Last Ride with Dionysus

Monday, July 18th, 2022 was our last day in Santorini. We actually checked out of our room by 11AM but enjoyed  the views and the resort until our shuttle ride to the airport.

Kari and I woke up early and hiked part of the trail between Oia and Fira.  The trail is 6 miles one way around the rim and is generally well marked.  We hiked out 2 and back 2 miles.  Next time I come to Santorini up at 5AM hike to Fira and back before breakfast may have to be a thing.  The views are stunning along the hike.  I am alway a little disappointed when I post a pic from the hike because when I take them they are dramatic and beautiful but the lens at least in my hands cannot always translate that same image and feeling.

Views from the hike

Kari and I staring directly into the sun

Looking back at Oia

A church on the hill.

Looking down the trail.

After getting back into Oia we walked around town a little. 

If I ever come back I am getting my picture in this dress

Kari and I in Oia

Kari and I with Blue domes

Santorini at breakfast 

A chocolate croissant was needed to lure my children to breakfast
 

After another delicious breakfast we packed up our essentials, dressed for the day and headed for the pool. We spent the day enjoying the views, the food and an occasional sangria.

The girls enjoying one last day in the sun.

Laughing and reading books!!!

So long Santorini.

On the way out I got to shake hands and chat up a 4x major winning golfer and his wife.  They had just arrived at the resort so we had a brief chat and I wished them well and just like that we were gone.

The Santorini airport was a complete dumpster fire with multiple flights from London delayed and our flight to Athens running 45 minutes behind.  We needed some time since Katie tried to smuggle a bottle of water through security in the side pocket of her bag.

What is my current level of agitation?? More or less than 1000.  Not sure if she was made about being flagged or the documentation of it.  

Finally we made it to Athens, a quick but hopefully good nights sleep awaits us here and then home tomorrow.  The pattern is now closed until the next adventure.  You will all probably dream of blue domes and octopus for the next few days.

One’s destination is never a place but rather a new way at looking at things." —Henry Miller

The Bus Stopped Us

Sunday, July 17th was an exciting day for us.  The plan was get up, enjoy a relaxing breakfast and meet our driver at the designated location so we could enjoy a day on the Aegean Sea. 

I was not making the same mistake twice so I was up early and out in Oia with my camera.  Brace yourself for the unnecessary photo section of this post.  Hopefully you will be entertained enough not to skip ahead.

The bell in the morning

Over the church in the square

Blue domes at sunrise

Blue domes and the Aegean Sea

Blue domes kissed by the sun

More of the blue domes 

Inside the Greek Orthodox Church in the square the interior is densely decorated and much of the material was moved from an older church.

The dome on the inside 

The front alter

In the hallway, Onward Christian Warriors

Domes from another angle 

The domes and the flowers

The sun is up

Down on some blue domes

This one I like

These flowers are too much 

One of the favorite spots for an influencer.  It is a beautiful spot

Old school construction with bells and a blue dome

The streets at 7:15 AM

The streets at 7:15 PM the night before 

Oia after sunrise

Not a bad view for breakfast

Gracie had pancakes

So far everything is proceeding as expected.  The Anseth family is dressed and at the meeting spot absolutely no later then 9:52 AM.  What do you think we find? No car and no driver, that is what we find.  We walk up and down the one boulevard looking for some clue who are driver is.  We start asking random dudes driving bus if they are our driver.  Do you remember that children’s book , Are you my Mother, that was Kari and I.  At 10:02 I called and texted our cruise company, after about 20 min with no response I texted and called again.  They finally gave me the license number so I could ID the car.  At about the same time Kari came upon the driver as well.  There was no point in pitching a fit, the glass was broken.  We piled into the van and finally made it to the boat at 11 AM.  I was pretty sure the cruise company was not going to give us that hour back.

The girls impatiently waiting for the bus.  The smoke is almost visible coming from their ears

While I was wandering around I saw this animal get this cargo up 6 of the most uneven steps in Santorini.

#gamerecgonizesgame

Finally we are on the water.  The views were amazing but the crew was amazing too, Vasà, our female captain and Vasó or female first mate.  I know Kari and the girls thought this was cool as well.

The lighthouse from a distance 

The lighthouse 

The black mountain.  A huge dome of volcanic rock

White beach and the “Iceberg” rock formation.

I snorkeled around here.  The water was crystal clear.  All the sea life was along the shore and near the caves.  I saw a fair amount of fish but no octopus.

When I came back from snorkeling, I learned that Ashley’s jean shorts had blown of the boat and sank to the bottom of the ocean at around 15 to 18 ft.  Some how I was chosen to get them.  I very much wanted to impress Vasà , Vasò and my wife with my fitness level so I hyperventilated for a minute or 2 and dove for the shorts.  My ears started hurting and I wasn’t sure i was going to make it down or not.  Not having flippers really increased the degree for difficulty on this.  Finally I ascended from the deep triumphly thrusting the shorts into the sky for the appreciation of…..no one.  They were all doing other activities in the water or on the boat.  I swam back to the boat and had a beer.

We had an amazing lunch: grilled chicken, grilled pork,  shimp and pasta, Greek salad, tzatziki and pita bread.  Grace almost ate her body weight in chicken.

The girls on the boat

Chillin

The crew and the family at port

We returned to the hotel fairly satisfied with our day at sea.  We chilled by the pool in the late afternoon and then cleaned up for 1 final dinner in Oia

Kari and I

Santorini at sunset

Katie is on the scene 

The girls in Santorini 

Dinner was at Koketa. A nice, more Italian themed restaurant.  The food was good and we received a lot of attention from the wait staff.  After dinner it was time for Gelato

Chocolate and Tahitian Vanilla Gelato.  So Good

One last night here in Santorini, tomorrow we head for Athens and then home.