Family Fun in Greece 2: Santorini
Monday
After three days in Athens, it was time to try something different: the most iconic of Greece’s islands, Santorini. We enjoyed one last leisurely breakfast at Fresh Hotel and headed to the airport. Our short flight was uneventful, and our driver, George, was friendly and chatty. Our resort hotel, Santo Pure, was in Oia (pronounced ee-yuh), just a short walk to the village but away from the cruise ship crowds. Check-in was fun - we lounged on plush sofas in the stylish lobby and were served cold towels and lemon water. Then we were driven to our rooms in buggies (similar to golf carts). Alas, it rained that first night, and there was no Santorini sunset for us. We rode a buggy to a fancy restaurant, but our meal was overpriced and disappointing. Fortunately, everything got better after that.
Tuesday
After that rainy night, it was wonderful to wake up to blue skies and stunning views. The Santo Pure breakfast buffet was served poolside, and was even more fabulous than the one in Athens. I met a friendly member of the hotel staff, Daniel, who was from Athens but had attended university in Tampa and studied computer science. Small world!
Steve, Amy and I decided to explore Oia. A path from the hotel led us right into town. Pedestrian streets were lined with shops, restaurants, and boutique hotels. At every turn was another gorgeous view! We would visit a shop, then pose for a photo, then shop, then pose. We stopped to enjoy a cold drink on one of the many terraces with a view. Danny and Mei joined us for more shopping. A brief rain shower didn’t dampen our fun.
Oia was filled with picturesque buildings. I had seen pictures of the iconic blue church domes, but there were also bell towers, windmills, and much more. Since the town sat on a hillside, we could view a building from above, then walk a short way and view it from below. I just couldn’t stop taking photos!
That evening, we had cocktails at the hotel’s pool bar. Finally, we could see a Santorini sunset. The clouds made it even more interesting and beautiful. We had restaurant reservations, but we decided to pivot and have gyros and souvlakis delivered to the hotel instead. Danny and Mei’s suite had a big table in the living room, so we ate there and watched an episode of Kaos. (It stars Jeff Goldblum as Zeus, and is the perfect TV comedy to watch in Greece.) It was a relaxing evening, and we learned that Santo Pure also looked beautiful after dark.
Wednesday
After our sumptuous breakfast, we walked through a little tunnel to the neighboring resort, Santo Mine. A pathway led to a spectacular view of Oia. WOW! It made a great backdrop for a mini-photo shoot. Santo Mine had an interesting wine cellar with a tasting room, and the restaurant (the disappointing one from the first night) had a romantic, private table for two overlooking the caldera.
We walked back to Santo Pure and relaxed by the pool near our suite, enjoying the warm sun, the cool breeze, and of course, the view. Heaven.
That afternoon, we took the bus to Santorini’s capital, Fira. The shopping here was more extensive than in Oia, though more touristy. Amy bought a handcrafted gold bracelet with a small Greek coin, and we chatted with the artist while she “zapped” the links shut. Danny and Mei found a little fast-food restaurant called Filo’s Souvlaki with excellent gyros. Once again, I found myself stopping frequently to take photos. Fira was beautiful, too!
We found a less crowded spot on the pathway to watch the sunset, and the next twenty minutes were wondrous. The cable car gondolas moved smoothly, bringing passengers up from the Old Port. A procession of donkeys nimbly climbed the path right below us. Every few minutes, there were new colors and reflections on the water. Our last sunset in Santorini was glorious!
After the sunset, it began to rain. We took shelter under the awnings of some souvenir shops. Fortunately, the rain lasted only 10 minutes or so, and we had time to wander a bit before it was time for The Greek Wedding Show, a unique Santorini event where we would be among the wedding guests.
We were greeted warmly and directed to the rooftop. All the men were now Kostas, and all the women Eleni, and we were friends of the groom’s family. We tasted rakomelo, a Greek hot toddy made with raki, honey, and cinnamon. It was VERY strong, and tasted like Atomic Fireball candy. The groom’s friends dressed him in traditional costume, and his auntie tucked some cash into his shoe. Then, warmed up with rakomelo and accompanied by a guitar and bouzouki, we all held hands and danced in large circles. Three steps and two kicks!
Our next stop was at the foot of a large staircase in the bride’s family’s home, where we met more relatives and watched preparations for the wedding. Steve (aka Kostas) was accused of stealing the wine, and there was some friendly shouting, but it all got sorted out. We then moved to the courtyard, which had a stage and tables for the guests with wine and some meze. The show was fun! I especially liked the three bouzouki players (one was the groom) and the torch song sung by one of the aunties. I tried to join the dancing, but there were so many guests on the dance floor that we could barely move! Danny and Mei had left early to deal with some work issues, so Steve, Amy and I had drunk more than our share of wine, even before they refilled our pitchers. Finally, we were handed stacks of plates. It was time for that joyful Greek tradition: the plate smashing. We joined the crowd on the dance floor, and smashed away. Here’s one video taken by me, and one by Steve. Who had drunk more wine? Opa!
