A day and a half ago we arrived on the island of Santorini. Santorini is about 70 miles due north of Crete and is at the bottom of a circular chain of islands known as the Cyclades. In ancient times, this island was known as Kallisti, the beautiful, for its round shape. However, around 1600 BC a volcano on the island erupted spectacularly and much of the island collapsed into a caldera. Imagine Crater Lake in the middle of the Mediterranean and you get the idea. What remains today as Santorini is a roughly crescent shaped caldera rim that juts 600 to 700 feet out the water.
There are some archeologists who argue that the catastrophe at Santorini in 1600 BC brought an end to the Minoan civilization. Others say it merely weaked the Minoans, which other civilizations, such as the Myceneans, were able to exploit. ( It is known that the the written records at Cnossos, by the 12th century BC, were written in Linear B - Mycenean.)
We're staying in a house in Oia ( pronounced ee-aah ) at the north end of the island. This village is perched on the caldera cliff, and the cliffside dwellings are partially excavated into the rock - cave houses. This house is quite spacious -- a living room, a bedroom, and the largest bathroom we've seen in Greece. It remans warm at night ( when it does cool down due to the onshore winds ) and cool in the day ( when it is very hot ). It did get a bit clammy in there until we dimly realized that we should leave a couple of windows cracked at night to let the stonework breathe.
Oia is also quite famous for its sunsets. The population of the village about doubles in the hour before sunset, as people come from all over tbe island by bus to snap photos of the sun going down. (Then there is a rapid exodus to dinner, and then Oia begins to roll up its walkways ( the cliffside neighborhoods do not have roads, only footpaths, having been built up when donkeys and mules were the dominant transport mode. )
Fellow Americans: it IS possible to live life without a car. Really. Really.
There are two archeological sites of interest on Santorini. The first, Akrotiri, is a Minoan settlement, that predates the volcanic catastrophe. Alas it is closed to restabilize the 3-story walls, buildings, and covering structures, so we are unable to visit there.
The other is Akrothira, which sits high atop a mountain at the south end of the island. This town was founded by Spartans who were on the outs back home, probably about a thousand years after the catastrophic eruption. One look from below shows how defensible the site is, which of course, would be the primary concern for any proper Spartan ( read: rigid and highly paranoid ).
In later times, other Greeks and eventually the Romans, came to live here as well.
Looking at the 18 or so switchbacks that lead up this old landslide to the saddle below Akrothira, and the nearly 90 degree heat, we decided to take the shuttle bus rather than hike. ( Akrothira is on the left peak in the above photo.)
The site contains a number of ruins -- a temple of Aphrodite, a temple of Artemis, and two temples to Apollo. Also a typical Greek theatre, although this one has quite the backdrop -- a 1,000 ft sheer cliff to the sea.
It *was* very hot up there, and not so much wind, so we didn't stay long. We beat a retreat to the town at the base of the mountain, Kamari, famous for its black sand beach and numerous watering holes. We ate lunch in one while we cooled off, then rode the bus back to Thira town to do a bit of shopping.
Kamari from Akrothira:
Kamari beach from the viewpoint of a shaded watering hole (less spectacular perhaps, but at least 20 degrees cooler):
Our plans for the next couple of days are beginning to focus on an intensive program of sitting on the beach ( Kamari: black sand, Perissa: red sand ), sipping wine, reading, and generally keeping the beach furniture from flying away.
Before I sign off, a couple of more photos of the Santorini caldera from the Oia and Thira cliff towns...
Two more days and then it's back to Athens ... then home. Waaaaah! :-)
John
There are some archeologists who argue that the catastrophe at Santorini in 1600 BC brought an end to the Minoan civilization. Others say it merely weaked the Minoans, which other civilizations, such as the Myceneans, were able to exploit. ( It is known that the the written records at Cnossos, by the 12th century BC, were written in Linear B - Mycenean.)
We're staying in a house in Oia ( pronounced ee-aah ) at the north end of the island. This village is perched on the caldera cliff, and the cliffside dwellings are partially excavated into the rock - cave houses. This house is quite spacious -- a living room, a bedroom, and the largest bathroom we've seen in Greece. It remans warm at night ( when it does cool down due to the onshore winds ) and cool in the day ( when it is very hot ). It did get a bit clammy in there until we dimly realized that we should leave a couple of windows cracked at night to let the stonework breathe.
Fellow Americans: it IS possible to live life without a car. Really. Really.
There are two archeological sites of interest on Santorini. The first, Akrotiri, is a Minoan settlement, that predates the volcanic catastrophe. Alas it is closed to restabilize the 3-story walls, buildings, and covering structures, so we are unable to visit there.
The other is Akrothira, which sits high atop a mountain at the south end of the island. This town was founded by Spartans who were on the outs back home, probably about a thousand years after the catastrophic eruption. One look from below shows how defensible the site is, which of course, would be the primary concern for any proper Spartan ( read: rigid and highly paranoid ).
In later times, other Greeks and eventually the Romans, came to live here as well.
Looking at the 18 or so switchbacks that lead up this old landslide to the saddle below Akrothira, and the nearly 90 degree heat, we decided to take the shuttle bus rather than hike. ( Akrothira is on the left peak in the above photo.)
The site contains a number of ruins -- a temple of Aphrodite, a temple of Artemis, and two temples to Apollo. Also a typical Greek theatre, although this one has quite the backdrop -- a 1,000 ft sheer cliff to the sea.
It *was* very hot up there, and not so much wind, so we didn't stay long. We beat a retreat to the town at the base of the mountain, Kamari, famous for its black sand beach and numerous watering holes. We ate lunch in one while we cooled off, then rode the bus back to Thira town to do a bit of shopping.
Kamari from Akrothira:
Our plans for the next couple of days are beginning to focus on an intensive program of sitting on the beach ( Kamari: black sand, Perissa: red sand ), sipping wine, reading, and generally keeping the beach furniture from flying away.
Before I sign off, a couple of more photos of the Santorini caldera from the Oia and Thira cliff towns...
Two more days and then it's back to Athens ... then home. Waaaaah! :-)
John
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ReplyDeleteWow! Stunningly gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for sharing your Greek adventure. I've looked forward to each posting. Who knew being an armchair traveler would be so much fun?
Safe travels home dear ones. We look forward to seeing more photos and hearing all the stories.