Ah, Santorini

The ocean gleamed orange as the Sun made its descent, painting the sky bright yellow- orange. The Sun surely wanted to make a dramatic exit — one that I will never fail to recall. I glanced around me: small, white houses with an occasional windmill filled the area. The tranquility delighted me. 

I made my way back to the hotel with my parents as the last flicker of light had dispersed. The hotel was rated #1 on the island (though it was nothing like Shangri-La or Ritz- Carlton). It was located among a row of quaint, white houses. The hotel was simple, yet elegant, yet comfortable. Ah, Santorini!

Before I knew it, the Sun was up and so were we, raring to explore the island. When I first laid my eyes on the view outside the window, I grinned. Santorini never failed to impress me. Small, beautiful, serene — these three words always entered my mind the moment I lie my eyes on the view. Stepping back into the room, we planned our itinerary for the day: Should we hike all the way around the island? Or should we rent a bike and cycle around the island? My father said that he could sit here pondering all day, but I told him that he had to make a decision sooner or later, pestering him to hurry up. I was all fired up — I just could not stay still. I was running around, jumping. I killed time by wearing my shoes as slow as I could. He ended up choosing hiking — one of the family’s favorite pastimes. 7:59am: We had to set off soon if I wanted to return before dark. In a blink of an eye, our things were packed and we headed out the door.

Adventure was waiting. Santorini demands to be seen. 

The view from the balcony

I gobbled down my breakfast like a starving wolf devouring its meal, and I think my parents did the same. Though I barely had time to enjoy it, the food was delicious: First came a basket of a variety of bread, followed by a plate of assorted ham and cheese. Next served was an omelette and a croissant. Yeah, I know I sound like a pig eating all this, but I bet you would do the same. We headed off as the last drip of my orange juice had left the cup. We thanked the friendly waiters and waitresses and went on out way (My father had already paid them earlier). I walked on a narrow concrete path until I came to the edge of the village. There, a black dog was resting until it saw the three of us. It jumped up and down with excitement. When it jumped on me, I took the opportunity to take a look at its name tag. It read: Mitzi. Poor dog! It was lost! I gave it some bread I had in my bag and continued on. However, looking back, I saw that the dog was following us! Oh well. It was very cute. Perhaps it was a good thing to have some company along the way.

Mitzi enjoying the view

As I walked, I came across some peculiar-looking rocks: Some were red, some were grey, some were brown, but they all shared the same rough texture and shape. Then, the information dawned on me like the sunlight beating down on the surface: These were volcanic rocks! Santorini was formed by a volcanic eruption! I picked a few of the most beautiful of the rocks and placed them gently in my bag. Mitzi seemed interested in the rocks too. He sniffed at them and tried to grab hold of one. How cute!

The morning seemed to race by and before I knew it, it was noontime. I stopped by a scenic site where I could see the entire town I was staying at, which was the capital of Santorini (Fira). That was when I realized how big it was. Massive! I also realized how far I had walked. Those houses seemed as small as ants from where I was standing. The last thing I realized was how hungry I was. My stomach was rumbling and groaning in protest. I had to eat. I spotted a restaurant not far from where I was standing. It was very small, but remarkably decorated. Ornaments and decorations filled the wall. I noticed, that in one corner, there was a section dedicated to hanging objects related to Chinese New Year, which was fast approaching. I was touched to see how people from all the way across the world try to appreciate other countries’ cultures. The waiters, as I expected, were very friendly and made me feel at home. I ordered one of the restaurant’s recommended dish: Greek lamb with potatoes and olives. The Greeks have been cultivating olives for hundreds of years. Legend says that the Goddess Athena gave an olive tree to the capital city, Athens, thus winning its favor. The Greeks enjoy using olive oil to cook their food, and sometimes drizzled over the dishes. What a scrumptious meal!

The road following to the next town, Oia, was more bumpy. Fortunately, I was used to walking in this type of pathways because I hike a lot, especially in the mountains, so I was able to make it there in good time. I arrived around 5pm, way later than I expected. At first, I wanted to hike all the way around the island, but now i realize that it would take far too long. I decided to wait until around 6:30pm to watch the sunset from here — a different angle, a different view, I thought to myself. However, there was one thing that really upset me: Mitzi was bullied by some other dogs and was too frightened to move, so I had to leave him sitting along on the sidewalk. Poor Mitzi. I would really miss him. I explored the village while waiting for the sun to set, eating and admiring the view. The sunset was spectacular, but not as colorful as the one from Fira.

Time flew by and before I knew it, I was in a taxi heading back to the hotel. When I returned, I collapsed onto the bed, dead tired. Today was such a tiring day, but the sensational sights left me in smiles. Ah, Santorini! 

Jayden