Overlooking the Santorini caldera

One of the highlights of our stay on Naxos Island is the day trip by ferry to the island of Santorini. We have heard that a vist to this island is a 'must' for it's unique geographic features and stunning views of the Aegean. Santorini is about 45nm south of Naxos and as it does not have good anchorages, we decide to take a 3 hour ferry ride there. We arrived at the island mid morning. Santorini is a ring of rock around the sea--essentially, the rim of an old volcano, filled with water. The last eruption was in the 1950's. The crater or caldera was formed when the volcano erupted and the central part sank below water level. The sheer cliffs that rise up over 150 metres from the caldera are made up of lava-layered rock and on top sit the villages which seem to run along a circular ridge. It is quite a spectacular sight arriving by ferry! There are numerous cruise ships and day ferries moored in the bay and we are met by a bus at the port to transport us up into the main villages, which is a very steep climb up to the top. Fira and Oia are the main villages and both have amazing views over the caldera. The buildings are all white with blue trim and domed roofs. We are told that the reason the buildings are painted white is because it is a colour that reflects the heat of summer. We visit a local museum and as well, take many photos, as the views are amazing. The island produces a small quantity of excellent white wine a product of the furtile volcanic soil and Medeterannean climate. As it is such a windy island the vines are encouraged to grow along the ground where they are more sheltered.

We were overwhelmed by the number of tourists that pack the villages, shops and restaurants. Tourism is the islands main economy and with a number of cruise liners in port, flights landing etc the place was packed. We are thrilled when we 'ran into' some friends, we know from when we lived in Melbourne eight years ago. We enjoy catching up on each others news over a drink in a bar overlooking the picturesque bay. We catch our return ferry home late afternoon, which is quite a rolly ride home as the winds are up and the seas are reasonably steep. As a consequence there are many sea sick passengers. Of course Bern has his sea legs and is happy to read his book all the way home, while Di finds the floor a more steady place to sit!