What day is it?

Way excited to be at the top... obviously...

It has been so easy to loose track of time on the island... We've been spending our days leisurely cruising around and laying on beaches. We eat dinner late and wake up late, and it's wonderful. I do feel ready to be back on the mainland... looking forward to more entertainment.

While we mostly went to beaches, we also visited some museums! We met an archeologist from the Netherlands, Jos, so we all went to the archeological museum, which was AWFUL... I think I could honestly say it is the worst museum I have ever been to. There were no didactics, and mostly pots, all excavated from the same grave site in Ancient Thira. Disappointing. We also went to another musuem (I'm completely forgetting the name...) but it is a private museum whose collection is mostly legal documents, mostly archives, but some prints, drawings and paintings as well. It was a neat little museum and the documents were extremely well preserved! Especially considering they were sitting in cases in the natural light, with no temperature control in the 100 degree humidity... For all of you non-museum people I'm sure this talk is endlessly boring, so I digress.

Yesterday, for our last day on the island, we decided to go to the caldera, an active volcano (last eruption was 1950) right off the coast of Santorini. We left late morning (which works well for Anya and I) and were transported by bus to our sail boat. Yep, sail boat! Unfortunately we weren't actually sailing, as the sails were tied down, but it was still a great boat. Our group was diverse, and I was amazed at how many languages the tour guide spoke. He repeated everything in Greek, English and Italian for the tour, and spoke German to another couple. He was kind of an ass though, as he kept gesturing to women's breasts and laughing about it with the captain... (Dudes are dudes regardless of country)

We got to the volcano quickly, and were told we were going to hike to the top. Um, excuse me? I'm all for a good hike, but with no water, in slippery sandals, on a completely black island in the 100 degree heat, with no sun cover I'm not as enthused. We made it to the half way point in about 30 minutes and I thought I was going to loose my breakfast right then and there. At that point dear Anya announced she could go no farther, and I followed her lead. I hate to sound like a quitter, but really, was I going to see anything other than MORE black rocks at the top? Nope.

We returned to the boat and the group arrived shortly thereafter. It was off to the hot springs. At this point the triathlon continued. We pulled up about 100 meters from the spring and they were like "Okay! You must swim!" Now, I'm always up for a good swim, and the heat doesn't make a difference when you're in the water! The spring was awesome. It's sort of straight out of a zombie movie though... There are loads of people swimming and there is a point where the water turns to a rust color from the mud, and at that point you can stand. So people slowly emerge, red stained out of the mud water and everyone is trudging towards land all slow and strange-like. I wish I could have gotten a video. The spring was warm and everyone rubbed mud all over themselves, which seems like a good idea, until later when it dries and you're all orange, and your skins super dry. :/

After the springs we stopped at another little island for lunch... which was very possibly the best meal I've had in Greece. A greek salad (with those delicious Santorini tomatoes), an ice cold Mythos, and mussels! For those of you who know me well, you know I don't like seafood, but Anya was insistent I try them, and they were great! They tasted like chicken, and for someone who hasn't had chicken in a very long time, this was a treat.

We were exhausted as we returned to the port. A day of hiking, swimming and sitting in the sun really drains a person... We were directed to a bus to take us back and we boarded. However, the driver had other plans. He headed the opposite direction of our hotel, picked up another couple, dropped them off at the airport, and continued farther to pick up another group of people... About an hour into being shuttled all over half the island, he stops and tells Anya and I to get off. Anya put her "bitch voice" on and told him where we were going. He said "Too bad. Take another bus." I am constantly amazed at how RUDE some Greek people have been... Honestly... Maybe it's the midwest in me, but people should smile at each other, and try to give each other a hand. We did as he said, grabbed a cab, and paid another 15 Euros for something that should have been free. When we got to the hotel we intended to complain but Loukas, the owner and possibly sweetest man I have ever met, was the only one there... so we didn't tell him a thing. It's probably better this way. After our first day fiasco I'm sure he would have thought we were fools.

We relaxed our last night, as I had to get up for my flight at 5am. We weren't about to make the same mistake we made our last night in Istanbul... Good. Times. Right now, I'm wasting time in the Athens airport. My flight to Barcelona leaves at 4pm this afternoon. Can't wait! As for now... here are many pictures of beautiful Santorini. Goodbye Greece!


On the last day we stumbled upon the coolest beach...


Beautiful Oia, Classic Santorini


Anna and Irene, best shop owners ever...


Tasty samples from Anna and Irene


Actually "sun drying" tomatoes... delicious.


I love the trees here!


Stairs leading to the lighthouse.


This is the view everyday. Anya and I were laughing about the T.V. last night, there was a weather girl on, being a little too stripper-like into the camera. We figure it's because she never has anything new to say. "Well folks, it's going to be sunny... and hot... again...."