26-28 May 2008

Santorini

I was woken up by the sunlight, filtering through my window, hitting my face; a thin white blanket still gently draped over me.

It was just 48 hours ago when I was crouched over my computer finishing tons of work and worrying about my patients, schedules, and coverage. A labyrinth of ideas and “things to do” crowded my tired brain. But here I was, waking up 48 hours later, and the only labyrinth I was waking up to was that of whitewashed dwellings and narrow winding streets of a quiet village called Oia in the Greek isle of Santorini.

The night before, my traveling partner, Joel (an old friend from NY), and I had a seafood meal at Taverna Katina in the tiny port of Ammoudi. We had just finished viewing the sunset which we had learned has made Santorini famous throughout the world. The taverna was somewhat of a trek from the main village and sat at the base of a steep hill, 300 steps below Oia.

Wearing the wrong set of footwear (sandals), it took awhile to reach the port. The authentic seafood dinner (Greek salad, perfectly grilled sea bream and octopus, a carafe of the house red wine) was well worth the hike and provided more than enough nourishment and goodwill to carry us 300 steps back uphill to Oia in the quiet starlit evening.

Oia is mesmerizing. You won’t be able to take your eyes off her whitewashed buildings and blue-domed churches nestled on the rugged reddish-brown cliffs at the mouth of a caldera. Yes, there is an active volcano lurking beneath. Santorini is the largest remnant of an ancient island that experienced perhaps the greatest volcanic destruction in history. Legend has it that it was part of the lost continent of Atlantis. It is one of the Cyclades, which is composed of islands arranged in a circle (kyklos) around the sacred island of Delos, the mythical birthplace of Apollo (the Sun God).

Breathtaking Oia

We decided to take the 5 mile hike from Oia to Fira, Santorini’s equally enthralling (albeit busier) main village, the next stop in our trip. For about three grueling hours under the intense noonday sun, we followed an undulating rocky path with sweeping views of Oia and the cliffs of the caldera on one side and the Aegean Sea and smaller Cycladean islands on the other.

Fira lies beyond

Leaving Oia

We hiked to the top of two hills; the sight of classic Greek churches with white walls and blue domes perched atop each, inspiring us to continue on despite breathlessness and fatigue. I think I’ve never been happier seeing a church! The aridness of the land and intense heat of the sun made me think of St. Paul’s journey through the Greek islands which he was instrumental in converting to Christianity two millennia ago.

The five mile trek left me exhausted only to be rejuvenated by the breathtaking views from the balcony of our hotel at Fira. From that same balcony, we’ve enjoyed coffee and breakfast in the early morning sun, with the indelible backdrop of the Santorini landscape.

Busier, livelier Fira

Over the past three days, we’ve explored the meshwork of streets in Fira, visited the ruins of Ancient Thira, waded in the clear waters of the Aegean sea and relaxed in the black sands of Perissa on the southern end of the island. But at the end of each day, we’ve come back to our sunset – the highlight of each day in Santorini – when for a few minutes everyone stops to savor, with awe and longing, the beauty of a setting sun.

It is indeed a sight to behold; one that brings together people of different races, ages, and persuasions; those who have come from afar weary from work, or exhausted from long mountainous hikes, or refreshed by the blue waters of the Aegean Sea. At the end of each day, as the sun’s reddish golden light fades in the horizon in Santorini, the labyrinthine array of colors and reflections from Apollo’s orb is both spectacular and poignant.

Cycladean Reveries