Santorini continued:

Today we were picked up from our hotel from a spot that was only two hundred and twenty three steps from our room.....getting used to them!  We were taken to Ammoudi Bay (which was actually immediately below our hotel) for the start of our big day out. David and Bianca were already there, having been picked up earlier. We were on a 38 foot catamaran, which was excellently appointed. Only sixteen passengers on board, all beer, wine and soft drinks (as well as a sumptuous bar b qued Greek lunch) included.  Away we went sailing! It was fantastic.  Hard to believe we are inside the crater or caldera as it is known, of a once enormous volcano.  They estimate the thing blew to pieces some 3,700 years ago and actually dropped (or sunk) to be filled with the Aegean Sea. The sights are amazing and the water crystal clear....and deep.  Apparently, it is so deep, cruise liners here cannot weigh anchor, they must keep motors running to maintain position 24 hours a day and maintain their berth.  

Our first stop was at the Hot Springs, where we paddled to a part of the bay where an under ground spring still oozes out hot water to mix with the cold.  Quite a bit of sulphur is also discharged, and they say the warm rust coloured mud and water is good for the skin.  Apparently not so good for white coloured bikinis? The volcano is still classed as active, which is why there are hot springs. The last time it erupted wa in 1956,which totally decimated the island and put them into 2 years of winter!  The explosion was greater than that of Krakatoa in Indonesia and caused 2 tsunamis. The people who had fled the island for Crete were drowned for their troubles. 

We then moved on to a number of lovely clear swimming spots and snorkelled, swum and soaked up the sun.  We saw the magnificent old lighthouse, which was built by a French man, the White Beach and the Red Beach. Finally, we made it back to be picked up and driven back to our hotel.  

That night, we met up again with David and Bianca, as well as Boyd Muntz and Samantha (who had only just arrived in Santorini) for dinner.  We made our way up through the thousands of tourists who come to see the wonderful sunsets here at Oia (and the 258 steps) to a little restaurant named Roka.  We enjoyed both the meal and the company enormously! We said our good byes and wished both couples all the best for their ongoing travels.

Sadly, today we packed and simply lay by the pool as we waited for our lift to the port to catch a ferry out of Santorini and onto Crete, having had a wonderful time here.