A wonderful breakfast on our balcony this morning has prepared us for a day out. All I have to do is too remember to keep driving on the right hand side. After a couple of near misses and a little help from Alice, I started to get a feel for the driving. My major problem was that every time I indicated, I inadvertently turned on the windscreen wipes. Just hate the sound of rubber scraping across dry glass.
Our road map was a little dodgy and after a couple of wrong turns we ended up at the beach of Monolithos. The word mono would neatly describe this beach as it was impacted by the wind and tide.
Big piles of sea grass were lumped in mounds on the beach with plenty more in the water to take its place. I think I spotted one person on a deck chair.
We then headed down to Kamari beach, found a parking space and went for a walk along the boulevard. There was less wind and the sun worshipers were out in force. The black sand was a good contrast to the white, red and brown bodies that were stretched out on the 6 Euro sun beds.
We continued walking to the end of the point past the many excellent tavernas who were promoting full english breakfasts. There is a huge headland at the end with yet another church in prime real estate position.
Next up we tackled a series of S-bends that took us to the top of the Mesa Vouno and the site of Ancient Thira. Alice had white knuckles by the end of this drive.
At 366 metres the view is stupendous. The site dates back to the 7th century BC with subsequent influences by the Roman and Byzantine periods. After walking around in the heat of the day we were parched and hungry so we headed off to another beach area named Perissa.
After lunch we decided to take advantage of the free sun bed that was on offer on the section of beach in front of our restaurant. We took a photo to prove that it was indeed free. The water was choppy and did not look inviting so we did not hang around for long.
Our drive then took us to a different part of the caldera which overlooked Balos bay. Incredible views the entire way to the end of the line at Cape Akrotiri where there is a lighthouse.
On the way back there was a dirt road with a sign that indicated Black Beach. We took a chance and discovered a real pearl. The beach was small and covered with smooth black rocks. The water was crystal clear and warm because it was sheltered from the wind. Even though it was late afternoon I had a great swim.
We then headed down to Red Beach which also looked a great spot for a day out. There is a boat service from here to another beach which is coincidentally called White Beach and also Black Beach. After a glass of wine and a glorious sunset that we shared with a couple of other people we drove back to the Blue Dolphin.
Sunday 3rd October - Oia, Santorini
Today we have to leave our lap of luxury and change to another room. We don't have the same view but nevertheless the room is still great.
My driving has improved dramatically and it is with some confidence that we head to the opposite end of the caldera for a look at Oia. This is the area where most people come to view the sunset and can be quite crowded even in the off peak. Today is no exception because overnight three large cruise ships anchored in the bay below our hotel.
There are many fine cafes that offer fantastic views at fantastic prices. Will I get over paying 10 Euro for two small coffees?
There are also many boutiques and one of them even managed to tempt Alice. The road down to the coast brought us out at the picturesque harbour of Ammoudi. As we were driving along the coast road we noticed a guy on a motorbike carrying a huge crab pot in one hand and smoking a cigarette with the other. The only thing missing was his mobile phone
After a late lunch we took in a couple of winery tours. The first tour was well organised and included an underground tour which detailed the history of the winery since the 1600's.
The grapes here are not grown on a trellis. The vine is woven in a basket shape very close to the ground. The grapes grown in the middle and are sheltered from the sun and also it produces humidity which helps to sustain the fruit as there is very little rainfall. The grapes are also protected from the strong winter winds.
The last winery, Gavala, was really worth the visit. We pulled up at about 6.00pm and were not turned away even though we were the only ones there. The wines we tried included three whites, a red and a sweet desert wine.
The red was a bit light and was not far off being a Rose. The whites were excellent with plenty of tannin and could be cellared for up to ten years. The desert wine is 8 years old and aged in Russian oak from Odessa. It is produced in the old way by squashing them with the feet. They say it oxygenates the wine and as a result requires no fortification. It is a great drop.
Monday 4th October – Alice versus the Volcano
After thinking about it overnight we decided to keep the car for one more day. At 30 Euro it was a reasonable bargain because we could use it to transfer us to the airport.
Alice went off to check out the shops in Fira whist I ventured out for more sightseeing. My driving has really improved as I only managed to stall the car four times and turn the windscreen wipers on only twice.
This afternoon we have an appointment with the sailing ship “Thalassa” to watch the sunset and explore the still active volcano (50 Euro each). To reach the port we have three options which were walk down (free) about 400 steps, ride a donkey (5 Euro each) or take the cable car (4 Euro each). We chose the cable.
The volcano is called Tholos Naftilos and the last eruption was in 1950. A major earthquake followed in 1954 which destroyed most of the buildings on Santorini. We had to walk about one kilometre uphill to view the steam that permeates out through the crater. Thongs were not a very good choice for footwear on this walk.
Our next stop was for a swim in the hot springs that bubble into the sea close inshore. I am still an Inala boy at heart so I had to be the first one into the water. Without prompting I launched myself off the deck with a 9.5 score for my near perfectly executed bomb dive.
The hot springs were a bit of a let down. The water was lukewarm and if it had been in my bathtub it would have been sent down the plug hole. The water was also very muddy and Alice will have some trouble getting her white rash top clean.
The next part of the trip was spent relaxing on deck as they unfurled the sails for a sunset cruise. I feel like Jimmy Barnes at the moment as I'm consuming cheap wine and have a three day growth.
I filled up on a range of Greek appetizers and four plastic cups of wine. We really enjoyed the trip and you certainly get a different perspective of the caldera from down on the water.
Back in port we were ready to take the cable car back up but were informed that there had been a malfunction. I suspect the donkey handler may have thrown a spanner in the works. As we did not fancy walking up the steps we joined the queue for a donkey ride to the top of the caldera.
After a twenty minute wait we boarded our beasts of burden and headed for the top. Alice had the smallest one and it soon exacted some revenge by ensuring that she scraped her knee on the concrete wall. Mine on the other hand was intent on trying to throw me over the edge. I might be exaggerating just a little but it sure felt like it. Where's Shrek when you need him!
Our verdict is that Greece is a fantastic destination. From the moment we arrived to the day we left the Greek people were absolutely fabulous.
Athens for us was a real joy and part of the reason was the locality of our hotel and the ease of walking around or catching the metro. Every island was terrific but in a close call Alice and I would choose Naxos. For those much younger than us it would be Mykonos and Santorini.
No comments:
Post a Comment