I'm Back (Santorini revisited)

When given the option, I always prefer to visit somewhere I have never been. The exception was Santorini.

Eight years ago I visited the island who’s ancient name is Thera. It is famous for the Volcano that erupted in 1450 BC, thought to have destroyed the Minoan outpost civilization and left a crescent shaped island with towns built on the tip top of the high 890 ft cliffs. What’s seen is a caldera with the remaining volcanic cone as a growing island in the middle. The view is miles in every direction of the deep blue Mediterranean Sea with islands in the distance, towns built into the top with their white hotels and houses accented in blue to form a maze of layers of typical Mediterranean architecture cascading down the cliff tops.

Eight years ago I said if there was one place I wanted to return, it would be here. For eight years I had a photo of the Santorini view in my office and would often day dream of this place that is like no other. I knew someday I wanted to return.

Never did I think I would get to sail into it and view the entire Caldera and the magnificence of the Island’s beauty on a 44” sailboat that I joined in Italy! This just didn’t seem real or possible. I’m back!

And now I’m here and I feel nothing but sadness.

Santorini has changed. Gone is the charm of the quiet romance. Replaced is the Cruise Ship business. Six huge ships on the day we sailed through the Caldera to make our way to a marina on the other side of the island. Excited to show my shipmates the town of Fira at the top of the cliffs, we found only frustrated, sun burnt cruisers jammed in the narrow streets waiting for the cable car to bring them down to the ship tenders. Others dared the 500+ steps of the zig-zag sidewalk shared with donkeys to carry people up and down from sea level. Most had a frenzied look about them to see, shop, drink, eat, experience all in the “X amount of time” they had at this Port as warned on their daily Cruise News slipped under their door the night before.I guess it happens everywhere. I guess its called progress. I saw it happen in Key West between my first visit and now, leaving me with no ambition to return. Hilton Head had the same charm until over-development. Nothing lasts forever.