Santorini

Day 11 – Santorini

Santorini

Thursday, 26 September 2013

It was amazing to wake up to a view of Santorini outside our terrace!

We had a quick buffet breakfast at the Verandah restaurant which was now set with white tablecloths and silver service. Fantastic breakfast selection equal to any 5 star hotel in Sydney!

We had a shore excursion booked this morning called “Windmills and amazing Akrotiri”. We were asked to assemble in the Constellation lounge where staff organise you into groups for the different tours. We exchanged our tickets for a number, indicating our tender for transfer to the island and our tour bus and tour leader. We had to be swiped off the ship, and there were 3 staff to help us on and off the small ship which took us ashore.

Santorini’s crescent shape is the result of a volcanic eruption which formed the central caldera. It is the typical postcard Greek Island with white and blue houses clinging to cliff tops, where once the only way to climb the steep cliff was by donkey. The donkeys are still there for tourists but most people now use the cable car.

The tour of the Akrotiri archeological site was very interesting, if a little long.

They have spent millions is enclosing the site of the small Minoan town of Akrotiri but they’ve run out of funds to do the necessary archeological investigation of the houses that have uncovered. We wondered at the way that some parts had been recreated, replacing wooden lintels and doorways with concrete. Disappointingly, we only saw the guide’s pictures of frescos rather than the real thing. Our guide seemed very knowledgeable and gave alternative interpretations to the commonly held belief that the volcanic eruption on the island had been responsible for wiping out the Minoan civilisation.

After the tour we were given cable car tickets and dropped off in the main street of Santorini. This was tourism central with narrow streets and shops selling many of the souvenirs we’d already seen in Athens, the main difference being jewellery made with the local pumice stone, legacy of volcanic eruptions. The views however were amazing but an extremely long queue for the cable cars resulted in some very frustrated fellow travellers!

Back on board ship for a late lunch at the Verandah restaurant. Later we had afternoon tea in the Horizons bar where you sit on comfy chairs at low tables set with white linen, crockery and silver service.

There’s a choice of teas (tea bags only) served in silver tea pots filed with water from a silver samovar, scones with jam or cream (or a spoonful of real English clotted cream from a jar), a selection of small sandwiches and a cake trolley. The waiter even serves scones in white gloves!

Suitably refreshed, I then had a “feet so soft pedicure” in the Canyon Ranch Spa. This was a personalised service -my feet were soaked, buffed, and soaked again in a shower cap of warm paraffin, and then wrapped in woollen bootees; my legs were massaged; and my toenails painted, whilst I sipped iced water with lemon and gazed out of the picture window to a glorious view!

Showered and dressed for dinner at the Compass Rose restaurant, we were very restrained and only had entree and mains – seafood bisque followed by Angus steak for me, whilst Anthony had Peloponnese salad with calamari followed by lobster salad – together with a glass or two or Californian Chardonnay.

After dinner we went to the Horizons bar for a quiet drink and a few turns around the dance floor to some quiet numbers with a duo – a male saxophonist/ pianist and female singer. On the way back to our room, we heard the music from the Constellation theatre so went in and caught the end of their broadway show.

It’s been a very full day!

	Ruin of a windmill [Map]		Akrotiri archeological site [Map]
	Reconstructed bed frame where wood has been replac [Map]		Reconstruction at Akrotiri [Map]
	Outside the archeological site – covered to look l [Map]		Our ship from Santorini [Map]
	Santorini [Map]