A Very Long Day

Today I left Paros. The ferry was scheduled to leave at 11:25 a.m. so I arrived at the port around 10:00. I have such a fear of being late and missing things now. Our ferry didn’t arrive until 1:00. It was wretched hot, and it made me so sleepy. I also had a headache hangover from Monday.

Thankfully, I was smart enough to book a nice seat for the ride. I drank an Americano and promptly took a nap. The ride to Santorini was only a couple of hours.

My Air BnB host arranged transportation for me. I’ll say it again, it is worth it to book a private car. Rousa snaked her way around the dozens of cars and buses at the port and we drove up, up, up the volcano.

Did you know Santorini is part of an extinct volcano? I’ll show you pictures tomorrow when I’m in Fira, but it’s pretty amazing. All of the towns on the west side of the island sit atop the volcano. It reminded me of the mountain homes in Colorado.

So, I was supposed to stay in Fira during my time in Santorini. On Friday, August 6th, the Air BnB host cancelled. I’ve never had a host cancel. No explanation, either. I almost snagged another affordable place in Fira, but waited too long to pull the trigger. 

I’m staying in Perissa now, which is on the east side of the island. Perissa beach is known for it’s black sand. You only find black sand where volcanic sediment is present. The Big Island in Hawaii has a black sand beach.

On the bright side, I’m not in a super populated touristy area, which is great given COVID. I’ll take public transportation to get me to the main hubs of activity, and that works for me.

When I arrived at my apartment, my host greeted me. The apartment is perfect, and my host baked all kinds of treats for me. I’ll be able to wash some clothes while I’m here, too.

I took a delicious nap after I filled my belly. Around 6:30, I walked to the beach, which is only about a quarter of a mile from where I’m staying. There’s a nice promenade for pedestrians full of restaurants, souvenir shops, and some nice hotels. 

A woman working at one of the restaurants stopped me and told me to come back later when they’d have happy hour and live music. After my walk, I returned to Taverna Perissa. I ordered a local wine, Greek salad with tzasiki and pita, and Mousakka. The Mousakka was amazing! They bake it in a ceramic pot.

As I went up to pay, the server invited me to the bar for some free treats. He asked me my favorite flavor (duh, chocolate) and served me a glass of chocolate ice cream with whipped cream. In addition, he poured me a shot of Ouzo, a traditional Greek spirit.

I didn’t ask his name, but I know he was born in Romania, and has lived in Greece since he was five. He told me he’s been working since he was 8, and managed a couple of hotels when he was 14. I casually mentioned what my life was like at 14, school and sports. We talked about some of the similarities and differences between our countries. A few of the workers gathered round and told me about their big Greek night this Thursday, which will make a great last night in Santorini.

I walked home, worked a little, chatted with my Papa, and now it’s bed time.

Cheers,

Aud