Santorini

Oia

 Our time in Greece has been paralleled with the troubles they are having with their monetary deficit, the Prime minister has been seen with ever increasing frequency on the televisions we have passed and seen when we have gone into shops.  If we didn’t know what he looked like before we do now, the same can be said for how much we knew about Greek politics, but talking to the people there is a lot of anger and resignation.  Anger for the predicament and the people who have put them there and lots of others like the UK in the first world, resignation because most see there is not a quick fix to the problem. 

Megan in Amoudi taverna

Room with a view

When on Crete this was never far from daily life, whether seeing the ‘Old Men’ arguing in the park and in the cafes, politics the hot topic of the day, or of talking to Michali and Susanne on the same subject.  In contrast Santorini is bright and almost carefree, a real holiday isle, tourism is the main income for most of the natives plus workers from all over, mainland Greece, Russia, Ukraine, Italy, Bulgaria etc all working hard – 14/15 hours a day, 7 days a week for seven months then 5 months off back home.

Oia street

Oia churchyard

 

 

The streets are packed with shoppers, some staying on the island others day visitors from the 2 or 3 cruise ships ‘parked’ in the Caldera, a constant buzz of small ferry boats out and back dropping off picking up, depositing at the bottom of the cliff, up the cable car or on the donkey trains up the steps. Hordes of Russians, Chinese, Japanese being led through the streets by their guides holding up signs, taking posed photo,s, the Russian girls draped in front of the view like models or film stars.

Amoudi harbour

View from hotel

The island is a big volcano, which blew its top a couple of thousand years ago, leaving a crator, the Caldera, the steep sides of which form one side of the island, the other is gently sloping down to the beaches of black sand.  Perched on the edge of the caldera are houses, shops and hotels giving breathtaking views and superb sunsets.

Megalochori

Our move now is to Mykanos, ‘party isle’ for 5 nights, then back to Athens and work – maybe.

Sunset