Sunny, not a cloud in the sky, still waters and forecast high of 21C.
We dock in Aghios Nikolaos, Crete. Once again we are up at 5.30am and for this morning’s tour we give history a miss and do A Taste Of Crete. It starts with a scenic look around and the fist stop is at the Cretin Olive Oil Farm. Here we see how olive oil is made and there is tasting of olive oil, olive pate and marmalades. Of course there is alcohol - raki. Tina loves it but it’s not really me.
Next is the small town of Kritsa where we are taken to a restaurant and given nice things – local tea (we think camomile), local honey and yoghurt, small savouries with local fillings, local cheese. All very nice. Oh, and there is alcohol (raki again). There is also local music and dancing.
The good news for us was that we found a post office in the town with people who have some English and we post a 3.5kg box home. Excellent weight reduction.
Back to the boat. Meeting about Santorini disembarking and tomorrow’s disembarkation. We can’t go to the expected port of Piraeus in mainland Greece because it is May Day tomorrow with strikes and possible road blocks. We are to land in smaller port of Lavrion.
The first views of Santorini are breathtaking. Sheer cliffs rising from the sea with human habitation perched on top. We disembark on to tender boats which take us to shore with the only (?) road up to the top. And what a road it is! Narrow and zigzagging up about a thousand feet. We travel to the northern most town (Oia) which is evidently the most picturesque town. We can believe this; the views are simply amazing. Wait to you see the pictures. The houses are built into the rocks (cave houses). We instantly fall in love and can imagine staying here. We get a glass of wine and drink in the views. In the carpark I count 12 buses from my seat (there may have been more which I could not see). It is very busy. We buy nuts coated in sesame seeds – yummmmmmmmmmm.
We go back to the main town of Thira and drop a thousand feet very quickly in a cable car. The other two options are to walk or take a smelly donkey.
Tender boat back to the ship. After dinner it is pack, put suitcases outside the cabin door where they are whisked away. I went to the talent quest.
Sunday, May 3, 2009
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