(I am having trouble on this computer uploading the photos to go with it onto this blog, so I've put em up on facebook here .... http://www.facebook.com/update_security_info.php?wizard=1#!/media/set/?set=a.2086551813605.2126397.1539476984)
Santorini must be the most beatiful place I have ever seen. Dispite a bad first impression, due to the fact that when I arrived on the ferry I hadn't slept in two days, I realized quickly that staying here was going to be easy and cheap, a place that many people dream about throughout the world.
After arriving to the poort that is against the rocky cliffs of the caldera, I took many busses, to the central island city of Fira, to Pyrgos, and finally to Perissa on the south end of the island where John and Katerina's Hotel was located, so i had heard. A few girls I met at the Acropolis in Athens told me about the place for only 6.60 euros a night (less than $10) living in dorm style beds. I quickly found the hotel and met Rick, an American from Miami who lives on the island over summer to help John and Katerina, who only speak Greek, with hotel bookings. Marcos, John and Katerina's son, and his wife, run a bike, scooter, and ATV rental shop and an internet cafe next door. As I was walking through the place to my room I couldn't believe it. Patio chairs and tables next to a pool and just a beautiful Greek hotel for so cheap! I was excited to find my friends from the Acropolis pull up on an ATV they were renting three days for 24 euros. They were coming back from Santorini's famous black sand beaches, just down the street, and were about to head to the Caldera for the sunset. I jumped on the back of another ATV that two other girls I had just met were driving and the five of us zoomed through the fresh island air, with green vinyards and Greek island estates all around us. The island is shaped like a crescent moon, with a volcano in the center, and other islands you can see in the distance. The Caldera is the magnificent view of the west side. The small town of Oia on the northern tip of the crescent is kown around the world as the most beautiful sunset spot ever.That night we went to our own lookout spot on the inside of the south tip of the island, with the volcano and Oia in view, ferries and sailboats coming in and out of sea, and the rocky caldera cliffs all along the coast. This would be a prime proposal spot, there were couples all around sipping on wine and cheesedishes under the romantic sunset that is sure to make you fall in love, if you hadn't already. I watched all of this as I fell in love with the island itself. This was the first night...and it wasn't even over yet.
That night another girl named Kelly showed up who was travelling home to Canada after two years living and working in Sidney, Austrailia only to move again after summer live and work in London. She had been travling the world for three months already and her trip was coming to an end. With her beautiful red hair, Austrailian/Canadian accent, and all of the confidence and experience of a world traveler, I could not help but be very attracted to her. We ended up spending all of tuesday out adventuring the island together. I rented an ATV, and instead of her buying one for herself and going out alone, I offered to share mine, go out together, where we would both save money. We hit it off really well in the beginning, and the whole day was just amazing. We took a swim in Santorini's famous red sand beaches, saw a lighthouse view of the caldera, enjoyed tradition Greek cuisine, and traversed up to Ancient Thira on top of Santorini's mountain. When we reached near the peak we had to stop because Kelly about got blown off of the cliff's edge. I did my best to help her while trying to keep my own balance, and one gust of wind completely knocked her over! No matter where on Santorini you are, there is always an amazing picturesque view of the caldera, or the beaches, vinyards or white/blue Greek churches and estates, and sometimes all of these at once to make the most beautiful view in the world. Along with the view, there is always really good Greek wine close by. Santorini is believed to be home to the oldest vinyards in the world, says the plaque in Santo's Wine Estates. Whether that's true or not, the was wine great, and always tasted better I'm sure because of the dreamy and romantic environment all around. In only one day Kelly and I became very good friends enjoying the beautiful landscape and talking about our past traveling experiences and our future plans, the meaning of that word becoming more abiguous each traveler I meet and every day traveling myself.
Ok, now I will stop teasing all of you friends and family wondering what the deal is with me adventuring around an island all day with a pretty girl to the most romantic spots on earth. Despite the situation I knew nothing would happen and did well avoiding too much feelings between Kelly and I. Sure it was kinda hard, but for those who know me that is not the kind of person I am, although I'm learning that for many world travelers it is a big part of it. They travel countries and hop islands falling in love everywhere they go, loving and romancing only to wake up in the morning, pack thier bags, and depart thier seperate ways. I told Kelly how I wasn't shaving my beard all summer, and she didn't believe that I would keep to it. She said if I am trying to pick of chicks my chances will grow less and less likely as the summer goes on and the beard grows longer. This information I know was like gold to me. It meant that so far as I continued growing this thing out there will be a romatic barier between me and any girl that comes along my way. So I will keep this nugget of information from all fellow travelers lest I be called gay, which has already happened once. Meeting fun girls traveling and making memories together, becoming good friends and resist sharing romantic feelings will be just fine for me.
