This island was, up to about 1500 BC, a lively place and the Minoan city was prosperous. Obviously a huge eruption, maybe the size of the eruption of Krakatoa in Indonesia in 1815, caused most of the island to be destroyed. The people had evidently already left, as evidenced by the fact that the Archeologist doing the excavations only found empty houses.
This eruption created a huge "wave" through the eastern Mediterranean, and most probably through the entire Mediterranean. People living, for example, in the upper parts of Egypt experienced a huge flood. Was this the beginning of the story about Noah? We do not know for sure but everyone is free to guess.
The major part of the island we see today is the result of this huge explosion. Later on, several smaller eruptions built up islands in the center of the caldera. In the morning, tender boats took us to the small harbor and buses took us uphill on switchback roads. The Greek drivers must be good! We arrived at the famous site Akrotiri, home of a Minoan civilization. Excavations are still on going and our guides gave us a full lecture about this interesting work.
By lunchtime we were transferred to the major town on the island, Thira. Today this town is one of the major "tourist stops" in the eastern Mediterranean. People from all around the world go to this island and the number of languages spoken here is uncountable. So also are the numbers of restaurants and shops. Still, it was interesting to meet the latest form of "civilization" in this region.
By 6 o'clock the anchor was up and we sailed towards Turkey. Our galley presented us with the last flavor of Greece with a Greek dinner on the pool deck.
