Santorini - wonderful in so many ways

Did we arrive here two days ago, or has it been more than a week? This small Cyclades island, only 120 miles from Greece's mainland, is proving to be the perfect balance of tranquility yet brimming activity, barren yet color filled.

With our friends Karen and Joe, we are staying in a small villa on one of the island's highest points, overlooking the caldera, or volcanic crater, that Santorini is famous for.  The eruption 3,600 years ago separated a then larger island, into Santorini and several much smaller, mostly uninhabited islands. The crater sank, creating a pool over 400m deep, thus allowing all but the largest boats safe anchorage. 

You'd never know that the most recent eruption in 1956 demolished over half of the buildings here.  Agriculture, wine making and tourism thrive. Ancient ruins and modern homes both make use of the unique black, red and white volcanic stone, although much of this is plastered over in the iconoclastic white associated with the Greek islands. Blue domed churches along with white and pastel colored homes cling to the hillsides and slope down to the sea.

There is little rainfall and virtually no irrigation. Vegetables and grapes are grown close to the ground, generally watered by morning mist and fog, resulting in compact, sweet produce.  Tomatoes, olives, cherries, eggplants, grapes an pistachios abound. Fish both fresh and smoked is plentiful.  Tender smoked white eggplant dip, small heirloom like tomatoes and innumerable dishes unique to this region make choosing what to eat both the easiest and most challenging parts of the day. Perfect!