Thira (Santorini), Cyclades Islands, Greece

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Saturday May 4th, 2013. Thira (Santorini), Cyclades Islands, Greece

Thira (named Santorini by the Venetians) is one of the most ruggedly beautiful of the Aegean Islands and is located in the Cyclades Island Group. Thira boasts pitch black pebbled beaches, whitewashed cliffs and sensational sunsets. The island owes its dramatic landscape to one of the largest volcanic eruptions in recorded history. In approximately 1600 BC the volcano that made up this island erupted in a catastrophic explosion known as the Minoan eruption. What was once the island of Thira blew its top and the resulting caldera (volcanic crater) was filled by the sea to create the great bay we see today. The bay is 1,300 deep in some places, too deep for some boats to drop anchor! The bay is like a lagoon and measures 32 square miles and is 300 to 400 metres deep. Along the caldera are cliffs rising 1,100 feet, whith the white clusters of the towns of Thira and Oia perched along the top.

We had a posh breakfast again to allow time for all the travellers on tours to tender ashore. We landed at the bottom of the steep cliffs and had the choice of walking up, catching the modern cablecar or taking a donkey. The queue for the cable car was horrendous so we opted for the donkeys. We climbed aboard our beasts and were pointed up the hill by the handlers. We had no reins to steer with and nobody to lead the donkey. They just started up the cliff with us on board. We had to shout to people coming down that "we had no steering wheels" so they better get out of the way. M's poor donkey stopped about half way up for a rest (too many posh breakfasts!) D's did the same panting even more heavily than M's donkey! They eventually made it nearly to the top where they ground to a spectacular, knackered halt. We were ordered off by the handler waiting at the top and had to walk the last 50 metres. Those 50 metres made us realise exactly what the poor donkeys had accomplished. It was bloody steep!

The town was overrun with tourists as the Noordam was not the only cruise ship in town. There was also a German vessel. Thira was a 'tourist honeypot' with very little of the 'real Greece' to be seen. Most of the shops were open (private enterprise!) but there were no traditional Greek Tavernas or shops just cafes, bars, artisan shops selling tourist tat and hotels. We found the local Carrefour supermarket and purchased some supplies. We then went on the hunt for a bar or cafe with WiFi access. Everything was over-priced (about 3 times the prices of Katakolo yesterday).

We found a WiFi bar and posted yesterdays blog, checked the emails and made a few Skype phone calls.

We then strolled around the old town taking a walk along the cliff top. We visited the Catholic Cathedral of St John the Baptist and strolled around the cool interior and took some photos. We then decided to make our way on foot down the path (also the donkey trail) back to the tender station. This was a mistake. The heat was searing, the cobbles had been polished by the persistent grinding of the donkey's hooves and were polished to a deadly slipperyness and it was extremely steep. The whole treck was made worse by the fresh, half fresh and dry donkey poop that littered the whole trail. D fell over once and M just managed to stay on her feet after losing her footing several times.

Once back on board we went on deck for the sail-away. There was a fantastic BBQ on deck and, even though we hadn't eaten, we gave it a miss as we were meeting Jennifer and Bill for dinner later. We went to the show which was billed as a Las Vegas Impersonator/Comedian. We weren't sure what to expect of this one. The guy was called Jonathan somebody (another Brit) who is the only non US citizen to be offered a residency on the Vegas Strip - praise indeed! He was absolutely brilliant. His impressions were of various different singers including Stevie Wonder, Elvis Costello, Sting and Elvis to name but a few. He received a standing ovation at the end. Dinner was excellent again and we enjoyed the company of Jennifer and Bill for the penultimate time as they leave in Athens. We shall miss them.

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Photos

M on her Donkey
Thira/Santorini

D on his Donkey
Thira/Santorini

The Cathedral of St John the Baptist
Thira/Santorini

The Cathedral of St John the Baptist
Interior

The Crater Rim
From the Noordam

The Crater Rim
Taken from the Noordam