Santorini(officially Thira), Greece

 Santorini, Greece                                                                                                       Tuesday, April 19, 2022

We. Love. Santorini.  We spent a few days on this island about 38 years ago, actually getting stuck there for an extra day because of bad seas and people couldn’t get off.  We fondly remember the 598 steps to get from the shoreline up to the city itself on top of the volcanic cliffs.  We didn’t walk, then, because we were carrying backpacks.  There are donkeys and mules that carry tourists to the top.  We have often talked about how Jerry was assigned a short donkey who tried to rub him off on the wall all the way up while I was assigned a larger plodding mule.

Well, technology has caught up.  There are still mules, but now there is a slick cable car system which is much preferable to the not-so-nicely treated four-leggeds.  But we didn’t go up at first.  We came into the scenic harbor in heavy clouds and temps in the 50s.  This time we were ready; and since we were to take a private boat around much of the island, we had layers of clothing.  Our private boat was a two-year-old catamaran with a captain, crewman, cook, and guide.    We boarded, we already smelled great food.  Our cook was already at work in the kitchen—we hadn’t known that we were eating on this trip!  And while she prepared and the crewman barbequed long skewers of pork pieces and chicken, the guide pulled out an island map, oriented us, then began teaching. 7 others from our ship were on this craft with us and we were given Santorini wine as the hospitality flowed. 

You know you are from Iowa when..... You don't need to wear a hat or jacket. 

Santorini is a half-moon-shaped island, but picture a vast circle that has only half of the circle above water.  In the middle of the circle are two small volcanic islands that are mostly uninhabited (one man lived alone on one of the islands with a small herd of goats, a dog, and some pigs and chickens).  Along the shoreline of these two islands is a thin ridge of rock that has turned yellow due to the sulfur rising in the water from below.  The water is warmer there, and in the summer, folk who take these tours are offered the chance to swim in the sulfur water.  In fact, we read that we might do this, so we had our swimsuits underneath our layers just in case.  Too cold now.   Motoring to the southern tip of the half-moon, we saw black sand beaches (volcano), a lighthouse, a rare red sand beach (volcano and iron) and a white sand beach (not coral--but volcanic ash). 

As we turned around, the rain began but we were busy eating a huge feast and drinking more Santorini wine.  Menu:  two different big bowl of spaghetti—one with homemade tomato and onion sauce and the other with a rich tomato and shrimp sauce; a Greek salad with tomato, onion, cucumber, black olives, and feta cheese; a burgeoning plate of skewers of pork and chicken; garlic bread, tsi-tsi sauce, and fruit.  Yum.

Our guide mentioned to me that they were astounded that we didn’t complain about the weather, but enjoyed ourselves and each other.  We have learned how to be flexible…

Upon reaching the dock, our guide accompanied us on the cable car and walked us around some of the winding streets of the capital city of Fira above.  Jerry and I noted some nice art galleries which we found later.  One other large cruise ship was also on shore and the narrow streets are packed with people.  Tomorrow there will be four cruise ships.  I have no idea where they will all fit!!!

Tender port - on the way back to the ship.