Blogs from South Aegean, Greece, Europe - page 74

Every Aegean island is beautiful but I believe Santorini is the most scenic of them all. All the Aegean islands are prone to earthquakes and related volcanic activity, but Santorini is especially so because it is at the center of South Aegean Volcanic Arc. The Santorini volcano erupts periodically (here I am speaking in geologic terms and ‘periodically’ means millions of years.) and changes the surrounding landscape/seascape totally. Thus, Santorini was a round island once upon a time. It became a ring of land filled with sea, looking rather like an atoll after one volcanic eruption - without the coconut trees, of course. (An atoll is formed by the activity of live coral, however. It does not have a volcanic origin.) Then the ring of the atoll broke after another eruption, giving it the present embryonic ... read more

Day 74 Today I was u pearly to catch the ferry to Santoroini and was due to meet the girls on the ferry. We later found out though that we had managed to catch two different ferries which meant that I had arrived several hours later than the others. This was fine except that it was pouring rain and none of the hotels actually have proper address. So when I finally made it to the town where the hotel was I then spent the next ½ hour having to look for it!! Once I made it there we then headed down into down for dinner and the like and it turned into a rather peaceful night. Day 75 Today dawn windy and showery not the best but we head out anyway. Our trip for the day ... read more

There is nothing much common between me and one of the ‘Seven Wonders of the ancient world’ namely the Colossus of Rhodes, a statue which was 107 feet tall, made with bronze framework supported by masonry inside and covered by brass plate; which stood on the Island of Rhodes. It possibly served as a lighthouse. However, there IS one thing common between us - weak knees. When an earthquake hit Rhodes, the Colossus broke at the knees and collapsed. I collapse even without an earthquake when I have to walk uphill, because my knees too give way. {Avi has suggested one more commonality between the Colossus and me. “You are equally brassy, brazen” he says. This is possibly because I insisted on calling our 4-day cruise a ‘Greek Odyssey’ and he does not agree with it. ... read more

Got the ferry to Mykonos at 7am. Seemed like chaos when we arrived into the port. People everywhere approaching you to stay in their hotel. Took a little while to get a taxi, as no signs or any semblance of a queuing system in place! Arrived in our confirmed hotel; Staff looked suspect to see us and kinda didn't talk with us when we announced our names. Something was up here! The manager politely informed us that the hotel was not the €19 which I had managed to book it for online, but rather €190 at the luxury end of the market. Negotiation skills to the fore again! Truth be told, I had kinda guessed it was a mistake when I booked it... but I knew my rights or so I thought! i.e. that the price ... read more

Hey Katie/bookmaster, we are in the airport at Vancouver 2 hours early!! Thanks for the email it made me smile:) we are flying on a 747 JUMBO JET!!! I m going to take a few more pics and then download them onto the blog!! Hopefully I will be able to email you in London or Athens:) Love ya bunches! Sam (Samanila) (yes i said it)... read more