Santorini!!!

SANTORINI SANTORINI SANTORINI

where do I even begin.....

Firstly, it is EXACTLY as beautiful as the pictures, films, documentaries but even so I wasn't prepared for how overwhelmingly spectacular and magical it really was. After feeling very poorly after over-indulging in cocktails in Mykonos..... After a cosmo, a pina colada, a chocolate ice cream flavour, an espresso martini and I can't forget the toblerone I was surprised I was still functioning the next day..... I was veeeeery happy to arrive on solid ground and was instantly buzzing when we ventured up from the port to the top of Santorini, all you could see was blue sky and blue water and the beautiful white houses scattered all over the mountain top (a little like mount wellington at the moment) HAHA.  The week has been fantastic as we have spent our time cruising around the island in our Jeep, soaking up the sunshine on the beaches and generally enjoying each others company. We were lucky enough to spend our time here with more of H's family which has made the last four days extra special. Our schedule was as follows......

Day 1- We settled in to our accommodation before walking through Oia and watching the world famous sunset, with literally THOUSANDS of people crowding the mountain top, on top of roofs, restaurants, scattered through the streets, all trying to get the best view of the ocean. As the sun went down, the sky lit up in the most glorious shade of red which reflected onto the water, turning it the lightest shade of purple/blue. After closing my mouth we headed down to Amoudi to the fishing port where all of Santorini's freshest seafood restaurants can be found, here we had a family feasta on a traditional seafood dish..... Spaghetti pasta and crayfish. It was the most intense flavour with the pasta cooked in the juices that were used to cook the crayfish it was unlike anything I have had before, but DELICIOUS! With a little Greek salad to top it all off (mopping up the olive oil and salad juices with bread, as is the Greek way). We were even treated to some authentic baklava before waddling back to the hotel and calling it a night.

Day 2- The morning began with a donkey ride down and back up the Caldera (the mountain slope), the donkeys range from draught horse size non donkeys.... seriously AS if they get that big, to shetland pony like size, luckily I got a beautiful white one somewhere in the middle who treated me very well down and up the mountain, although I was middy terrified the whole time. The donkeys answer to the Greek mountain men, who speak to them in another Greek villager type language  commanding them to go up and down, although they are tied together in a line to go down the slope, they let them find their own way back..... WITH PASSENGERS STILL ATTACHED!! Naturally, they go at their own pace and sometimes this is too fast for non Melbourne cup jockeys like myself.... although I felt like I was in the great race as H and his family yelled commentary about who was coming up on the inside lane for the entirety of our upward journey. Copped a few donkey farts (luckily no wet ones) which made it an experience to remember forever. After the mornings excitement it was time for our yacht cruise!!! From 3pm until the sunset at 8.30pm we were on the water, first stop was the hot springs right next to the non active volcano!!! We anchored and jumped off the boat into the crystal clear blue water, swimming over into the shore to check out the springs. As we got closer you could see the change in colour as the sulphur began to come through and the colour of the mud underneath swirled between our toes. We were not up for rubbing the mud over us as it stinks and H decided to tell me that it wasn't actually mud under foot but all of Santorini's sewerage hot spot..... (he was joking) but it was enough to get me swimming back to the boat quick smart. After the springs it was time to head to the red beach, called the red beach due to the colour of the sand and the rocks above (the beach was actually closed as the rocks were known the slide and it wasn't safe for people to be there, although many locals still were we swam to shore and swam straight back). Next stop was the white beach where we got to snorkel, THE MOST AMAZING EXPERIENCE EVER!! Although I had a little trouble with the breathing to start with and swallowed a few gallons of salt water I got the hang of it eventually.The water was absolutely see through and all you could see were thousands and thousands of fish!! After spending a good half an hour in the water it was time for lunch, a traditional Greek BBQ of pork and chicken, greek salad, fetta cheese, dolmates, pasta salad, bread olive oil and balsamic vinegar and some traditional Santorini wine  to wash it all down. It was then smooth sailing back towards Santorini, chasing the sunset until it was lost beneath the sea. As we got closer to Oia we could see the flashes of the tourists cameras and felt pretty darn lucky that we had the best view in the house!

Day 3- We met up with more of H's family for lunch, a seafood FEAST and a half!! Prawns (fried hole, you eat the shell and all, Dad you would be so proud), tiny little fish kinda like sardines that you also eat whole..... yeah this part freaked me out because it was still a whole fish...... but I tried it anyway! I can't forget the calamari, king prawns, fresh fish, spicy cheese dip, salads and a Greek kind of fried cheese that blows your mind!!!  We were also given some fresh figs by H's aunty and uncle picked straight from the tree, my first figs ever and I was not disappointed! After some more beach time we were exhausted as it was a whole day of venturing around the entire island. Dinner last night was on top of Oia with another spectacular view of the sunset, a few cheeky cocktails and some gelato.... of course!

Day 4- Our final day in paradise was spent at two beaches, one by some giant rocks, with beautifully clear water that you could see your toes through (the beaches are all black here because of the volcano eruption and sooooo hot) hence having to wear your shoes to the waters edge! After a few little purchases it was time to head home for a relatively early night....

because tomorrow

WE FLY TO ROME!!!!