Santorini
Some of us got up bright and early to watch the Panorama sail into the caldera. The cliffs towered above us as we passed Oia and sailed towards Suala, the port below the capital of Fira. At 8:30 we tendered to the port of Athinios and met our coaches. We drove up a hairpin road and drove to the north.
We spent almost two hours in Oia, where we were lucky to be all alone. The photographic opportunities were superb and we all enjoyed the shopping. At 11:30 we drove to Pirgos to eat lunch at “Kallisti.” Fava beans, tomato pancakes, stuffed cherry tomatoes and a lot more satisfied our hunger and there was local wine for our palates. The participants of the “Panoramics” sat at their own table and thus the “Athenians” and the “Spartans” bonded even better.
After lunch we drove to Fira to visit the Museum of Prehistoric Thera. The artifacts found and the prehistoric cite of Akrotiri impressed us all—pottery with beautiful designs and unbelievable frescoes. The town predates the cataclysmic eruption which, according to specialists, occurred in the 17th century B.C. The explosion was so huge that it left a huge gap in the middle of the island. Since the Roman era new islands have pushed their way up and are known as the “burnt ones.” We all had some free time after the museum visit to wrap up our shopping and to find our way down to the port of Suala. Some chose the donkeys and others the cable car.
At 4:00 the Panorama repositioned between the Old Kameni and the New Kameni and we all jumped into the water for a refreshing swim. At 5:30 we set sail for our next island. We sailed north past Ios and late at night we arrived in the Naoussa, Paros. We all look forward to one more exciting day.
