The villages of Kares and Amoudari on Crete

On the way from Kares to Amoudari, in the community of Askifou, you can see the grand church dedicated to the two Sfakian saints Manolis and Ioannis. The most touristical organized of the two villages is Ammoudari with restaurants, a gas station, and some rooms for rent. The main occupation of the inhabitants is sheep and goat raising and there are many cheese dairies. Over the years there have been many war battles in Askifou, since it is the gateway to the south coast. The Turks, the Egyptians and the Germans have fought here against the stubborn inhabitants, many of which lost their lifes. There are several monuments around the plain to remember these events. The village of Kares lies on and overlooks the Askifou plateau of which it is believed that once one it was a lake. The soil is very fertile and potatoes, vegetables, fruits and wheat are grown here. The name of the plateau probably comes from the Greek word "skifos" meaning "cup", and indeed this is a bit like the shape of the plateau. On the top of the mountain in the plateau are the remnants of the Turkish fortress Koules. Kares has beautiful views, many goats and a number of churches and it is a good place to take a break. Also in the village there are a few "Sfakian Bakeries", bakers with a huge selection of breads, biscuits and various delicacies from the south of the island. So for us it is also a place, if we drive through it, to buy someting sweet to go with the coffee. Besides all of this Kares is also the home of a war museum.