Europe Trip: Part 4 (Santorini, Greece)

Our ferry from Athens arrived in Santorini at 11:30am. The main island is a large crescent, part of the remaining ring of islands after a giant volcanic explosion ripped open the original island long ago. Cliffs almost a thousand feet high circle the remaining volcano tip in the center of the flooded caldera. (From a distance, the white-washed villages lining the cliff-tops reminded me of bird droppings.) Docking at the port, we had to wind our way up the steep inner cliff face to head down the sloping backside to our hotel located at Perissa Beach. It is a beautiful beach, but the black sand is almost impossible to walk on for very long without sandals. The water is very warm, but there is a wide section of slippery rock just inside the water's edge that is hard to navigate without falling.




After an afternoon swim, we caught a local bus up to the Santo Winery. It is in a perfect location, perched on the edge of the cliff at the center of the island's two arms. Santorini is a desert island but large vineyards cover the hillsides around Perissa. The grape vines look very unique, each plant spaced out and growing less than knee high with most of their irrigation coming from the morning dew. Watching the sunset over the caldera, we drank six bottles of white wine with some delicious cheese. We also had a glass of the amber-colored dessert wine, Vinsanto, that the island is known for. Unlike other dessert wines, it is not fortified with another alcohol like Brandy. It is the first dessert wine that I have enjoyed.




On Wednesday, I went scuba diving with a local dive shop. After organizing all the gear we boarded a small Navy Seal-type pontoon boat to circle around the island to the dive sites inside the caldera. Speeding over the waves while sitting on the side pontoons was almost as thrilling as the actual diving. The first site was located at an ancient port that is now underwater. An old donkey trail winds along the submerged cliff face. Swimming along it, I took off my fins and my divemaster, Ludo, took my picture pretending to walk along the flat path. Since I haven't dived in three years I went through my air pretty fast. We were still a ways from the boat when my tank ran low and Ludo switched to his auxiliary respirator and gave me his main. It is a little scary switching respirators underwater but I stayed calm and cleared the flooded respirator. Swimming close together we made it back under the boat where we had to wait a few meters down for the three-minute safety check before surfacing.




For our second dive, we drove out to White Island, one of the small islands near the volcano tip. It looks like a layer cake with a thick top layer of white sandstone that has accumulated over the centuries from the blowing winds. The dive started in shallow water before dropping off into a steep wall. We slowly worked our way down the volcanic wall with ledges hanging over heads and swimming through narrow canyons. The water was so clear, I just wish there were more big fish. Except for small ones, the sea was pretty empty. This time, Ludo gave me another weight to help my buoyancy and I was able to finish with plenty of air. The head divemaster, George, was hilarious, always cracking jokes as he drove the speedboat around the islands. (He really liked my jalapeno and cheese crackers. He wanted to know where he could get some, but I brought them from America.)




After returning from diving, I tried to take the bus to the famous village of Oia (pronounced ee-yaa) with the blue and white buildings on the northern tip of the island. The problem is that the buses are so crowded that they don't stop if they are already full. I mean really full, squeezed in like sardines. While waiting for a bus that could pick me up, I met two sisters, Rhea & Sjoukje, from Arizona heading the same way. We considered sharing a taxi, but a bus with enough space finally arrived. We made it to Oia, but five minutes after the sunset. We rushed around at twilight, taking pictures before darkness fell and then had dinner on a nice restaurant terrace overlooking the caldera.




The first bus back to the main terminal in Fira went smoothly, but we ended up waiting a long time for the next bus to Perissa. Since there was a large crowd, Rhea and Sjoukje rushed into the first arriving bus and grabbed some great seats, but I'm glad I double-checked it's destination. It was going to Kamari on the wrong side of the island. After I banged on the window to let them know, it was quite an effort for them to squeeze off before it departed. (Another reversing bus hit Sjoukje with its mirror while we waited, but she was unhurt.) The Perissa bus finally arrived after an hour and I reached the hostel, Anny Studios, around midnight. It was a great day! Tomorrow, we take the morning ferry back to Athens and then an overnight ferry to the island of Lesbos.

Noah

p.s. Since Santorini is a desert, the water in the taps is salt water. Diluted, but still salty.



p.s.s. It took five nights in Greece but I finally had my first Gyro. Very tasty and cheap! Only two euros. I have eaten a lot of Greek salads here. Great tasting vegetables, but they contain no lettuce and the Feta always comes in a big block sitting on top.



p.s.s.s. It may have just been my imagination, but I think I had a mild case of the bends after my first scuba dive. My left leg was really itching back on the surface but the divemasters said there were no jellyfish or stinging creatures in these waters. The boat had a dive accident checklist and I noticed that itching skin is a symptom. I was relieved when it disappeared after my second dive. We spent more time in shallow waters after exploring the wall so it must have allowed any trapped gas under my skin to be reabsorbed.

