Day 10 – Up there in the clouds

We drive up the road which zig zags up the mountain from Kamari to ancient Thira. The road is mostly only wide enough for one car and has frequent blind corners. I pray we won't meet a car coming down the mountain. It is disconcerting to be sitting in what is usually the driver's seat but in this case is the front passenger seat. I am doing a lot of co-driver nagging. Luckily we meet only one car and a few motos.


The view from the top of the road is spectacular. We can see the full length of the island, the airport, the monastery on top of an even higher mountain than this one to the right, and below the many beach resorts and islands beyond.


We walk further up the mountain top expecting to see a few dusty remnants of the site of ancient Thira but we become aware it is much much more. We enter stony streets which intersect with other streets, there are ruins of houses, theatres, public spaces, basilicas – it goes on for many acres. Bruce, in particular, would appreciate the stone work here. A sweet earthy aroma pervades the whole mountain top – a hint of maple syrup. I wonder if it is some plant.


Thousands of people have lived here, been born here, died here – it is quite overwhelming.


Later in the day we drive up to the monastery, which you can't enter but I take some nice photos of some mosaics on the wall. We stop at Pyrgos on the way down and get lost in a maze of thin cobbled alleyways. I take photos of churches. Further down the road we stop at Santo winery – which is quite a tourist operation. Buses, people, big shop, wine tastings, spectacular spot obviously to watch the sunset over the caldera.


The island has many wineries and there are grapes growing everywhere as well as olives and fig trees. We pass a few roadside stalls selling 'agricultural products'.


Back at Glaros we go for another swim before showering for dinner. Our days have a pattern now – swim before breakfast, a morning exploring, lunch at a beachside restaurant, some part of the afternoon on a sun lounge on a beach, more swims, back to Glaros – another swim... We walk the beachfront street reading menus before deciding which restaurant for dinner. Young handsome Greek men (and occasionally blonde women) are front of house, each with differing mixtures of charm and bullshit trying to entice us into their establishment. Blake you must come here! Another great meal and home to bed...

Just caught up with the news that Julia Gillard is PM.  Glad we avoided Tony!