Day 34: SANTORINI

Early morning change of plans.  Discovered that the fast ferry to Santorini was not running today:  alternative was car ferry via 3 islands and taking 8 hours.  After 36 hours at sea, that did not appeal.  So after 2 attempts on dodgy satellite internet, I was able to book a mid-morning flight instead with Aegean.  We disembarked at Piraeus, the ancient port city 20 km from Athens, in the dark and rain.  Taxi to the airport took an hour and €50.  Flight just 45 minutes:  up and down!

I had played with the idea of hiring a car at airport for the 2 days, but settled for a taxi when I saw the queue at the Budget and Hertz desks.  Just as well!  All the winding unmarked roads/lanes it took to get here would have been too much even for Suzy if there was a nav system in the car.

The Petit Palace hotel has been built into the side of the caldera or rim of the volcano that blew away the western side of the island.  The core of the volcano is an island opposite where I am staying.  Quite pretty and even startling area.  This all happened 1600BC, and the tsunami it created wiped out the Minoan civilization on Crete, quite a long way south.  The island then known as Thera was eventually re-settled, until 1956 when a devestating earthquake damaged most the island and caused most of the population to move away.  Tourism has gradually helped it rebuild, till today the population  is 15000.  A sign I saw says:  "On Santorini there are more donkeys than inhabitants, more churches than houses, more wine than water."  In fact over 300 churches, all open but only a handful ever have services.  There are only 500 Catholics on the island.  Santorini is named for its patron saint, St Irene of Crete who died in exile here.  Water is scarce:  they depend on rain and a desalination plant.  

One has to come down the cliff face to the apartments and restaurant. It is 2.6km from Fira, the island's main town; and they run a shuttle bus back and forth several times a day.  It rained solidly, with a heavy mist also, until 4.30pm.  I then took the shuttle bus into Fira, the main town about 3km away.  Wandered around the narrow streets and stepped lanes.  Had  a look at the Catholic Cathedral (looks like it might seat 100) and took in ther stunning views from above the old port.  Decided to eat out, so settled on a little upstairs place called Tabasco Tavern.  Tomato soup, grilled steak and grilled vegetables (most of which I could not identify) and a local beer.  9% GST on food; 16% on alcohol.  The sign said "Save water, drink wine".  

Rain returned just after I got the 7.30pm shuttle back, and is steady now.  Will wait till the morning to decide what to do with the day as the forecast is for cloudy with 40% rain.

Managed to get a few photos that will give you some idea of what the island is like.  See them here.