Europe Trip: Part 3 - (Corfu & Athens, Greece)

Our bus from Naples to Bari on the opposite coast of Italy has been the only difficult part of this trip. While the countryside was beautiful, the air-conditioner broke at the beginning and the giant windows would not open. In Bari, we got stopped for a brief passport check before we caught a train down to Brindisi located on the heel of Italy's boot. We ate some dinner (I had Spaghetti al pomodaro & a double gelato of Hazelnut and Whisky Cream) before boarding our night ferry around 9:30. We thought we would have assigned seats to sit in, but a ship's steward told us our tickets didn't include them. Oh well, we made the best of the situation, finding a doorway to sit in (a freakin' wind tunnel) and playing cards until we found spots to sleep on the carpet. I ended up next to the stairwell.




We arrived in Corfu at 6:30 in the morning and were picked up by the Sun Rock Hostel. It is a low-key place located on the west side of island, right above the beautiful Pelekas Beach. After a breakfast of Greek pancakes (doughnuts with cinnamon and honey), we headed down to the beach. After the non-stop sight-seeing around Rome and Naples, it is nice to relax for a bit as we explored the tide pools and swam out to the nearby rocks. The water is so blue and clear. Except for a lunch break we hung at the beach all day before heading up for the late dinner. Everyone sits down to the same big meal served by the hostel staff. Very good! We ended up playing cards and drinking on the balcony until 2am. We all tried a shot of Raki, an alcohol distilled from leftover wine grapes. It is the strongest tasting drink I have ever had in my life. Brutal!




Saturday was the first morning on this trip that I have slept in. It felt good to get in the extra hours. After hanging in the shade on the rooftop patio during the hottest hours of the day we headed back down to the beach. Patrick, Ani, Jana and I decided to go para-sailing since none of us had done it before. A boat picked us up and took us out to a floating platform in the ocean. Hooked up in the harness, I grew a little nervous as I watched the long red rope uncoil in front of us while the boat sped off into the distance. Patrick and Ani dropped off the edge of the high platform before rising into the air, but Jana and I lifted off pretty quickly when we ran forward. Floating down the coast, we had to be at least 200 feet high. Twice, the boat slowed for us to splash the water with our feet before speeding back up. Landing in the sea at the end was fun, but we were tangled in the lines for a few seconds before freeing ourselves. Hearing about our experience, Eugenio and Peter decided to try it as well. Making sand castles and playing with a volleyball, we hung out at the beach until sunset.




Sunday was a long travel day, we caught a bus in the morning, driving across Greece until we arrived in Athens around 8:00pm. Luckily, the air conditioning worked on this bus and the nine hour ride passed quickly. I was actually able to get a little sleep this time, but I missed it when we crossed the huge bridge over the Gulf of Corinth to the Peloponnese. After checking in, we had dinner at a restaurant with a great view of the Acropolis lit up by spotlights. After buying some cotton-candy, we walked closer to the high outcrop to get a better view. Athens is much hotter than everywhere else we have been and very humid.




I am the only one in my group going all the way to Istanbul so Monday was the last day for us to hang out together. Since Ani had to leave for the airport before noon, we woke up early to hike to the top of Acropolis. It reminded me of the Getty Center in Los Angeles that I visited earlier this year, lots of towering white stone overlooking a crowded metropolis. The heat was not too bad at 8:30am and we just missed a huge crowd arriving as we left. We then headed over to the nearby Ancient Agora (the old ruins of the Athenian government) but it was so hot we didn't stay long. After the beauty of the Acropolis, I have about reached my fill of ruins anyway. For lunch, I had my best meal so far in Greece with Jana and Natasha. The hotel clerk recommend a restaurant hidden down a side alley frequented by the locals. The meatballs with rice were delicious. I wasn't too hungry but I ended up eating all five.




Since the New Acropolis Museum was closed on Mondays, we checked out the large Central Market in the afternoon (meat/fish market) and shopped at the Monastiraki Flea Market before I met up with my new travel group in the evening. Eugenio, Natasha & Jana joined us for dinner at a rooftop restaurant in the historical Plaka district. (More delicious Greek pancakes with ice-cream.) It also had a great view of the Acropolis, Lycabettus Hill and the rest of the city. Tomorrow, we leave early to catch a 7am ferry to Santorini. I will miss the new friends I made.




Noah

p.s. At first sight, the shallow tide pools in Corfu seemed barren except for sea anemones and spiny urchins. But walking slowly, we soon discovered the rest of the camouflaged inhabitants scurrying away from our feet in the clear water. Tan speckled shrimp, miniature flounder and fish with leg-like front fins, hid around us, all about the length of a finger. One tiny fish species was attracted by the sand kicked up, always congregating around our toes as it searched for food.



p.s.s. Our hostel in Corfu had a unique tab system based on the honor system. Every drink we pulled from the fridge, every sandwich we ordered or item grabbed from the small store, we would write down in the book kept on the bar. With internet, laundry and many, many ice-creams, my tab ended up around 40 Euro. Not too bad.



p.s.s.s. In Greece, not only is there a new language but a new alphabet as well. Since I was never in a fraternity, I am completely clueless about the lettering. In Greek, my name is spelled Νώε.

Europe Trip: Part 2 (Naples, Italy)

I am writing this email from our hostel on the Island of Corfu in Greece. It sits along the steep cliff overlooking the clear waters of the Ionion Sea. After very little sleep on the night ferry that arrived before dawn, we are having a nice relaxing day at the beach.




