5th June 1984 - Santorini!

Tuesday June 5^th I got up early, finished packing and went down to the harbor to embark upon Portokalis Ilios, which was very crowded, but I managed to grab a chair. I couldn’t find Margaret Walker anywhere. The boat left at 8.15 onto a slightly swelly sea. But I didn’t feel at ease after eating a whole lot of dry bread things for breakfast. By and by I was seasick into my Fazer bag that the Kekkis [the people I stayed with in Finland, if you've forgotten} gave me (only a plastic bag) that had my food and table water bottle in – I was taking the food out at the time. I felt much better after that.

   We arrived at the port of Athinios and were met by room renters. I settled with one for 500ΔΡX per night and was carted off to the village of Karterados, which is not very far from Thera. The houses are typical of those on the island – mostly squarish shapes, some with outside stairs, some with vaulted rooves. Most are painted white or a light shade of blue or creamy colour with blue, green etc painted doors and window frames.

   On the way walking to Thera [by Thera I mean Fira. Thera, or Thira, is actually the name of the main island of Santorini. Henceforth, I’ll change Thera to Fira to prevent any more confusion, though the town has been known by both names], I bought a ticket for the boat to Naxos on Thursday (464ΔΡX), and in Fira I bought a ticket for the boat tour around the caldera for 400ΔΡX because she thought I was a student (unstudent price 500ΔΡX). [This same trip costs around 30 euros today.]

   I then went walking along a road northwards leading from the main square and had a look at the youth hostel – it’s quite nice outside. Then I headed upwards towards the top of the cliff north and overlooking Fira/Thera.

View of Fira from near the cable car station.

I had a look in at the School of Weavers next to the nunnery [Convent of the Sisters of Charity] – girls sitting at their looms making their carpets very quickly. They look like unfortunates but apparently they go there by choice after finishing elementary schooling (13 years old). I don’t know if they’re orphans but on graduation they receive their own loom and 80lbs of wool to make their own carpet. (80 something of wool.)

   I climbed right to the top, with a view of Fira, the volcano, Therassia and the rest of the island. There are houses there – new ones and old ones, ruins [there were big earthquakes in 1956] and houses built into caves. These are also ruins, inside the ceilings have collapsed and there are piles of stucco (plaster) and/or white pumice. There are walls to rooms half high and doorways.

   I climbed down to Fira, past the cable car station and changed a film outside the museum, but left the camera case there.

   I was going to the main square when I met Walker talking to a couple of young Australians near the tourist shops. Some of the shops, especially the purely jewelry ones, are very modern spacious boutiques. And some of the souvenir shops have volcanic rocks carved like hill top villages with the houses painted white etc.

   Margaret and I went to see if the museum was open, but ‘tweren’t so we went down to some of the tavernas with a view but these were closing, so we settled for ice drinks in the main square. We then went walking down the steps past the donkeys, mules, horses down to sea level where we sat for a while before catching the cable car up (200ΔΡX, same as the donkey). We parted ways, I returned to Karterados, had a shower, did some washing. Then I bought some food and wrote diary. This place is quite noisy, with loud speaker just up the hill and people every now and then in the square below.