The most beautiful place on Earth...

Sept 29th. Santorini.

I recently read an online story that claimed the most beautiful place in earth was Santorini, Greece with its cobalt blue waters, bright white houses and brilliant blue rooftops. I saw the photos everywhere. Too spectacular to be real.


I dreamed of seeing it in person. Of taking photos that would be as breathtaking and memorable.

We travelled by ferry on Wednesday. A five hour ferry ride, the sea was angry and the wind was blowing. It was very rough and for a while I was searching for the handy little bag in the seat pocket. But it passed and I survived.

The Greek ferry, Sea Jets, is not as luxurious and comfortable as our BC Ferries.  Crowded, it feels more like a bus. Rows of opeople with nothing to do but sit in their assigned seat. No restaurant, just a small snack bar where you can get a sandwich and a cup of tea or coffee. No outside decks to walk around on or gift shop to browse and kill time.

We dock in Santorini early afternoon and by 3:00 we are having lunch by the pool, despite still wicked winds.





























We settle into our new home away from home, The Marizan Caves, so named because they are built into the side of the cliff which is really the crater of an ancient volcano which formed Santorini a gazillion years ago.

t is lovely and welcoming and the service is superb. They meet us at the port and take us to the spectacular town of Oia, where we will stay. Here the porter really is a porter.He grabs all of our bags and carts them up a steep winding stairway to our room.  I ask how many times a day he does this, he replies, "All day!"

 


We have a spacious suite with a little kitchen that they stock everyday with ham, cheese, fruit, yogurt, juice. And every morning at 8:00 they leave us a basket of freshly baked bread on the table of our deck, a cozy spot overlooking the Aegean Sea. 

 

Oil is the little village that is symbolic of Santorini, sitting high on the tip of the island overlooking the Caldera, or the blown out volcano now filled by the Aegean Sea. The water is emerald and cobalt mixed together. The shore and beaches are a mix of black volcanic sand and red lava rock. The buildings climb the side of the mountain, carved into the rock sides.

Little stone pathways wind around with short sets of curving steps. These are lined by shops and restaurants.

We spend the rest of the day exploring the area then gather back at our place as sunset nears. In Kia sunset is a big deal, everyone makes their way to the wall on the west side to watch the sunset over the sea, reflecting its light behind the beautiful white buildings. We have a front row seat from our deck.

Santorini promises to be everything we imagined.  We have three and a half more days to see......  Come With Me......