Thira, Fira, Fire

Santorini day 2 began with a little work. Don’t worry, I planned it that way 😁 

Once all was settled I walked to the bus stop to catch a ride to Fira, or Thira. Same. Same. A quick 20 minute ride and I arrived in Santorini’s hot spot. Literally and metaphorically.

Fira is where I was supposed to stay, and now that I visited, I’m mostly glad I didn’t. Don’t get me wrong, the views are stunning! And you know the pics of Santorini you see with people lounging by hotel pools that overlook the caldera? All legit. Already I wished I was swimming in a pool of cool water rather than a pool of my own sweat. I chose to wear one of my favorite dresses and, while cute, proved to be the absolutely hottest piece of clothing (literally). 

But…Fira is like most major cities-overcrowded and a little smelly. You could smell the sewage and pollution. Icky.

I walked around the pedestrian only pathways full of shops and restaurants. There were so many people, and I wore my mask throughout most of my gallivanting through the streets. I did manage to find a beautiful church with air conditioning. Old churches are some of my favorite places to visit when I explore. Even though I’m not Catholic, I lit a candle and said some prayers. 

I tried to visit the Ancient Thira Museum, but it was full, so I set off to find more to explore. I noticed a winding stone path and remembered reading about the an old road people can walk. When I came upon the path it really came to me. This is the road people can take donkeys and horses. I absolutely did not. I wanted to give them all food and water. It was so hot outside; I couldn’t imagine how the animals felt. 

Knowing damn well how hot I’d be walking up and down the steps in my dress, I made the trek. The path takes people to the old port in Fira. It’s quite something. Smaller vessels still dock and sail from the old port and there are restaurants and shops at the bottom. When I got to the bottom of the path I wanted to jump in the sea. I was soaked. And yes, more sunburnt. 

When I got back to the top of Fira I found a small restaurant/bar and immediately ordered a beer. The cook said, “Lady! Lady!” and handed me paper towels. That’s how much I was sweating! I slowly drank my beer and cooled down. I had a cooking class at 5 p.m. and didn’t want to arrive smelly and drenched in sweat.

I met Rousa at a corner in Fira and she dropped me off at Petra Kouzina, in Megalochiri, a small town just south of Fira.

Cooking class at Petra Kouzina will be one of the most memorable experiences of my trip. Dina and George were amazing hosts and provided each guest with lots of water and wine. Each item we prepared that night was carefully selected, and many ingredients were pre-chopped and cooked. We made tzasiki, Mousakka, and Greek salad. George prepared a shrimp saganaki and dessert for us. We learned some cooking tips and tricks, and walked away with a recipe book and amazing memories. Everyone at the class was American, so we had a great time sharing where we were from and what we did for a living.

By the time I got back to the apartment is was bed time. Tomorrow will be another day full of adventure!

Cheers,

Aud