Greece was home-base for a few months, and it made for quite a few memorable trips. Santorini was one of the highlights.
Living and working on Crete island in Greece was a short and forgettable chapter in my professional and personal life. While nature was ever generous, history and culture so rich and fascinating, people so warm and fun loving, the country’s state of affairs was nearly depressing. Greece’s economy seemed to have passed brink after brink of collapse, and this was so evident in hospitality as well. Hence the short nature of my stay.
Vacationing on and around Crete became the consolation prize for a much shorter working summer season than I wanted, but that I gladly embraced given the circumstances. If Crete was the beautiful backdrop of beautiful drives and beach hopping, Athens the abundant and delicious food for the body and the soul, Santorini was the seducing and memorable experience.
Taking the cruise-ship looking ferry to the island brought up memories from almost a decade earlier from half way around the world, and ironically inspired me to return to that line of work a year later. The trip was short and sweet, with only half a day on the island. It did not help that the half day was scorching hot and the narrow streets were teaming with tourists from all over Europe.
Despite all this, the short excursion was a delight because of the dramatic beauty of the island and the charming architecture which livened up the austere and rocky surroundings. The iconic white and blue colored buildings made for photogenic vistas, and the occasional flower arrangements elevated the scenery even more. The bus tour took us to Oia and Fira, and at the end we took a short boat cruise with optional swimming. Once again, the highlight of the trip was taking it all in while strolling on the busy narrow streets while occasionally adventuring down the narrow stairways.
If I get to do this all over again, I will definitely spend more time on the island and witness the sun setting over the island.
