Santorini (Thira)

Persevere
Pat and Bruce
Wed 11 May 2011 16:12

8 – 11 May

 

Well we cheated and took a plane to Santorini.  The moorings and marina at the island are either too shallow or too huge for a boat our size to go to the island easily.  Yes we could anchor along the south coast but then leaving the boat alone for many hours and trying to sleep in an exposed southern anchorage was not going to be fun.  So a flight from Athens airport to Santorini (35 minutes air time) was the best option.  With many lines attached to the boat before we left and a forecast for mild weather we felt good.

 

Arriving in Santorini the luggage almost beat us, Pat ran and got it on the first cycle on the conveyor.  Quick taxi ride to the hotel and we hit the streets to see the town of Fira.  This is what every tour book shows for Greece pictures.  White buildings, blue roofs and houses clinging to the hillsides.  Being pre-season we are missing the hordes but still there were cruise ships in the harbor to bring in thousands of people but still not overwhelming.

 

Santorini was once a large island with a well establish population during the Minoan civilization peak.  For two years the dormant volcano rumbled and vented a bit.  Then around 1628 BC the island’s volcano erupted.  One of the largest eruptions in the last 5,000 years and clearly wiped out the population on the island and probably the civilization on Crete.  This much material being thrown into the atmosphere must have changed the global climate like Krakatoa did in the 1883.  Krakatoa eruption was heard 2,000 miles away and changed the earth’s climate for 5 years.  It was a eruption of magnitude 6 as measured by the volcanic eruption scale.  Santorini was a 7 so must have had a lasting impact on the world.

 

Today they are excavating some of the cities buried under many, many feet of ash.  This may be better than Pompeii but it is a long way from reaching that status.  Post the eruption the Romans and others occupied the islands.  Ancient Thira is one of those cities at the top of one of the mountains in the south.  In ruins now after several earthquakes in the past.

 

The island is a perfect place for some great white wines.  The vines are grown is the natural state, not on trellises, and most are over 50 years old.  The acid soil along with the limited rainfall enhance the flavors.  There is a wine tour and museum for those interested.  We found the wines very good and would recommend them if you can find a bottle off the island.

 

Santorini seems removed from the rest of Greece.  Its tourist trade provides income and jobs to many locals while others from Greece who moved here.  The climate is great, the houses well kept, transportation via bus, taxi or rental car easy.  Ferries run to most nearby islands.  It is a place to remember.

 

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Town of Fira, the capital of Santorini.  Just clinging to the side of the caldera.

 

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Oia, the town to the north end, is very similar to Fira but I think more fantastic.

 

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In the middle of the picture is the restaurant we had lunch the second day.

 

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There are 600+ steps from the old port up to the town of Fira.  There are three ways to get up, by foot, by cable car or the traditional way by donkey.  Seems to have many more donkies along the path than needed but maybe in summer they are occupied.  Tough life for them.

 

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Ancient Thira, this is the Roman occupation period.  They built this city on top of one of the highest mountains where it seems to be windy all the time.  This is a wealthy person house on the less windy side.  Those not as wealthy lived on the western side with nearly constant wind.

 

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Water was and is scarce here.  The Romans built cisterns throughout the city to store water collected from roof and street drains.  Still working today.  In the summer like California it does not rain.  So the morning dew is the source of moisture for many plants including the grapes.

 

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Here is a typical vineyard.  The vines are kept well groomed and close to the ground.  The grapes grow under the branches protected from the wind and sun until they ripen.

 

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Getting ready to bake tourists.  This is one of the beaches along the south coast.  Black volcanic sand must be wonderful in 30 degree heat (85 F).

 

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Also along the south coast is the red beach.  A bit more isolated but I am sure crowded in summer.  The anchorage is calm with the normal northerly winds however the bottom is shallow in parts and appears to be rock strewn, not the best for getting the anchor back on board.  There are also some thermal springs in this area.