Welcome to Santorini! It's amazing to look at the island from the ship and seeing the town on top of the mountain, as well as the buildings built into the cliffs. This is a small island located at the south end of the island complex of the Cyclades. The island is unique due its geographical shape, as four other islands are to the near west and it is said that they are all a result of the action of the local volcanoes. Santorini though is different, as it is built from the thick lava of the volcano, which rose from the molten core of the earth. The contrast from the bright, blue sea and the red and brown colors of the land make this a unique sight not seen anywhere else.In order to get to the island, we had to take a tender from our ship, as they do not have a port. Our first stop was the Boutari Winery. The island of Santorini is quite unique when it comes to the art of wine-making. Because of the island's rich volcanic soil and their rare assyrtiko grape, this combination produces a world renowned wine. It was interesting to learn that the grapes are not grown in the 'usual' way on upright vines. However, they grow close to the
ground, in a circular vine and rely solely on the natural sunlight and moisture. There is no forced irrigation.It was harvest time when we were there. There are 17 wineries and it is the second economic income for the island. We were able to sample three wines: a red, white and a dessert wine. Nothing like having wine early in the day when it is 40C outside.
We continued on a very scenic drive to the village of Oia. The significance of Oia is simply its architectural structure. As you can see from my opening picture, the small houses carved into the rock, mansions with their staircases, the beautiful white and blue colors, the roads paved with flagstones and gorgeous flowers with the backdrop of the sea create the most picturesque scene that ever was. Although a very popular place to visit, Oia has managed to keep a low, touristic profile. With the quaint shops, cafes & domed churches, Oia is a place that you could get lost in. I only wish we were here long enough to catch a glimpse of the breathtaking sunsets. Here are some my favorite shots, including the Oia Cathedral.
Our tour ended in the town of Fira, the largest town on the island and also its main shopping district. Fira is only accessible on foot as it has very narrow cobblestone lanes. Should you be a skillful Vespa driver you might be able to manage the uphill lanes that meander past various shops, cafes and private homes.
Before we headed to the cable cars to take us back to our tender, we stopped to have a snack. We stopped at a storefront cafe and each ordered a kebab, a type of gyros sandwich, however the meat was a lamb sausage wrapped in a pita with onions and tzatziki sauce. It was the best sandwich. Of course, I
had to stopped at a gelateria and get some nocciola gelato. We then headed through the streets of Fira to find the cable cars which will take us down the mountain to the Fira Harbour to get to our tender. You can see from the picture to the left how steep it was. The line was quite long, so I tried to persuade Liz to ride a donkey down the mountain, however, my persuasion wasn't strong enough. It was interesting to find out the cable cars were fairly new and were constructed by an Austrian company. So, we felt confident.I will miss this wonderful island and cannot wait until my return. Well, I am off to my yoga class. We are looking forward to tonight as it will be a great night as tomorrow is a day at sea!
Until tomorrow from the Ionian Sea.
