Greece Trip - Day 8

3 July, 2009 - Santorini

The group met early in the morning to take the long picturesque walk along the cliff edge into the next little town. Donnal, Christine and Jo had their little orange costume from the previous night and at one point (in a quiet part of the outskirts of town) they all started say “I’m hot. I think I need to take my t-shirt off” and then proceeded to strip down to the orange crop top and mini shorts – the look on the tour guides face was priceless. It was an initial look of shot and then total amusement. A little later in the walk we came across a couple who had been married for 2 years, but the wife bought her wedding dress with her so they could get photos of her in her wedding dress on the beautiful Island of Santorini – they were a very sweet couple, and it was a cute idea. The girls in their orange bits got photos taken with the ‘bride and groom’ saying that they were the bridesmaids! We eventually reached a lovely church on a point along the cliff edge, with a wonderful view back at the white-wash town on the top of the sheer cliff looking over tranquil boat filled water.

We walked back to the main town and then went our separate ways. Sheeba, Linda and I decided to take a boat trip to the Volcano and Hot Springs a little later in the morning. After booking our tickets, we still had a bit of time so we decided to walk down the donkey track that zig-zagged down the steep cliff side. There were hundreds of donkeys along the track. A heap at the top in the shade resting; ones carrying people up the track, and others lined up at the bottom waiting their turn. Most of the donkeys looked plump and healthy, but there were a few that did not look very good. They looked skinny, old and worn out. They were the ones that the donkey men / owners rode – the men weren’t very nice to them, they whipped them to keep them going. It was quite sad to see that side of it, and it did make me a little upset, but the main thing I had to remember was that the majority of them looked healthy and they are doing what they are designed to do – carry loads up hills.

The boat that took us out for our trip was a wooden Viking looking boat that had an upper deck that we found a table to sit at. The water was very calm and the journey was very peaceful. The first stop was the Volcano where you could get off the boat and walk up the black rock and solid lava pathway to the crater of the volcano and back again. The next stop was the Hot Springs – a warm, sulphur water cove. To get to the springs we had to jump off the side of the boat into the sea and then swim around the boats to the cove, it was so much fun and something completely different. The cool water around the boat was a very welcome reprieve from the sweltering heat of the day. The sulphur water was a rusty colour and it was not hot, just a warm temperature. What I found funny was that this tiny little island that is home to the hot springs and no human inhabitants has a church right next to the springs! There are churches all over Greece and in the most rural and obscure places, and yet they are regularly used – I find in amazing that people take such a tough journey to their spiritual havens. The boat trip finished by going around the back of the volcano and then back to the port. We took the easy way back up the town – the cable car.

We wandered around the shops and bought a few souvenirs, and I bought an aqua blue summer dress and a Christmas Bauble. Before heading back to the hotel we stopped a bakery cafe and treated ourselves to some baklava – yummy!

That night we took the bus out to the tip of the Island and to the town Oia – the perfect spot on the Island to enjoy the remarkable sunset. The group took some snacks and Di bought some Ouzo and we all sat together to watch the changing sun as it set over the sea. After the sunset, we headed back to Thira for our final night dinner with this group and to also have a surprise celebration for Sheeba’s Birthday. Sheeba had kept her birthday very quiet, but Theresa knew the date and she organised a postcard that we all wrote on and a little birthday cake for her. Our meal was again delicious; I have fallen in love with Greek Cuisine and aim to find some great recipes when I get home. After dinner we went out to a bar and enjoyed a few drinks and some dancing together. Donnal, Sheeba, Linda & I are continuing on the trip, but the others in the group are finishing up in Santorini to either continue travelling elsewhere or to go back home.