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Date: 18 Oct 2010 08:07:36
Title: 36 43.339N 025 16.312E Ios
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Santorini was nothing short of spectacular! It turned out to be the best scenery in Greece so far. Between Katie and I we took at least 160 pictures in about 4 hours. Sort of like being on the set of a Greek movie extravaganza except everything was real. I am definitely going to try to get back with the boat if I come through again.

We all took the fast ferry over. A large catamaran with twin jet drives. We clocked one coming into the island at about 38 kts. Very much like an airliner down below. Assigned seating, a first class section, food down try tables, reclining seats, but no seat belts. We had a great view as the ferry come into the island and docked about 2/3 s of the way into the crater. The whole island is one enormous volcano. The crater measures about 10 miles in diameter. The sides are blown away on the north and south east sides letting the sea in and the caldera ( burned out cinder in the center) forms a pretty large island in the center. George would have loved this one. From the inside you could see several hundred feet straight up the cliff face and the striations of heaved up rock in some places and layers of lava in others.

Katie had made an itinerary for us: 1. The recently discovered ruin dug out of the ash. 2. Oia - a city on the rim that looks down into the crater. We got off the ferry and then what? Chuck and Judy headed for the main city, Fira, in the bus for two Euros and Katie and I got in a cab and told the driver we wanted to go the ruins at Akiri (sp?). He asked us why? "The ruins have been closed for almost four years... but will be open next year." Plan 'B' looks like a good day to go to Oia. Is that far away? Yes, very far on the other end of the island... 25 Euros worth. He took us to the look out point which we would never have found on our own. Super views and really first rate tourist shops... we bought a big bag of pistachio nuts and another bag of dry roasted peanuts covered in solidified honey and rolled in toasted sesame seeds. They were passing out samples in the store. I ate about half the bag of peanuts by myself in the first hour. We stopped at a taverna overlooking the crater and had a couple of Methos - Greek beers and proceeded to eat the entire bag of pistachios. "If you like something do it until you are tired of it . If you never get tired of it... so much the better.", Zorba the Greek. moderation... seems there are two sides to almost every issue..


The last bus for the ferry terminal left Fira at 4 PM and Katie wanted to make one more photo stop at the look out point before we left. We ran into some folks from Elkhart Indiana at the lookout. Took pictures of each other and proceeded to BS for a long time. Forced march back to the bus station to Fira. We pulled into the bus station right a 4 and found the bus did not leave until 4:15. We jointed up with Chuck and Judy there and had an uneventful trip back.

We have been watching the weather for the trip east and have decided to stay here in Ios until we get a good weather window. Today, Monday it was calling for 30 plus knots about half way to Rhodes. (130 miles).. maybe tomorrow or Wednesday. We needed a few days off to relax and do nothing. Chuck and Judy left with the laundry this morning. Katie and I are cleaning out the fridge, shopping, and fixing a few things. The boat is bouncing pretty good it is blowing hard, and raining. Good day to catch up on some writing and reading. I will try to call for the water tanker later today and fill up before we leave. Water isn't as expensive as fuel here yet but there are signs all around to remind you that 'Water is life... don't waste it.' . I am about half way through Greece and Homer's Odyssey... timing is everything.

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