Ain't no mountain high enough...

As you may have guessed from the title, yesterday I climbed up Mount Giouthas (said: Yuk-tas). Some of you may know it as the mountain Zeus's face can be seen in and the ninth tallest peak in Greece. It was amazing, terrifying, and challenging all at the same time. At the beginning all I could think was that I would be the one that couldn't make it to the top, but that couldn't be farther from the truth. It was absolutely exhilarating and the higher I climbed the faster the time went until I was at the top. 

Getting to the top was so rewarding I didn't feel the exhaustion that I probably should have. I ran around taking pictures and enjoying my bird's eye view of Crete. I can't explain my joy in accomplishing this. 

On another note we learned about the plants of the mountain on our way up. It was amazing how many herbs grow naturally on the mountain side. Including: sage, thyme, and many others. The climb down was much harder than the climb up. After many slips, I finally made it to the bottom without actually falling on my butt. My legs eventually stopped shaking. 

Surprisingly, the night was not over. After we all showered, we went to the beautiful  Kritamon Restaurant where we were able to participate in a cooking demonstration by  Chef Dimitris Mavrakis. We rolled pasta, folded "wine" leaves, and listened to some of the Chefs techniques. The food was delicious. I will be making these dishes for sure when I return home (especially the cheese salad-YUM). It was an incredible day. I am constantly amazed that I made it here. I can't wait to share my story about today!

^Orange filo