Volcanic Beauty

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My last four days here have been heavenly. This place is so picturesque, photogenic really. It's like taking pictures of Mila Kunis. In that it is really difficult to take a bad one. There is always a new angle that makes you fall in love all over again. On top of that I have moved to a new hotel and into a room with an upper floor balcony with a view of the caldera's dark blue water and the white building of Santorini. It is truly amazing to sit here and watch the sun dappled Agean Sea with the still active volcanic islands rising out of it. I gaze down at the boats in the harbor, the hapy holiday goers, and listen to relaxing music as the birds glide by seemingly in synch to the rhythm. Utterly peaceful bliss is what it is. At night the lights of Fira shimmer and sparkle on the edge of the caldera and a happy hum rises up from the land.

One thing I carried over with me from the first futile days of my stay were the walks. There is a ninety minute round trip walk that I take practically every day from Fira up through one small village and onto another. It is a cobbled pathway along the caldera, so there is always this stunning expanse of water and islands to my left. Along the way I pass churches, tavernas, dwellings, pretty much everything there is. But what I like best is to find an empty stretch and a wall to lean against. I stare out to sea pondering life's imponderables. I have taken this walk at all times of day: early morning, high noon, sunset, and evening. Each time has its own character. The different natural lights turn the white buildings an alternative hue. I found that early morning is the best time to avoid the crowds, but I like sunset best. Watching the red infused sun slip behind an ancient mound of pumice and ash in the middle of Aegean was unreal and impactful.

I even rousted myself off my comfortable butt and headed out to the beach town of Perissa one day. The sand there was all black pebbles about the size you might find in a fish tank. The water was very clear and surprisingly salty. I floated around with ease like the lazy king I am. After that I retired to a beach lounger where I ordered up ouzo, olives, feta, tzatziki and pita. It was delectable as the mouth watering food helped to cut the bite of the glasses of ouzo. Again utter contentment.

I still had one more place to go. Just this morning I arose early to catch the 8am bus out to the tip of the island and a small village by the name of Oia. Amazingly that village was maybe even more pretty than Fira. If Fira was Mila Kunis. Who was Oia? Miranda Kerr? Early morning was the perfect time to go as I walked through the sleepy little lanes in a peaceful trance happily snapping away. Except for this morning's foggy bus ride it has been beautiful sunshine with rarely even a cloud in the sky. Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind.

I am leaving Santorini tomorrow on a Syros bound ferry, but before I do I must mention something....the Chinese. That's right you heard me, the Chinese. I have never seen so many Chinese tourists in one place before, but they are everywhere and they come in all ages. They do not even seem to be in large tour groups. I have not seen or heard one Japanese tourist either. It just goes to show you where all the money in the world is at the moment. A number of them are brides moving about posing for photographs in this location and that. In fact just this afternoon from my balcony I saw about twelve Chinese couples get married all at once in some bizarre group wedding, complete with a booming microphone for all of Fira's promenade to hear. Now how's that for a bizarrely international ending to my stay.

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