We arose with an 8:00 wake-up call. I took a quick shower and brought my gear down to the lobby. Anne met me there. We ate breakfast and took a cab out to Mallia for E 15. We entered the site and began measuring the walls. To our disappointment, they were aligned N11E. We walked around the site and saw several nice pythos and recently excavated crypts. It's so hard to believe this site is 3500 years old. The ashlar walls are perfectly cut and aligned.

The bus pulled in after we'd been there for half an hour. We hopped aboard and headed up the mountains to the Lasithi Plain, a polje on the north side of Mt. Dikte. We got off at the Psychro Cave , the alleged birthplace of Zeus, also known as the Diktean Cave . The climb up to the cave entrance can be done on dirt or paved trails; it takes less than 10 minutes and offers great views of the Lasithi Plain. Unlike yesterday's cave, this cave has lights, stairways and railings. It descends about 60m along the contact between the phyllitic Plattenkalk Nappe and the Tripolitza Limestone Nappe. At the bottom are numerous stalactites, stalagmites, and columns. It is really quite nice, fairly safe, and well organized.

We stopped at a taverna in a pass at the entrance to the polje. It was rimmed by the foundations of old windmills; not surprisingly there was a stiff breeze. We ate well and were soon on our way. We got aboard the bus and headed up to the north coast, a few km away, and then turned eastward.

We drove for about an hour before descending to the seaside village of Mochlos . As soon as we arrived Drew found a piece of pumice on the beach. I swear it was the only piece there. It had to come from the Theran Eruption. A Minoan ruin lay on an island about 200m offshore. Unfortunately, there were no boats to take us out. Most of the group decided to swim for it. My legs were still not recovered from the Samaria Gorge and I was concerned about them cramping up mid-channel so I elected not to go. I sat with Eric, Heather, and Emily, and Kyle drinking beer and ouzo as I took video of the group swimming out, visiting the ruins, and swimming back. The current was stronger than Anne and Bob remembered. Everyone had a moment or two of angst on the return trip but they all made it.

We walked back up to the waiting bus and drove the last 15 km to Sitea, passing a large ancient gypsum quarry. We stayed in the waterfront Itanos Hotel. Anne and Bob had a nice harbor view from their balcony so we sipped wine and talked until after 8:00. The hotel had harborside dining across the street so we ate there. I had snails and grilled octopus, it was excellent. Bob gave me some Xopta which was very good. Drew ate one of my snails to everyone's surprise. He is much more adventurous with food then he was in Italy.

After dinner 10 students and I went to an internet café and did email. It was mobbed with adolescent boys playing video games. I was bothered that there was no word from Joan. The students ate sweets and I drank ouzo. I was the first to leave. I took a shower and did some writing before retiring at midnight.