Sailors from aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) experienced the White Mountains of Crete during Jeep tours organized by Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) Feb. 27-March 2.

The daily tours took the Sailors up the mountains to Samaria Gorge and through many villages in the Apokoronas area of Crete.

Before heading into the mountains, Sailors stopped at a cafe in Vrysses Village at the base of the mountains to try tea made with local herbs and honey.

"The villages were small and quaint," said Aviation Structural Mechanic Airman Dennis Jacob. "Everyone seemed to know each other. What stood out was the silence; all you really heard were the birds and goats."

Sailors traveled the narrow roads through the mountains. In many spots, the roads were barely wider than the vehicles they were riding in.

On their way to Samaria Gorge, Sailors listened to the tour guides give information about the Cretan culture.

"I've never done a tour like this before in Greece," said Electrician's Mate 2nd Class Alec Shutters. "It was a great way to travel through the island and see the sights."

The tour reached a point where the vehicles couldn't pass due to the snow blocking the road. Several Sailors continued up the road up through the clouds on foot. Other Sailors reached the entrance of Samaria Gorge, the largest gorge in Europe, and were treated to a spectacular view.

"My favorite view was on top of the mountain, overlooking the tops of clouds and seeing nothing else," said Shutters.

After descending the mountains, Sailors shared local dishes at a restaurant in the village of Fres. Other Sailors who traveled to Samaria Gorge stopped in Lakkoi for a traditional shepherd's meal of lamb, Greek salad, fresh cheese and the shepherd's strong mountain wine.

"I was a pretty big fan of the pork," said Shutters. "It was really nice. I think it was pork belly and it was really good."

The tour gave the Sailors a chance to see another side of Crete, as well as give them some basic knowledge about the island and the people who live there.

GHWB is currently deployed in support of Operation Inherent Resolve and maritime security operations in the U.S. 5th and 6th Fleet areas of responsibility.

For more information, visit www.navy.mil, www.facebook.com/usnavy, or www.twitter.com/usnavy.

For more news from USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77), visit www.navy.mil or www.facebook.com/ussgeorgehwbush/.