Sunset in Santorini
Trip Start
Aug 09, 2008
1
21
34
Trip End
Sep 16, 2008
Santorini,
Greece
Friday, August 29, 2008
Breakfast consists of cereal, bread, hard-boiled eggs, ham, cheese, and orange juice. A healthy start to the day! It takes me about an hour to consume what I had chosen to eat. Most of the time my mouth is open, but not because of what I am eating, but because of what I'm looking at. It's hard to believe I'm here.
Breakfast finally over, I return to my room to pack my backpack for the cruise tour I've organized this afternoon. The cruise is a package deal from 3:30pm until after sunset, and includes sailing to the volcanic island in the middle, climb to the top, sail to the hot springs and swim in them, sail past some other ports, before sitting at a spot in the caldera to watch the sunset. Included are nibbles and wine. Sounds quite appealing and at 47 euros it seemed a reasonable price, even if it was the most expensive cruise. The others were cheaper, but only included some of the attractions.
My backpack, I've just noticed, has a tear near one of the bottom straps. The tear is quite long and needs to be repaired before I lose the strap. I could just go out and by a new one, but I like my backpack.
seamtress
It's mine and I'll save it. Like the good Boy Scout I am, I had packed a sewing kit, with the intention of never using it, unless it is an emergency. I think this qualifies. It takes me about an hour to do, and I'm no seamstress so it's really rough, but it should hold now.I need a towel, walking shoes, sunscreen, hat, sunglasses and, of course, the ticket. All packed, and now I have 4 hours to kill before the cruise starts.
What do I do now? I had a nap for 2 hours.
When I woke, it was about 1:30pm. I got myself together and wondered into town to get some lunch, and find the steps to the old port. Lunch wasn't hard to find, a club sandwich washed down with a beer. The steps weren't hard to find either, and after lunch, I started my descent. I'm told it takes a good 20 mins to walk down. Might have been faster if the donkeys hadn't left their mark, and smell, along the length of the steps. Somehow it just adds to the charm of the walk. The Texans in Rome were right too, "Sturdy beasts".
The walk down, which is slippery in some places, takes me about 30mins. I keep stopping to take in the view and pictures, and this added to the time taken, but I still arrived at the old port with plenty of time spare to take a look around. I found where the cruise departs from. The old port has a few shops, art gallery, and several cafes, but it has one thing that I neglected to see at first. Water! Then it dawns on me, it's not the Pacific Ocean, it's the Mediterranean Sea!
I'm not the only one going on this cruise.
Donkeys
It appears to be quite popular as there are about 50 people waiting to board the ship, which is anchored in the harbour. When it's time, it comes in, berths and we all go aboard, and sit were we please. I sat near the front. I'm not a sailor ok, but it's the bow??? Once everyone is onboard we depart toward the volcanic island. The ship looks like a 2 mast sailing ship, but with a diesel engine. It only takes about 10-15mins to sail to the island, and when we arrive, we disembark and start the trek to the top. Andreas, our tour guide, says it's a steep climb, but it will only take about 20mins to get to the top. On the way up, we stop once and he gives the group a bit of a history lesson about the caldera. It was interesting. Once we reached the top, and caught our breaths, you have a panoramic 360-degree view of the entire Caldera. It's that photo opportunity time again. Our descent is much easier and soon we are all aboard and heading off to the hot springs.When we get there, the ship anchors about 20 metres offshore, and we dive off the ship and swim to a little inlet to the left of the church there. It was warm, but not very hot at all, but still enjoyable, and it is my first swim in the Mediterranean Sea.
After 30 mins, we are recalled, to the ship and we set sail for a cruise around the caldera, drinking wine, and eating nibbles as we cruise. Eventually, we anchor outside the port of Ia, where we watched the sunset. And, OH MY!! What an incredible scene, nature at its best. Just check the pictures out, and you'll get the idea. Now imagine being on a Sailing ship, drinking wine, Greek music echoing in the background, warm wind in your hair, and watching the sun setting beyond the horizon. Sounds romantic, and when I have a look around, it must be, because most of the younger couples on board are either kissing or staring into each other's eyes.
After the sun disappeared, we sail back to the Old port, where we thank Andrea's and his crew for a great evening. It is dark now, so I'm not taking the donkey's back up, I'm taking the cable car. There is an an American women and her daughter are next to me in the cable car. She is just as nervous as I am about being in the cable car, but if we are looking up, it's not a problem. Thankfully, it's a quick trip. At the top, I head for the nearest bar, and after about 3 or 4 ouzos and a nice conversation with another American woman and an Australian I head back to the hotel but, before I do, I stop at a kiosk and buy some more beer.
When I get to my room, I open a can and sit outside in the warm breeze, and just look at the stars. I even take a dip in the pool, to cool down a bit. Nice.
And then I ring Julie to say happy 30th birthday!!! It's about 8am Friday morning back home. Doesn't seem that long ago you were in your 20's. Oh wait, that was yesterday!!!
Comments
Happy Birthday to Me!!
Ahh, yes thank you so much for the phone call Lenard, tis nice to see the pictures of the sunset that you were telling me about ... though I know the photos just don't do it any jushtish haha ... how was your head the next day by the way? Oh well, you were drunk but not crying so thank God for small mercys I guess hahahahahahahahaha. Love ya!!!!!
Re: Happy Birthday to Me!!
The head was fine, I was worse the next night after the Aussie vs Sa game. The Saffa, craig, shouted a few rounds after the game hahaha. It was great to talk to my favourite mum. Did you enjoy Hanmer?