Santorini

Well, today I traveled by ferry to the volcanic island on Satorini (or Thira as the Greeks call it). The Island is a gigantic cauldera, or an exploded volcano crater, that has submerged into the sea, leaving dramatic slopes and black-sand beaches. I've only just arrived, so I've only been to the beach and checked into my room... which, by the way was not entirely my decision... The Greek hotel salesman basically shoved me into his van after seeing my eyebrows rise at the mention of his price... 20 E... which is double what i paid for last night... But, I've got my own room, bathroom, TV, and it's 150 m from the beach. So I said yes. I'm thinking that today or tomorrow I'll rent a motor scooter and explore... The island is only about 6 miles long in its longest and incredibly dramatic. But, I'll soon be able to post pictures. If not soon, when I get back to my computer in London, I can hook it up and do it for sure.

But, yesterday I took a bus from Chania to Iraklio along the coast. It was tremendoulsy gorgeous... reminding me very very much of Maui, minus the intense vegetation. Crete was a very rocky place, without many trees. Same for Santorini... It's very beautiful, but in different ways than many of the tropical islands I have come up to know or have been to... The hills are rocky and weedy. The trees, if any are imported (i think). But, I'd love to come back. But, anyway, yesterday... right off the bus I asked a man for directions and it turned out that he was Australian and was headed in my area. So we walked together, discussing various likes and dislikes of travel in Europe. He told me how he was arrested in Russia and was exported to Turkey, then somehow wound up here. But, he was a nice guy and we ended up going out that night with another Aussie in our hostel... we had a few drinks and ate some Greek cuisine (BARF)... it was ok... Moussaka I believe it was called. Kind of like lasagna, but with eggplant and ground beef.. kind of good... then, ARRGG... he gave us shots of this godawful liquor on the house... woa... if the moussaka wasn't enough to make us spew. But we had a good time, the 3 of us. I learned quite a bit about Aussies and about Greeks... But then I slept, caught a ferry, watched Tarzan in Greek, arrived in Santorini and was thrown into the back a 1980 Dodge Sprinter. Traveling is fun!

Be back later. Hope you are well.

nick