Greece Travel 6: From Mountains to the Sea and From Delphi to Santorini

First thing in the morning right after waking up, I opened the window and welcomed the sunshine and the fresh breeze flowing in from the Mediterranean Sea.

The hotel offered many amenities to enjoy while we stayed. For example, a private swimming pool, spa reservation, and even cooking classes, if that’s something that tickled the fancy of those who decided to come to this island. The blue sky and the sea blended in seamlessly, and if I stretched my arm from the hotel courtyard with its herbal aroma towards that blueness, I felt I could touch it.

Mr. Mario said the hotel used to be a residential Greek house with a wine cellar. The beautiful white building felt like a rock cave inside, but was accompanied by excellent homemade food, panoramic view of the sea and the Greek islands nearby, as well as two churches that stood next to each other like two shoulders of a protective giant.

We decided to go out to see the sunset at Ia (also known as “Oia”), and Joanna the receptionist kindly called the taxi for us, and let us know that they only accepted cash as payment.

We walked out onto an alley to wait for the taxi at a nearby main road. I saw the everyday lives of these people, who were busy taking care of chores and errands early in the morning. We also saw newlyweds and young couples taking photos in all kinds of poses in front of their photographers. We walked further down, and arrived at a wider road. We saw people from all over the world, busily moving about, some clearly with their luggage, ready to get off of the Island.

Everyone knows that Santorini has variety of beaches, bars, clubs, and restaurants serving the locals as well as tourists and travelers. Like Maui, Santorini boasts multiple colored beaches: the Black Beach, the Red Beach, and the White Sand Beach. Depending on which you choose to experience first, you’ll get to see different views and environment on the Island. If you stay longer than three days, I advise renting a car to really roam around the mountain. The mixed feeling of prehistoric Greece and the modern Cyclades area (which Santorini is part of) will make you feel as if you’re stuck in between ages; having gone back in time, but not quite.

The main Santorini is comprised of many islands: Thirassia, Nea Kameni, Paia Kameni, Aspronisi.

And within the many islands lie many tales; after all, the very essence of ancient Greek Mythology and Philosophy exist in these islands. If in a studious mood, I’d recommend hitting one of the museums in the area: Museum of Prehistoric Thera (the actual island, rather than what you see on the History Channel), Akrotiri (if you want to go see Neolithic Greek Islands), or even the Archaeological Museum in Fira.

Oh, I almost forgot to say this, but in Fira (Capital of Santorini), the Gyzi Manor is open to the public free of charge and is a cultural center that shows authentic Greek historical manuscripts and old photographs of scenic Santorini.

Too many things to say at once, I know, but I strongly recommend one week of stay minimum.

Ia is a tourist-friendly place; but I wouldn’t recommend going on a shopping spree there; they can be a bit expensive, and bulky things only weigh your luggage down after all. They have many small trinkets being sold for reasonable price though.

After spending the day in Ia, we regretted not having spent more time in other side of island like Fira, but as always, nothing can be executed perfectly, and while we regret making any and every decision in life, it also teaches us something about ourselves. We never found the lunch place that Joanna recommended. When we returned to the hotel to let her know, she explained that the local taxi driver should know, and to ask them next time. Take her advice, everyone.

Due to time constraints, we had to leave the next day.

After a long walk under a starry night, sleep came easily. Next morning, I repeated my actions of the day before, opening the window and welcoming the bright sunlight and fresh morning sea breeze.

Life is filled with hectic activities and our cluttered minds, resulting from desires, goals, and survival instinct. But a moment under Apollo’s Chariot running across the clear blue sky, feeling the light breeze of the wind nymph Zephyr will make you realize what you actually appreciate and what you truly value.

코리일보/COREEDAILY

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