Samaria Gorge Trek

Today was probably one of the most challenging yet most rewarding days in Crete! We hiked the Samaria Gorge, a total of 13 kilometers, and got to swim at the end. This beach was like nothing I have ever seen, as it had black volcanic pebbles instead of sand! It was amazing to be able to dive into the water after such a long and hot hike. Even though it was a bit of a challenge, the views and experience definitely made it all worth it! We even got to see an abandoned village, and learned that the local people still keep up this national park. To close out our day we had the pleasure of hearing from Tina from the European Council, who's work includes creating policy for sustainable fishing and maritime practices. One thing that struck me from our discussion was her focus not only on making sure that fish are not over fished, but that the EU has maritime policies which are also economically and socially sustainable. I am really happy that we got to hear from her about the work that she does, as a career in the policymaking field is something that I am very interested in.