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When I was a young girl I read many stories about Greek mythology and often wondered if there were any real archeological evidence to support these myths. Years later I had joined the Navy and I had some travel opportunities, but it was mostly within the country. One day, I got an unexpected set of orders for an overseas assignment. I was to report the island of Crete! The island of Crete is the birthplace of the Minotaur, Zeus the King of the gods and the Minoan civilization. I had a beautiful hotel right on the water overlooking the Meditteranean in the town of Chania close to the base in Souda Bay. I was fortunate because of my job specialty that my working hours were only Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. which would leave me plenty of time to do some investigative exploring. A colleague of mine shared my passion for exploring and we went to the palace of Knossos. Knossos is the largest Bronze Age archeological site on Crete and I was standing on it! I felt transported in time as I walked around the site. I marveled at the colorful frescoes and panel murals. I walked into the famous throne room and was amazed at how well preserved the room was. Now, I thought the Labyrinth of the Minotaur was going to be somewhere on the palace grounds but it was not. I learned it was located near the town of Gortyn in the southern part of Crete. However, it has been closed off from public view for years due to dangerous conditions. I was kind of disappointed about that as I would have given anything to walk into that labyrinth. On another day I visited the Dictaean Cave where the Titaness Rhea hid her son, Zeus, to protect him from his father Cronus who had the nasty habit of eating his children. The cave is located near the village of Psychro. I have to say that going here is like undergoing a quest in Greek mythology. This is not something you should do unless you are physically fit. Along the way it is worth stopping to catch your breath, enjoy the panoramic view of the whole plateau and draw into your lungs the refreshing mountain air, scented with thyme, sage and other local aromatic herbs. There is a path, but some parts are steep and not all of it is paved so it will be difficult and you could twist your ankle. Once you get to the end of the path you will see the ticket booth, but your journey is not over because you will see a staircase that you can not see the bottom of and its 200 steps! Once inside you can see the remains of altars and other archeological finds prove the importance of the cave as a place of worship in ancient times. There is a well-marked path inside the cave and it is covered with stalactites and stalagmites that have formed from millions of years ago. There is also what is known as the “Mantle of Zeus” which is a stalactite that hangs over the lake similar to that of a chandelier. At the back of the lake, there is a small chamber, where it is said that Zeus was born. After the tour, we had enjoyed a Cretan lunch with local wine. Sadly, my time in Crete was limited to 2 weeks and I would have to go back to the USA. I spent the rest of my time enjoying my seaside hotel, eating the best food and dancing the night away into the morning (when I wasn't at work that is). I never expected to find myself in the middle of the Mediterranean on the mythical island of Crete. This was the best working vacation and a childhood dream realized.