26th June

26/06/14

Santorini Greece. Sunny Temp 25c

This morning about 6.30am we dropped anchor in the Santorini anchorage area. Santorini is an island in the southern Aegean Sea, about 200kms southeast of the mainland of Greece. It is what remains after an enormous volcanic eruption that destroyed the formerly single island and creating the current caldera, which is a giant central rectangular lagoon, which measures 12 by 7kms and is surrounded by 300m high steep cliffs on three sides. Fira is the white washed town perched high on the edge of the cliff.

This morning we used one of our Elite Status benefits which is priority seating on the tender boats. Instead of waiting in a long queue we were able to go straight to the boat. Today as we are anchored away from the shore it was necessary to use small boats to get ashore. Normally the ship will use its life boats but on this occasion boats were provided by the port, at a cost no doubt. There were 3 cruise ship in port today so we expected everywhere to be crowded. Where the boats land you is some shops and a couple of cafes but the main town is up on the top of the cliffs. There are 3 ways to get there, walk up 500 steep steps, ride on the back of a donkey or catch the cable car. Deborah our port talk lecturer advised to take the cable car because she did once ride a donkey, the donkey slipped on the path tipping her over his head and she finished up battered and bruised. To make things worse she had a short skirt on that day which finished up around her neck, very embarrassing. If you walk up you are sharing the steps with the donkeys and sometimes they push you into the stone wall and you also have to avoid the little treasures the donkeys leave along the way. We took the cable car, for just 5 Euros and to our amazement the queue was quite short and when we came down we just walked straight into the car. We have been here before and the wait has been more than 30 minutes. Both Betty and I said to each other Ashley and Tanya would have walked up the steps. Once up to the town we found a café for coffee with views you would die for. It was all very magical. Most of the shops were selling the same sort of touristy stuff but Betty found a nice necklace which she liked and I got my usual frig magnet. Tonight was another formal night and they are not that popular on our table. However we all agreed we would come to dinner. Afterwards we went to see a movie entitled ‘Quartet” staring Maggie Smith, Michael Gamborn and Billy Conolly. The story is about a home for retired musicians and it was a little close to home for us. However put way through the screen went blank but the sound kept going. After a while a technician arrived and found out that the projector was faulty and it was going to take sometime to fix. We decided to leave and go to the Visa Lounge to hear Diane Cousins “Wales First lady of Comedy and Song”. She had an unusual act with lots of conversation with the audience. She sang some songs and told some jokes, like when her granddaughter asked “Did God make you Grandma” “Yes” was the answer. “Did God make me” “Yes of course” “Well he got better at it didn’t he”.

In a Chinese restaurant one asked the other “Are there any Chinese Jews”. Lets ask the waiter. Waiter said he would find out. Answer “No Chinese Jews, just Orange Jews or Apple Jews”. Sorry I can’t remember anymore.