Anogia
High in the mountain on the ancient road to Rethymnon lies Anogia. Partly s
heltered behind the beginning slopes of the Idi mountains. Psiloritis called by the Cretans.
In Anogia you find the famous embroidery. Many items are made by hand during the winter time.
The village of Anogia lies at an altitude of 800 mtr above sea level. A 18 km long road goes right into the Psiloritis mountains. During the summertime the shepherds leads their flock into the mountains, where they stay sometimes for weeks.
At the end of the road lies a plateau, called Nida. Here you find a tourist tavern, which is open during the summer time. The menu is locally. You can eat, what is in the surroundings. But it is always very fresh.
A small path leads up the slope of the mountain behind the tourist pavilion. After a walk of about 15 minutes you arrive at the Ida cave. According to mythology the boss of the Greek gods, Zeus, was rises and nursed here by the goat Amalthia.
The famous Greek archaeologist, professor Ioannis Sakelarakis, excavated the cave. He and 
his students found a lot of things in the cave. The cave must be a sanctuary over a long period.
If you take the walk up, you pass a little church. A bit further you find the entrance of the cave. The cave could be closed by a gate. But many times it is open. A small train runs in and out the cave. During the excavation the train was used to get all the debris out the cave. Inside the cave it is much cooler than outside. In spring time and early summer it is not unusual, that there is still snow at the cave's entrance.
Again at the surface of the plateau you can drive down on the actual plateau. Here grows a kind of moss, which is very soft, but it is no problem to drive over it. At the other end of the plateau you have a magnificent view of the plateau and the Psiloritis mountains behind it. Also the entrance of the cave is visibly.
