Greece - Athens and Santorini

To awaken in the morning in Europe and 3+ hours later to be in Athens is incredible. We had a walk through the Plaka and dinner with dancers and music. On the way back, walking to the subway yielded the following view. Columns in the midst of the shops and cafes. References to 2A.D. as being modern.

The next morning was a flight to Santorini. This is one of those top three places I have dreamed about seeing, and it is because of seeing a photo years ago of something very similar to the following photos.
Church in Oia.

Fira

It was as stunning as I expected.

This is our amazing guide, Alexandra, who took such good care of a group of 35. She shepherded us through some wonderful
experiences and was sitting in the lobby with maps and suggestions for dinner.

The view across from our hotel when we walked out to go for dinner.

Famous for olives, cherry tomatoes, and white aubergine. The feta, capers, nutmeg and olive oil added so much flavor to every dish.

The sun hung in the sky for the longest time, creating many special moments.


The night sky was full of jewels.


Thankfully, the students all got up for the volcanic tour and a swim in the Aegean Sea. We found pockets of thermal springs!

I had the experience once of going to Crater Lake Oregon before and seeing a color blue in nature I had never seen before.
The Aegean colors were not unfamiliar, but more deep and saturated in life than I could have imagined.


We got off the boat and there was a 560 stair ascent to the town. I walked. The students rented unruly donkeys, and we made it to the top around the same time.


The evening sky as we go to catch the “Easy Jet” speedboat back to Athens. Five hours was a long time on a ferry, even a fast one.

I recommend flying, and think the island is worth the effort. Santorini is definitely a place where I would like to return.

The Acropolis. We had an excellent guide and learned a lot about the history of Greek civilization and democracy. We also learned a lot about the Olympics, visiting the center of the first location of the modern Olympics, just after being in London and seeing remnants of the most recent ones.


This was a taste of Greece, and a strong invitation to come back. I think I would schedule Crete and Santorini next time, for an opportunity to do more outdoor activities and to visit another slice of Greek history.