Santorini, Part 3: Down to the Caldera

It cost 4 euros to ride the cable cars one way. The steps were right across from the station. I had time to walk them, which would take me right down to the docks where the tenders were. So, I WALKED DOWN THE STEPS FROM FIRA TO THE CALDERA.

Terraced houses with the steps to/from Fira Town. The steps can be seen to the right, curling around and going down

The only obstacle: DONKEYS! The donkey on the right did a dump (on the sidewalk) just seconds after I came into view

Donkeys used to be the other way to get up from the caldera, other than walking. Their “presents” were all over the stairs, so I had to dance around them on several occasions. (They were like land mines, all over the place.) There were people who were able to squeeze between the donkeys, but not me. Thankfully, a Ukrainian couple from the ship was behind me and he obviously had handled big animals before. He took ahold of the animal’s bridle and, with a clicking noise, got him to move a few feet towards the opposite side of the stairs. We quickly walked by.

Still more donkeys to pass!

So long I have walked, so much more to go

A nice idea, but I don’t know if I’d want to eat in there along the steps, especially with the sun beating down on you

Those steps were treacherous. Cobble stones are uneven and the steps caused my feet to tilt this way and that. Before long, my right knee was hurting me. Nonetheless, I refused to give up. (How could I? I’d have to go back up!) Eventually, I got down them and was so happy to reach the pier.

An interesting layer of red rock below Fira Town

Did I enjoy Thera? Of course but, again, there just wasn’t enough time. I’d like to go back to Rhodes and Thera and stay there for a few weeks to see what the islands are really like.

The Orient Queen, left, and another Louis Cruises’ ship, the much bigger Louis Olympia, in the caldera in front of Nea Kamini Island (New Burnt Island, built by the active volcano), a newer member of the Santorini archipelago. The Louis Olympia followed the Orient Queen (or vice-versa) for the last three or four ports. A much newer ship, I remarked to Ron and Sam that now I know we are in steerage as first class is on the Louis Olympia!

Santorini, Part 2: Fira Town

Fira from the cable car

Once again on solid ground, I walked around the island, but didn’t go too far from the cable car. Like Mykonos and Rhodes, Thera has winding streets. The good news is, unlike Mykonos and Rhodes, there are no cars or motorcycles driving on the pedestrian walkways. The bad news is, there are no cars or motorcycles driving on the pedestrian walkways because there are way too many steps up and down all over town.

One of the “roads” in Fira Town

I did some shopping, buying two small bottles of local wine. I had the most wonderful gelato, and I sampled several. The lemon was so sweet and tart that it was perfect. Then I walked over to the cable car station and had a Coke Light and some feta while I looked out over town. Unfortunately, Akroteri had closed at 3, and the ship arrived at 4:30.

Fira Town from my vantage point

Here is a swimming pool …

… and a Jacuzzi right next to or below the restaurant. Everyone can see your business!

Even the Archaeological Museum was closed by the time the ship docked

Santorini, Part 1: Getting to Fira Town

We left Herakleion before noon and headed to Santorini.

The cliffs of Thera, with Fira built at the edge, looking down into the caldera

I almost didn’t go ashore. I had such a headache. The sun was relentless at Knossos, and there was no shade to be found. By the time we left, my head was aching. It didn’t help that I ended up eating lunch with Susanna.

Susanna is a woman who travels alone, thinks she’s a world traveler, but wants every little comfort that she has at home For her, there is no trouble or challenge in traveling. If there is and if she doesn’t get what she wants, she complains, complains and complains. I realized that she is a negative person, and I really got a big dose of her at lunch.

She told me in the meeting to discuss disembarkation tomorrow that the shuttle to the airport was cancelled because of “lack of interest.” I didn’t register for it, but figured that I could do it on the ship. Wrong. While they were busy taking idiot photos of the passengers, for which they charged 6 euros each ($7.87), they didn’t advertise the shuttle bus as something people going to the airport would need.

Well, she went on and on about how she called her travel agent and had them send a taxi for her and how she would have to get the insurance company to reimburse her, and how hard it was to get insurance companies to do anything, etc. etc. I asked her if she wanted to share a taxi, but she never really said yes or no; instead, she pointed to two other ladies and said that she was sharing with them. Okay.

At lunch she told me that the excursion people told her that it was her problem to get herself to the airport, and that a taxi would cost over 130 euros ($170.37). Two of my excursions were cancelled: the one to Delos, and the other to the Santorini volcano, but instead of getting a refund, I got two letters stating that the excursions were cancelled. Susanna told me that I would have to get the money from the insurance company by submitting a claim. I was stunned. She kept up the negative stories and negative attitude until I really had a bad headache. I got my passport from the ship and told her good-bye. I went to my room and laid down.

At last I rallied, got my stuff together, and went and got a tender ticket. You see, ships do not dock at Thera but sit in the caldera while smaller ships come from the island to ferry passengers over.

A tender boat from Thera

Why I needed a tender ticket, I don’t know. All the passengers going on excursions were the first off, then we were supposed to go by tender number. Well, I got 6, so I was prepared to wait when tenders 3, 4, 5 and 6 were called.

I think I was in the third tender.

Anyway, I got to Thera in about 20-25 minutes. There’s three ways to get to the top of Thera: the cable cars, donkeys, or walk. Like everyone else, I immediately headed to the cable cars.

The cable cars from the steps

Cable car cat supervising passengers in line

It was an interesting ride. I took some pictures of Thera as we went up. Going over the poles from which the cable wires were hung was something. I was glad when it was over.