In Santorini. Oh what a wonderful place

We arrived in Santorini (Thira) Greece after an exhausting evening at the London Gatwick airport. Touching down we came to the conclusion that Greece is as spectacular as all the photos make it out to be. We found the Greeks to be very direct, slightly rude, and very helpful all at the same time. We took a taxi and a bus to Oia (pronounced eeh-uh) and then made our way through the white washed walls to our hostel (oia youth hostel). We found the place to be quite a steal for 15 Euros a night in one of the most expensive places in the world. The owner, was again, very direct and very helpful. We wondered around town for a little while, snapping photos of the vivid blue and white cathedrals and buildings. Lured in by an amazing roof top terrace overlooking the Aegean Sea, Beth and I decide to splurge and have dinner and a place that had probably the best sunset view over the amazing archipelago thats is Santorini. Beth and I enjoyed some local wine, pasta, a large greek salad, and copias amounts of olive oil.

The following day beth and I felt like learning how Santorini and the rest of the Cyclades were formed. We book an excursion that visited, Nea Kameni, the nearby volcano that formed Santorini and its little brother Therasia after hundreds of years of eruptions. We hiked to the top and saw the crater that produced all the activity. Strong smells of sulfur, combined with very hot surface rocks, made this experiece a little more "real." Afterwards we took a swim in the hot springs, warmed by Nea Kameni. The water was not that hot. Slightly disappointing.

The last couple days here have involved frequent beach visits, and strolling through Thira, Santorini's main city. Many guide books have led us to believe that this city is one worth skipping over or passing through. Beth and I have discovered the opposite. Thira has great food, excellent trasportation options for beaches, excellent sunset views, and much cheaper prices. We stayed at Dino's Place, a small hostel/hotel, situated right in the middle of town, with a private room for around 50 bucks a night; not bad for Santorini. After 5 days here we are ready to push forward. We are now heading to Naxos, another island in the cyclades known for is lush landscapes, excellent produce, and minimal tourism.

A night shot of one of the 4 blue top Cathedrals in Oia.

One of several hundred photos I took during the sunsets over Oia. For some reason this annoyed Beth.

The pristine waters of the Aegean

Beth and I at the top of Therasia. Our tour guide kept pushing us to eat at a place on the water that was overpriced and very touristy. Our hostel advised us to make the 30 minute hike to the top for real greek food and excellent views. Good call.