Celebrations in Hania harbour

I was a little premature a while back when I said that Hania's Venetian lighthouse had been re-opened. Although the scaffolding had been taken down, you still couldn't actually walk to it. As we found to our cost just before we left for the UK when we trudged the 1.5km around the harbour wall to reach the lighthouse only to find our way blocked.

However, last night it was opened in a very public ceremony. It was attended by Greece's Foreign Mininster, as well as the Mayor of Hania, and the evening featured live music, video projections onto the harbourside mosque, and a  plethora of different types of sailing ships and vessels parading around the harbour. This included the replica of a Minoan rowing vessel which we have seen around Hania a couple of times before.

The climax of the event was a massive firework display. The fireworks were all along the harbour wall, and then started shooting out from the lighthouse itself. It really was very impressive.

The harbour was absolutely heaving with people, but we had got there early and positioned ourselves first in a bar and then in a restaurant with some great views.

It wasn't just the opening of the lighthouse that was being celebrated - we were doing some celebrating of our own. Yesterday was Claire's last day in her job. I took the opportunity to travel with her and hang around Kalives for the day, and then we spent the evening drinking and eating and planning whatever it is we are going to do next.