Santorini

Last night I slept better than I have in many nights—the gentle sound of the ship’s engines lulled me deep into dreamland. When I woke, we’d dropped anchor in Santorini, part of the Cycladic group of Greek islands.

Santorini is a beautiful island. Well, it used to be a single island, now it is a semi-circle of islands. They were created by a massive volcanic explosion over four thousand years ago. This unique geography is the main reason visitors flock to the island.

It is impossible not to be awe struck by the sea filled caldera, with white-washed towns perching atop sheer cliffs. From a distance, it almost looks like snow-covered mountains. But that’s an optical illusion. In 100-degree F heat, there’s definitely no snow.

When I used to visit Crete regularly, I took a ferry several times to visit Santorini. The scenery is so compelling I was always happy to revisit the island. This morning was no exception. Looking from my stateroom balcony, the view was dazzling.

I’d signed up for a tour of local wineries. Wine and tourism are the two most important sources of Santorini’s income. Yet I’d never visited the wineries and I was looking forward to seeing areas of the island away from the major town of Fira. The tour was an excellent choice.

After arriving on the island by tender (a small boat that transfers passengers from the cruise ship to the shore) a small group of us boarded a van. The zig-zagging road up the side of the cliff provided thrills (think of passing large buses on a narrow steep road) and astounding views. The tour started at 8:30 in the morning, but that didn’t deter us from drinking. Three wineries and ten tastes of wine later, we were all very happy.

Apart from the wine, the gorgeous scenery, the delightful and informative guide, and tastes of local snacks (olives, cherry tomatoes, breadsticks, fava bean puree, and more) made this a memorable visit. At the end of the tour, we were in Fira near the cable car. I could have spent time wandering around the town, but early afternoon the heat was intense, and I had a buzz from all the alcohol. It was time to return to the ship.

This afternoon I found a quiet, cool corner and read a book. It’s been a wonderful day.