plentiful. Cause to ask WTF the rush was all about that almost took my life? (!)
The journey to Crete was smooth sailing. Collected at the port by my airbnb hosts, 
we made fast friends. She was a Cretan and he a transplant from Mexico City (happy to finally get to practice my Spanish). After telling them my plans for my time in Crete – explore Chania and find a quiet beach to relax and do absolutely nothing for a few days – they filled me in on the town’s colorful history.
Chania is built on the site of the ancient Kidonia, one of the most important Cretan cities according to Homer. It traded hands many times, but in 1204 AD, Chania was occupied by the Venetians, a people best known for their love of aesthetic beauty. During the four-century presence, Venetians built their elaborate catholic cathedral inside the castle as well as the fortress of Firkas, with the lighthouse at the mouth of the Old Port being the jewel of the city. Constructed in 1595, it’s one of the oldest lighthouses in the world. Then in 1645, after two months of siege, the town was surrendered to the Turks. And it’s my belief it’s the addition of the Turkish touches on top of what the Venetians already did that makes this town so unique – the best of what both cultures have to offer.
A quick overnight in Heraklion, the next morning I was on a bus heading east enjoying a 3 hour leisurely air 
conditioned tour of the Cretan coast and countryside, passing through the quaint small mountain towns which separated the north of the island from the south. And after a short walk to my hotel to drop off the luggage (and happily discovering the absolute best bed of the trip so far which was finally more spring than box), I headed in to Old Town.
No one could have properly prepared me for the pure beauty of this Venetian port by the sea. I am still in awe of its magnificence. It felt to me like if Walt Disney was commissioned to create the perfect antiquated metropolis by the sea
, this is what he’d have come up with.
The walk to Old Town is surreal, the busy 21st century city streets of Chania propper slowly morph in to quaint narrow walkways with medieval structures on either side. The deeper in to its heart you go, the more your stress level drops. There is an unexplainable calm, and a palpable feeling you are being transported back in time.
Standing there in awe of the gorgeous architecture and energy of the place, 
everything garnished with a rainbow of multi-colored blooming flowers, you’re forced to wonder whose version of what “progress” really means is correct. I can assure the graffiti artist, their many embellishments to this gem of a city are in no way improvements at all. 
Every time I passed by one of the gorgeous old world wooden home front doors tagged with black spray paint with something like “Dimitri was here” my heart pained.
But worry not for those who are anxious to consume the nectar of the modern day materialism Gods, Old Town is packed with every manner of offering one’s heart could desire. Any imaginable trinket and activity can be found there, with entire streets and entire floors of any available old cavernous building dedicated to row upon row of vendor stalls which seemingly never end. There are spas with nibble fish to eat all the dead skin off your feet. The submarine looking boats which offer glass bottoms and scenic shoreline tours. The always popular authentically forged Cleveland 
Cavalier and New York Yankee shirts for sale. Even wooden bottle openers shaped like penises engraved with GREECE that luckily come in all sizes and wood tones to 
please the most particular of gift seekers in search of a memorable something special to bring back home to grandma.
But pass by the vendor stalls and old churches and mosques, through the main square and past the barkers in front of almost every waterfront restaurant doing their best to coax you in, and there it is. The most glorious urban planning design, ever – Old Harbor, Chania.
Steve Jobs’ eye for beautiful design has nothing on the Venetians. It looks like part dreamscape and part Mos Eisley cantina (the outside of the bar where Luke and Obi-Wan met Han Solo in the first Star Wars movie). I found myself taking a seat every few steps, 
needing to just be silent and inhale the beauty and splendor of this place. And just when I thought I was ready to move on, I’d get up to walk a few more steps before I was compelled to sit down again and drink it all in some more.
My hat is off to the Venetians. In all of my travels I’ve never experienced anything like it. Old Harbor Chania in particular, it moved my soul like no other spot on this planet has before. It is absolutely a true gift to us all.
