Santorini, Greece!

Arriving by cruise ship, you take a small “shuttle” boat, known as a “tender” from your floating hotel to the shore. If you look closely at the photo below, you can see a zig zag line up the cliff, just about in the middle of the picture. That is the walking path/staircase! There was such a long line for the cable car to the top, that it was not worth standing in line in the hot sun. So, grab a water bottle, hat, and sunscreen for the hike up!

The views were gorgeous, and the donkeys I didn't ride sure looked tired. No water in sight for them.

I know a tourist rip-off when I see one, but sometimes you pay too much for the best “tzaziki” on the planet (cucumber yogurt dip) with fresh pita bread, in exchange for a rooftop terrace table with free wifi and a rest room! I’m sure that outside of town, snacks would have been less than half the price, but it sure was a nice break in the heat of the day.

While other cruise passengers may have booked excursions or even taken the public bus to other places on the island, walking through narrow passages of Fira and admiring local arts, crafts, and cats, was an enjoyable way to spend the day (did go on excursions on 2 other islands).

My observation about this cruise was that the time in port seemed to short. Maybe I’m becoming more European after living here for 2+ years, but 6 hours on Santorini was not enough. The woman who sits next to me in my German choir went to Crete for a week! Now, I’m not sure about spending an entire week on the same small island, but I could probably figure something out if I had to (down time, day trips, etc.). We actually had less than 6 hours per port, once you figure out the time it takes to get from your ship to the destination, such as tenders, hiking up a cliff, or taking a 20 minute bus ride to old town (Dubrovnik, Croatia), plus getting back in time before sailing!

I’m still grateful for the opportunity to enjoy the sun, food, and local culture! Stay tuned for photos from Mykonos next.