Santorini
What a wonderful feeling starting your day with such an amazing and colorful view of the caldera in Santorini. Definitely the brightness of the sun and the absence of haze contributed to the beautiful vista we enjoyed.
Another busy day has started, this time with a short tender ride to the port of Athinios, where we started our lesson on the skills need to drive a motor coach on a switchback road along the edge of the caldera. Half an hour later, we were strolling at the traditional settlement of Oia, where during this off season time its beauty is truly showcased. Some of us seized the opportunity of summer sales, others climbed to the old venetian castle to capture more of the view with their cameras, and the rest did what the Greeks would normally do – sit down at a café and drink slowly their coffee and sip slowly the endless view. By the time we returned to our coaches, it was lunch, so we drove south to Akrotiri village and experienced a gastronomy lesson by sampling typical local recipes.
Akrotiri is the name of the prehistoric city that was destroyed by the volcanic eruption that occurred in the 17th century B.C. That is when the island changed shape as well as the course of history. Nothing would be the same again. One of the most advanced civilizations of the Mediterranean Sea disappeared. Thanks to the efforts of archeologists, we were able to admire their findings thus far in the Prehistoric museum in Fira. Our guides, Sofia and Effie, led us in a tour of the museum tying together all the information we have had thus far about the ancient Therans. The quality of pottery, the exquisite wall paintings and high level of wealth and prosperity they reached simply makes us wonder how?
We spent our afternoon at the islands capital, Fira town, where we continued enjoying the sites as we made our way back to the pier. Many daring people chose the traditional way down, by riding a donkey!
We all deserved a swim in the end, so the Panorama repositioned between Nea and Palea Kammeni (new and old burnt island.) The volcano’s crater makes the water there so warm and pleasant. The end of the day found us on the ship’s deck photographing and enjoying the pink sunset colors while we made our way to Paros Island, our first stop for tomorrow.