We spent two nights in Naples. Tuesday morning, we caught a train down to the city from Rome. It took about two hours but time flew as we played cards. I ended the train ride winning seven games of Asshole in a row. A couple kids were playing with a whoopee cushion in the seats in front of us until their mother came back to smack them. I don't think they felt it though, they were laughing too hard.




After catching a taxi to our hotel, we all went out for Naples' most famous food. We ordered two of the official Margherita pizzas and four more with additional toppings. They were all pretty good, but my favorite was the one with sausage and peppers. The Margherita with prosciutto was great as well. I think I tried every one except the mushroom. When we left, we walked past the oldest pizzeria in Naples, Pizzeria de Michele. I would have wanted to eat there instead, but it was crazy busy and they only serve pizza to go. Plus, they only make the original Margherita, with or without cheese. (You really have to pay attention when walking through the Old Town or you will get taken out by one of the scooters zooming around the narrow streets.)




Jumping on a train to Pompeii with full bellies, I ended up sitting next to an older Italian gentleman covered with tattooed symbols and wearing very, very short cut-off jeans with his shirt up over his belly. I think he got the tattoos in prison because when I pointed and asked about the bloody knife crudely drawn on his thigh, he crossed his arms and tapped his wrists together. He didn't speak English and our guide, Peter, couldn't understand his thick Nepali dialect. He was very friendly, talking and laughing with us the whole way as he played his tiny radio. The only thing I could understand is when he started to talk about Steven Seagal and making martial art movements with his hands. I got my picture taken with him.




The ancient Roman ruins of Pompeii were very cool. Well, make that very hot since there wasn't much shade. One mansion, covered an entire city block and was filled with large gardens and wide atriums. Most of the first floors of the city were preserved by the volcanic ash from erupting Mount Vesuvius that covered the city in 80 A.D. and it was amazing to see the ruts carved into the narrow stone streets by ancient carts. One of the bath houses was almost entirely intact and we got to walk through all the different rooms. Our last stop in Pompeii was the one of the city's many brothels, called a lupanare in Latin. Inside, frescoes painted over the doorways of the small chambers depicted the acts the prostitutes would perform. Leaving Pompeii, we continued down the coast to Sorrento where we had dinner at the Foreigners' Club on the steep cliffs and watched the sunset before returning to Naples.




Wednesday morning, we took a ferry out to the Island of Capri. We arrived around noon and took the funicular up to the top of the island where we had lunch on the hillside with great views. After eating, we rented two motor boats to explore the surrounding waters. It takes about 80 minutes to circle the island, but we stopped at the Green Grotto at the halfway point where we anchored and swam into the warm emerald waters inside the caves. While the Blue Grotto of Capri is more famous, you have to hire a guide for 30 Euros to take you inside on a small boat. You can't swim so I'm glad we skipped it. I drove one of the boats the rest of the way back, taking us through a huge arch in the pinnacles of towering rock sitting off the coast. With a glass of wine, my jet lag finally ended after dinner back in Naples and I fell asleep at midnight.




Yesterday was a travel day but our bus didn't leave Naples until 1:30pm so I went to the Archaeological Museum with Jana. About half of the museum contains the original statues, frescoes and mosaics recovered from Pompeii. It was very interesting to see what covered the walls of the ruins we had just explored. The fun part of the museum was entering the Secret Room where no one under 14 is allowed. It contained graphic Roman artifacts like the ones in the Pompeii brothel. The freakiest one was a graphic sculpture of a faun having sex with a goat. We spent the rest of the time searching for more of the bodies from Pompeii, but we discovered they are all kept out at the archaeological site. We must have missed them. Leaving, we spent about five minutes trying to open Jana's locker until she realized that she had pulled out the wrong key. Ha!




Noah

p.s. It was hotter in Naples & Pompeii than Rome, but not too bad. While standing in the shade, it was quite nice. I actually spotted garbage trucks in Naples picking up trash around midnight. I guess the strike is over, but I did still see lots of scattered trash on the outskirts of the city.



p.s.s. There are not really any recovered Roman bodies from Pompeii. Instead, hollow pockets were left behind in the volcanic rock after falling ash trapped the fleeing citizens. While uncovering the city, Archeologists drilled down and filled the pockets with plaster which hardened in the shape of the person who had collapsed in that spot. I only got to see three of them, plus one of a dog. :(



p.s.s.s. Ani almost got run over by a boat while swimming backwards in the ocean outside the Green Grotto. We were all shouting and the large boat slowed just in time for Ani to notice it and push off from the bow with his hand. It was a close call.



p.s.s.s.s The funniest part about the Secret Room was the two youngs girls left to wait outside by their parents. They were sitting on the edge of their seats, craning their necks to see through the forbidden doorway.



p.s.s.s.s.s. Our hotel in Naples looked really bad from the outside, but inside it was completely different. Eugenio, Ani and I shared a room with it's own unique Tropicana theme with wall paintings of parrots and pink drapes hanging over the beds. Heh!