Back to Santorini. I have been eating very conservatively, making peanut butter and jelly and when I go out eating souvlaki for only 2 euro.I have become a souvlaki efficianado realizing that the meat and the tzatziki is what makes a good souvlaki. If at least one of those is good quality the whole thing will be good, and if both are present you will have the best meal under $3 in the entire world. I have been spending more money on wine and transportation than anything else.
And now, the story I have been waiting with strong anticipation to share - As the sun set yesterday and the day came to and end and the lights of night shone bright, I dropped off Kelly to meet a traveling couple for dinner that they had cooked themselves that night. which is by I couldn't initially join her, to find out later that they were trying to call me to have me go out with them. I would have been fun, but thier calls never got to my Greek and sometimes insufficient cell phone and I totally understood the situation. I had my own plans anyway! I would go taste some of Greece's best wines at Santo Wine Estates, that is open latre and has a great view of the Caldera. When I showed up on the ATV I did not know what was happening because there were police cars everywhere. But when I arrived back to the hotel later that night IJ had the best story to share with everyone who all emmediately became very sorry they hadn't taken up my invitation to come along. I had somehow crashed a wine tasting event for the islands entire police department. I had all the wine and cheese I could help myself to and wonderful conversation with uniformed locals, and then took off without paying anything. I didn't steel, they just wouldn't accept any money from me - a story that will last me a lifetime and a party.
More blogging to come about a potential summer job as a barista at a nice cafe overlooking the Caldera! Keep in touch to here about that as soon as I do!
After talking to other travelers I am learning to appreciate beautiful California and the opportunity we have practically in our backyards. I hope by these blogs to encourage in all of you an adventuresome spirit in California and elsewhere. Love and miss you all!
Miah
Santorini must be the most beatiful place I have ever seen. Dispite a bad first impression, due to the fact that when I arrived on the ferry I hadn't slept in two days, I realized quickly that staying here was going to be easy and cheap, a place that many people dream about throughout the world.
After arriving to the poort that is against the rocky cliffs of the caldera, I took many busses, to the central island city of Fira, to Pyrgos, and finally to Perissa on the south end of the island where John and Katerina's Hotel was located, so i had heard. A few girls I met at the Acropolis in Athens told me about the place for only 6.60 euros a night (less than $10) living in dorm style beds. I quickly found the hotel and met Rick, an American from Miami who lives on the island over summer to help John and Katerina, who only speak Greek, with hotel bookings. Marcos, John and Katerina's son, and his wife, run a bike, scooter, and ATV rental shop and an internet cafe next door. As I was walking through the place to my room I couldn't believe it. Patio chairs and tables next to a pool and just a beautiful Greek hotel for so cheap! I was excited to find my friends from the Acropolis pull up on an ATV they were renting three days for 24 euros. They were coming back from Santorini's famous black sand beaches, just down the street, and were about to head to the Caldera for the sunset. I jumped on the back of another ATV that two other girls I had just met were driving and the five of us zoomed through the fresh island air, with green vinyards and Greek island estates all around us. The island is shaped like a crescent moon, with a volcano in the center, and other islands you can see in the distance. The Caldera is the magnificent view of the west side. The small town of Oia on the northern tip of the crescent is kown around the world as the most beautiful sunset spot ever.That night we went to our own lookout spot on the inside of the south tip of the island, with the volcano and Oia in view, ferries and sailboats coming in and out of sea, and the rocky caldera cliffs all along the coast. This would be a prime proposal spot, there were couples all around sipping on wine and cheesedishes under the romantic sunset that is sure to make you fall in love, if you hadn't already. I watched all of this as I fell in love with the island itself. This was the first night...and it wasn't even over yet.
