have to be close to the pinnacle of places visited for shear exotic beauty. After their arrival in Heraklion/Iraklio, and
only a little time to recover from jet lag we set out to explore nearby sites on Crete.
Our
home base on Crete is Agios Nickolaos, where we are beginning
to feel very much at home. After taking a tour by car to Knosses
and to the museum in Heraklion we explored little villages and archeological
sites near our port.
Everywhere you turn in Crete is another scenic "photo op"
and breathtaking scene "overload" is more than a possibility.
Both the scenery and the subjects echo the posters identified
with Greece. "Zorba" is much in evidence as every sidewalk cafe
has a contingent of mustached, macho, Greek men sipping and talking.
The beverage depends on the time of day and seldom do you see Greek
women sitting in a cafe. The cafes are numerous 
and
you need not go far to find food and drink on Crete. We have found
the food on Crete and on Santorini to be excellent, especially the
seafood and the fresh salads and vegetables. The problem of
"over ordering" is common and it is easy to waddle away from a Greek
meal. Where ever we have been the fish is presented to you
fresh and raw before they clean and cook it for you.
That
way you can look at the eyes and judge how fresh it is. Fish is
usually served whole, in its entirety, head tail and all.
We have eaten some of the best fish here, usually fresh off the
boat the same day it was caught. In Santorini we ate where
the fishermen bring their catch ashore and you can pick your fish
right on the dock. Food is not cheap in Greece, nor is anything
else, we are now in the European market and prices reflect that
fact.
We
introduced Steve and Kyle to our friends Julie and Stu, from Stampede.
Stu and Julie also were planning to go to Santorini so we decided
to go together. Rather than take their boat they joined us
on Sea Gem and it was a grand adventure for all of us. With
six aboard there are plenty of hands to do the work and the day
sail to Santorini was a snap.
The island of Santorini or Thera is actually the rim of a
now dormant volcano. The island was inhabited from prehistoric
times
until the volcanic eruption that destroyed it in 1550 BC. The eruption
set off a tidal wave that destroyed the Minoan Civilization
on Crete, eighty-five miles away, and traveled 30 miles into the
mainland of Greece. Greater than Krakatoa, this volcanic explosion
is said to be the largest in the history of the world. We viewed
archeological ruins they are presently excavating from pre-eruption
times.
The dramatic topography of Santorini, sheer cliffs on one
side of the island and fertile plane on the other, is one thing
that makes this island a draw to so many tourists. The towns
drape over the top of the ridge like icing dribbled over a cake,
white against the spicy browns and reds of the cliffs beneath.
The cliffs are so sheer that the stairs zigzag up the precipice,
over 
three
hundred and fifty to climb from sea level to the town. The
donkey men are busy ferrying cargo and tourists up and down, and
in one place there is a cable car which most people use.
Any anchorage you might be able to find is fouled with large rocks and boulders which can capture your anchor.
The sheerness of the cliffs does not stop where the water begins so right off the shore it is very deep. The best hope for securing your boat is to find one of the scarce moorings not used by the cruise ships.
Santorini
is an artists dream. Artists flock there for the scenery, the brilliant
light and dramatic landscapes. Galleries and studios line
the narrow streets and walk ways. The art runs the spectrum
from poor to excellent, and the cost from reasonable to very expensive.
There is much religious art and many reproductions of the icons
from the orthodox churches. It is obvious at every turn that
tourism is the lifeblood of the Greek Islands and this fact makes
traveling very comfortable. So many times people say they
want to get "off the beaten path" and "away from the tourists".
Trust me, it isn't half bad to be in an area where the stranger
is welcomed as part of what makes the economy work.
Another adventure on Santorini was renting three motor bikes and touring the whole island from one end to the other. The road caps the peak of the island and as you ride along the ridge you can look
from one coast line to the other. The breeze at that altitude is cool, the air dry and the sunlight brilliant.
A cloud swept over us during our ride and
brought with it a chill and misty grey softness.
We rode to the top of the mountain, capped with a monestary, and looked out from the highest point on Santorini.
The Greek Islands are laden with jewelry stores, T-shirt shops, ceramic shops, bike rental agencies and car rental agencies. English is spoken at least enough to transact most necessary business.
The formalities of cruising are a little more complex as our dock neighbor illustrated. As he entered Greece he filled out the mirad of paperwork necessary. The first line required the
boat owners name, address, birthdate and passport number. The next line required the same information on the boat's captain. As he is one and the same, he wrote "as above" and
continued to the third space where he filled in the information on his wife. All was well as he turned in the paper work and they enjoyed their visit. When it was time to leave he went
back to check out and handed the officials the two passports, his and his wife's. "I need the other passport." the official stated. "There is no other passport, there are only the two of us
on the boat." said our neighbor. "The other passport, the other passport, Mr. Asabove!"
So much for the language barrier.
Steve and Kyle left us in Santorini to catch a flight back to Athens and then homeward bound. Their visit was short but so enjoyable. The Conway's and the Gray's spent one
more day exploring Santorini and then headed back to Crete. Until later from Crete . . .
Highlights
of our journey are visits from friends from home, and Kyle and Steve
Miller's visit was a special treat. Steve and Kyle are from
Orlando and they have been aboard Sea Gem in several wonderful locations
for both cruising and fishing.