Santorini

Over the Fourth of July long weekend we went to Crete, and from Crete we went on a one-day trip to Santorini. Santorini is the southern-most island in the Cyclades group, and is about 100 miles northwest of Heraklion, where we were staying on Crete. Santorini used to be more or less a round island, but due to a huge volcanic eruption in about 1450 BC, now it is sort of a semicircle, with four islands remaining from the destroyed side. This side of the island they call the caldera.

Oia is the village at the northern-most tip of the island, facing the caldera. Blue windows are the norm.

The church in Oia. Most all the churches on Santorini are Greek Orthodox (surprise!). The various villages, like this one, have a community church; the other 300+ chapels on the island are family chapels, and only have services on the family feast day.

Oia towards the caldera.

If the houses aren't painted white, they are mostly this pale yellow color. (For those of you who aren't aware of my color descriptions, I use the colors from the Binney & Smith 8 pack; so if you don't think this is yellow, too bad.)

The Santorini color scheme: white, bule and a touch of yellow. Some places there is a touch of pink.

Oia was not as overrun with tourists as was Fira, but the narrow streets were similar.

Still a reliable means of transportation and portage on the very steep and winding roads.

One of the tiny villages between Oia and Fira.

Windmills used to be commonly in use, but no more. These are non-working, and are in keeping with the desire of Santorini to preserve its traditional architecture.
The orthodox church in Fira.
Campanile.
Fira is approximately in the middle of the island, caldera side.

Fira, looking toward Oia in the distance.

On the far right, the orthodox church columned wall.

The black beach on the southern side of the island. Black because of the volcano lava.
Cindy went sunbathing on the black beach, and I went walking around the tiny little village, but it had a large church.

Santorini raises a lot of grapes, but because of lack of rain they don't stake them, but sort of wrap them in little circles on the ground and they can trap whatever dew there might be, and absorb the humidity, of which there is an abundance. They make a lot of vin santo, which is a sweet dessert wine.

The caldera; Fira, Oia in the far distance.



Road up from the port.