Dreams of Santorini

If I had a wish, what I would wish for is to be at sea sailing for the island of Santorini. You may ask why I might choose to visit Santorini, when I live on the beautiful island of Maui. My answer would be that there is no place in the world quite like Santorini. My first trip to Greece was many moons ago...

At Santorini, the ship pulls up to let off the passengers and opens its doors to reveal probably the most exciting place on the planet. Or at least, so I believe. Santorini is full of historical monuments, great hiking trails, gorgeous black beaches and views to die for. 

After you arrive at the dock on Santorini, you are met with easily 100 young boys trying to sell anything from fresh squid to rooms for rent in funky hotels. Once you escape the young boys, you must find a way to get to your room near the top of Santorini. Be ready to open your wallet and pay the necessary drachma to someone who will take you on the journey up, up, up, up, up  the hill to find a room that will hopefully be perched on the side of the hill with an indescribable view. You usually will use a donkey for this journey, which is part of the excitement of Santorini. Make sure you plan a sunset with your favorite beverage on the side of the hill, where most of the views are. 

Santorini is so incredible because of the astounding views it has of the Mediterranean and of the crater in the distance. Once I arrived and unloaded my bags, I got to see the whitewashed walls and the views of Thera or Fira. The volcano blew up and formed a massive caldera. To this day there is still a tiny cloud of smoke rising from the volcano. You can also hike up to the crater. It's very hot and you need the right shoes for this steep volcanic hike. 

There was a small town called Ia. 3000 years ago the people of Ia, also called Oia, made fabulous frescos depicting the everyday life of the people of this time. These frescos were beautifully drawn on the walls of buildings, including the most famous fresco called, "The Fisherman."  When the volcano blew up 3000 years ago, the people obviously had advance notice, because the island was completely vacant. Crete was the new location for the ancient Minoan civilization.

Plato spoke of an island of Atlantis and he believed that the actual location of the island of Atlantis was Santorini.  Jacques Cousteau too believed that the island of Santorini was the location of the lost island of Atlantis. He believed that the eruption of is what covered it up. My fervent hope and plan is to one day return to Santorini and its special magic.