Santorini

The two pictures of Em and I are a view walking down, about 1/3 of the way down, the staircase that leads from the tender pier up to the city of Fira. You can either walk the stairs, take a donkey ride up and down the stairs or a Gondola.


These are some examples of the views of Santorini and from the towns on the cliff. The mountains give the illusion of being snow capped because of the white buildings.

Yesterday (Wednesday, May 16th) was a day of questionable experiences and breathtaking views. We woke up very early in order to get off the ship when we dropped anchor only to discover that we couldn't tender off the boat until 9am. So, after a sleepy breakfast and grumblings about the lack of communication from the ship, we returned to bed for a bit more sleep and then rose again to begin our day. We finally got on a tender and headed towards Santorini. From the ship it looked like steep mountains with snow on top, but in reality it was houses up at the top built into the cliffs. We rode the cable car up the side of the hill and found ourselves in Fira with lovely little cobblestone streets, amazing views of the water from unexpected corners and soft colored stucco buildings. We shopped a bit and wandered and then decided to go and check out Oia (pronounced EE-AH) which is where you see the white buildings and with blue roofs so common in the pictures. We wandered down to find the taxi stand (there are no cars in the little streets) and a restroom. There I had another adventure - my first ever hole in the ground toilet. There was a place for your feet and then you squatted. Fortunately, I had some tissue in my bag and it had running water and a sink outside to wash your hands. It wasn't as hard as it looked, but it isn't an experience I don't look forward to repeating! We hired a taxi and survived the crazy drive along the twisting roads at the edge of a cliff. The drivers are crazy there! We've decided next time we'll rent scooters of some sort.

We arrived in Oia and began to wander the streets. It was AMAZING there! Interestingly the houses are not all white nor are the roofs all blue, but many colors and they all run into one another. It was so beautiful. We did see the famous blue roofs and then were wanting some lunch and we found a little taverna with a deck and a view. We sat right in the corner and had a magnificent view. I've never experienced anything like that in terms of view.

After lunch we went in search of beach with some directions from non-English speaking locals so we weren't exactly sure where we were going. It was very hot and we all were dying to jump into the clear blue waters of the Ionian Sea. We walked down a long, twisting road and eventually arrived at a little harbor, but no beach. At this point the lack of solid sleep, the time changes, the heat, and all the walking and everthing caught up with me and I had a small cry on some steps. I so wanted to relax and cool off. It was brutally hot and I don't do well in the heat. It was hard to have walked so far and not have found what we hoped. I quickly recovered and Dan and Susan went off and called a taxi and soon we were riding in a much calmer taxi back to Fira. We were concerned about timing to get back to the ship so we decided to abandon our plans for swimming that day. Dan stuck his feet in at the harbor and said it was chilly. Back in Fira we did some shopping and then we conferenced on getting back to the ship. The line for the cable car had over an hour wait, so we decided to walk down the steps. It was a long walk down and not easy on the ankles and knees on the twisting cobblestones and you had to watch out for donkeys and their droppings, but the view was sensational. We finally arrived at the tender boat very, very hot and tired and with rather sore feet. Although I think it is one of those experiences you never forget.

Finally, we were back on board and relaxing in the pool, whose water comes from the Ionian as they flush the pools with seawater. AHHHH. Naps followed and then we got gussied up for our final formal night. Dan looked so handsome in his tux and I felt elegant in my long dress with red accents. We posed for portraits, enjoyed the music and then went into a lovely dinner. Our dining room staff is outstanding and we've gotten to know them well. It is such a fun way to end the evening. Mai has a glass of coca cola waiting for Dan each night and I have lots of water. Last night I enjoyed a tonic water with lime. Mutlu has even arranged for me to have berries and cream on several nights for dessert.