That night another girl named Kelly showed up who was travelling home to Canada after two years living and working in Sidney, Austrailia only to move again after summer live and work in London. She had been travling the world for three months already and her trip was coming to an end. With her beautiful red hair, Austrailian/Canadian accent, and all of the confidence and experience of a world traveler, I could not help but be very attracted to her. We ended up spending all of tuesday out adventuring the island together. I rented an ATV, and instead of her buying one for herself and going out alone, I offered to share mine, go out together, where we would both save money. We hit it off really well in the beginning, and the whole day was just amazing. We took a swim in Santorini's famous red sand beaches, saw a lighthouse view of the caldera, enjoyed tradition Greek cuisine, and traversed up to Ancient Thira on top of Santorini's mountain. When we reached near the peak we had to stop because Kelly about got blown off of the cliff's edge. I did my best to help her while trying to keep my own balance, and one gust of wind completely knocked her over! No matter where on Santorini you are, there is always an amazing picturesque view of the caldera, or the beaches, vinyards or white/blue Greek churches and estates, and sometimes all of these at once to make the most beautiful view in the world. Along with the view, there is always really good Greek wine close by. Santorini is believed to be home to the oldest vinyards in the world, says the plaque in Santo's Wine Estates. Whether that's true or not, the was wine great, and always tasted better I'm sure because of the dreamy and romantic environment all around. In only one day Kelly and I became very good friends enjoying the beautiful landscape and talking about our past traveling experiences and our future plans, the meaning of that word becoming more abiguous each traveler I meet and every day traveling myself.
Ok, now I will stop teasing all of you friends and family wondering what the deal is with me adventuring around an island all day with a pretty girl to the most romantic spots on earth. Despite the situation I knew nothing would happen and did well avoiding too much feelings between Kelly and I. Sure it was kinda hard, but for those who know me that is not the kind of person I am, although I'm learning that for many world travelers it is a big part of it. They travel countries and hop islands falling in love everywhere they go, loving and romancing only to wake up in the morning, pack thier bags, and depart thier seperate ways. I told Kelly how I wasn't shaving my beard all summer, and she didn't believe that I would keep to it. She said if I am trying to pick of chicks my chances will grow less and less likely as the summer goes on and the beard grows longer. This information I know was like gold to me. It meant that so far as I continued growing this thing out there will be a romatic barier between me and any girl that comes along my way. So I will keep this nugget of information from all fellow travelers lest I be called gay, which has already happened once. Meeting fun girls traveling and making memories together, becoming good friends and resist sharing romantic feelings will be just fine for me.
Back to Santorini. I have been eating very conservatively, making peanut butter and jelly and when I go out eating souvlaki for only 2 euro.I have become a souvlaki efficianado realizing that the meat and the tzatziki is what makes a good souvlaki. If at least one of those is good quality the whole thing will be good, and if both are present you will have the best meal under $3 in the entire world. I have been spending more money on wine and transportation than anything else.
And now, the story I have been waiting with strong anticipation to share - As the sun set yesterday and the day came to and end and the lights of night shone bright, I dropped off Kelly to meet a traveling couple for dinner that they had cooked themselves that night. which is by I couldn't initially join her, to find out later that they were trying to call me to have me go out with them. I would have been fun, but thier calls never got to my Greek and sometimes insufficient cell phone and I totally understood the situation. I had my own plans anyway! I would go taste some of Greece's best wines at Santo Wine Estates, that is open latre and has a great view of the Caldera. When I showed up on the ATV I did not know what was happening because there were police cars everywhere. But when I arrived back to the hotel later that night IJ had the best story to share with everyone who all emmediately became very sorry they hadn't taken up my invitation to come along. I had somehow crashed a wine tasting event for the islands entire police department. I had all the wine and cheese I could help myself to and wonderful conversation with uniformed locals, and then took off without paying anything. I didn't steel, they just wouldn't accept any money from me - a story that will last me a lifetime and a party.
More blogging to come about a potential summer job as a barista at a nice cafe overlooking the Caldera! Keep in touch to here about that as soon as I do!
After talking to other travelers I am learning to appreciate beautiful California and the opportunity we have practically in our backyards. I hope by these blogs to encourage in all of you an adventuresome spirit in California and elsewhere. Love and miss you all!
Miah
Man, it sounds like you're having an awesome time. Thanks for documenting it so that the rest of us can live vicariously through you.
ReplyDeleteyou should know that i am living vicariously through this blog and your grecian adventures.
ReplyDeleteDude... there are no babes out here... just burly biking dudes. Some of them are really attractive though.
ReplyDelete