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| Rising from the deep blue Aegean Sea, steep cliffs soar upward to greet white and blue clifftop villages perched along the rim of this active volcano. It is here, in the Cycladic Archipelago, south of mainland Greece, that the exquisite island of Santorini awaits the fortunate traveler. The sun is warm on my skin as I lazily relax in a sling back lounge chair on our private patio at the Porto Fira Suites - the view is stunning. The quaint stacked whitewashed homes, restaurants, hotels and domed churches rise up the cliff side. Just below, 556 steps below, is a small port used to take day-trippers across to the Nea Kameni island in the caldera’s center, which is where the mouth of the still steaming beast resides. A funicular system can take you down and back up if you opt out of the daunting stairs or the more traditional but adventurous donkey ride. All day, six white dangling cars take off from the top of the cliff as six others ascend from the bottom. The half moon shaped island stretches out on both sides of Fira, Santorini’s capitol city. To the right is Oia, famous for its sunset view, although anywhere on the rim is a good place to see the sunset. To the left in the distance is the Faros Lighthouse, blinking at passers-by every 9 seconds. The song of pleasant church bells fills my ears regularly, both on the hour and off, whenever the mood seemed to strike the bellplayers. The sights and sounds are captivating and I haven’t even left our patio. Narrow cobblestone streets that transform themselves into stairways stretch out in a maze, winding their way up and down the cliff side and into the city. One can get easily lost in the labyrinth of lanes and have difficulty in finding their way back to a favorite shop or eatery. We are 190 stairs from the city center, and 150 of those stairs are straight down the cliff. It leaves me to wonder if Santorini is the Greek word for Stairmaster. Santorini is actually a fairly new name for the island. First the island was named Strongyle, the Greek word for round. Then the Phoenicians renamed the island Kallisti, around 2000 BC, meaning beautiful. In the year 1153 AD, the island was named for its church “Santo Irini” to foreign travelers, and through the course of time the island became known as Santorini. The ruins of the original church of Saint Irene still remain on the island today in the village of Perissa. So, I guess I should give thanks to Saint Irene for all the calories I am burning off, at no extra charge, just by climbing all these steps. The morning dawns, the light of a new day passes through our window. The veranda has a small round marble dining table and two chairs. Somehow bran cereal, apple juice and Pepsi sure taste a whole lot better with this view. We work off breakfast on the way up the cliff, and head for the Village of Oia. The smooth stacked white washed walls and blue church domes sparkling in the sunlight is typical Santorinian and uniquely beautiful. Gazing over a blue dome, topped with a white cross, seeing the deep blue water through the arches of the bell tower with the clear sky above with the suns rays glinting off the dome is breathtaking. The buildings are sunk deep into the volcanic soil and look as though they are clinging onto the cliff side. The sun sets and the town is lit in the last soft golden luminosity of the day, moments later the sky is a dozen shades of pink light and then night falls. Oia is transformed into a dazzling seaside village sprinkled with fairy dust as the scattered streetlights illuminate the town. The tempting smell of Greek cuisine fills the air after dark, dinner usually starts at nine or ten O’clock. Gyros are my favorite, freshly carved roast pork in a warm pita with tzatziki sauce, lettuce, tomato and onion. Other Greek dishes are equally as good. Moussaka (layers of eggplant minced meat and potatoes topped with cheese sauce and baked) is also delicious. Another yummy number is the souzoukakia (meatballs with tomato sauce and garlic). The gastronomic delights are endless, and the dinner meal here is sort of the entertainment. People truly take their time over dinner, eating out is a way of life and restaurants are more than places to have a bite, the restaurant is a place to have a good time. Ah...Santorini, your sights are radiant, your food divine, your people friendly, your church bells calming… like an old friend. Until our next visit, I am delighted to have walked upon your earth. |
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