In town, we found a nice café overlooking the caldera, for a long delayed lunch. Baba ganoush, fava beans, tomato salad, excellent calamari, Mythos beer, nice, white Kolfini wine (slight resin taste, but not actually a retsina). Fira is quintessential tourista - everything is set up to greet the hordes who make it up from docking cruise ships by cable car, donkey or foot. The town is splayed across the fringe and interior of the caldera, enticing browsers with jewelry, other crafts or tavernas and cafes. We wandered through town afterwards - overly touristy, lots of splashy jewelry shops and pottery places - narrow winding streets, with whitewashed bldgs. At end of the town, we stopped for an exhibition of reproductions of Thera wall paintings from Akrotiri, ca 1500 BC. Ships, fishing boy, saffron gatherers, mostly frescoed. Then down to the 'taxi stand' to try to grab a cab. No real organization, just flag down anything taxi-like with a spare seat, and if the driver is going in your direction you can get in

Harbor, Fira
Cruise ship, Fira
Cruise ship, Fira
hotels & cafes on hillside, Fira
Lunch, Fira
Cathedral clock tower, Fira

Journal entry: 8 Sep, 2001 Akrotiri About 9:30 took taxi to Akrotiri (3500 dks). Entered the site; at the ticket office, people behind the desk, but sign says "Free today / On strike". Akrotiri was a Minoan colony. Tunnels thru the volcanic ash first discovered buildings that had been thru both earthquake and the volcanic eruption. Impressive ruins, protected by large metal open-air roof system. Wander thru site on boardwalks, amid extensive reconstructions of the town walls, buildings, etc. Much of the site was familiar after having seen the fresco exhibit yesterday. Even more impressive when considered that the site is over 3500 years old. Went down to the beach, first a black sand beach, then up and over a headland, to see the 'Red Beach', large cliffs of rhyloite like materials eroding into the cove. Shore covered with seaweed that when dried has the look and consistency of wood shavings. At the refreshment area, met Spyros - shopkeeper, cave builder and wine maker. We sample his wine, a sherry like brew, then bought a bottle for later happy hour. Caught the island bus back to Fira (400 dks each, half hourly). Lunch  - pork souvlaki, Greek salad (this one actually had more than 2 olives in it!). Wandered around for a bit, then waited for the hotel shuttle 14:00, but we'd forgotten the actual schedule. Just after we gave up about 14:30, we got a taxi, and passed the shuttle coming in on its14:35 run .
Akrotiri Minoan ruins, Akrotiri
Plan, Akrotiri
Akrotiri Minoan ruins, ticket office, Akrotiri
Beachfront taverna with dory, Akrotiri
Red Beach, from above, Akrotiri
Red Beach, beach chairs, Akrotiri

Journal entry: 9 Sep, 2001 Santorini - Oia  Today's the Feast of the Birth of the Virgin Mary, supposedly a major event on Santorini, but none of the locals appear to have read the guidebooks, so it was a day like any other. Leisurely breakfast on terrace, watching boats sailing across the caldera; near flat calm, with long lasting wakes diagonally trailing the sailboats. Took taxi into Oia, easily the prettiest town on this scenic island. Narrow white streets stretched along the crest of the caldera, with hotels and homes tumbling down the steep side, providing wonderful views into the volcano and across to Thirassia.. Fewer tourists and correspondingly less glitzy and gaudy tourist shops. Many crafts shops, of higher standard than in Fira - puppets, wood carving, beautiful, individually designed gold and silver jewelry, amber shop (with crucifixes of amber - Jesus on a cross of fossil flies?) Pretty doorways, windows, with bright red hibiscus, blue morning glories, yellow santolini, contrast with the stark white walls and muted browns and ochres of the doors. Bright blue domes and bell arches set off frequent churches. Naval Museum - small, but interesting - models of triremes, other early ships, ship of the line, many tankers.

At end of the island, the town rambles down to another tiny port, with a mule-walk down to the piers. A lone windmill revolves to the north, and the view from the bellevedere looks out to the volcano in the center of the caldera, and back along the entire concave crest of Santorini, with Fira and all the way out to Akrotiri and its lighthouse. A lazy dalmatian sprawled along a small wall, oblivious to tourists taking his portrait. We had lunch at the Thomas Grill - mostly locals, on a side street near the bus station. I first ordered Eggplant Imam from the menu, but shortly, the waiter came back, "not today"; so, I moved a line down the menu, and ordered 'Eggplant stuffed', waiter comes back more quickly - "don't have any, come look at what we do have"; so, after a survey of the actual choices du jour, ended up with a fine moussaka, with thick bechamel topping. Audrey had squid -- cooked perfectly - fresh, tasty and tender. Shared a great, Greek salad
Octopus Taverna, Oia
Yellow chairs in café, Oia
Flowers, stone walls, Oia
Morning glory, Oia
Windmill, Oia
Houses, Oia
Windmill, houses, Oia
Windmill, houses, Oia
Dalmatian, Oia
Pastel houses, Oia
Mirror, wood carver's shop, Oia

Cascoly Travel - we specialize in escorted and customized itineraries. Email us with questions or for quotes on customized trips.