Saving the best until last

I'm typing what I know will be my last blog entry for a while because in a few hours we will be leaving this magical place and then tomorrow night we will be starting our journey back to NZ. I can't get too down on it though because I have had an amazing time, so many great experiences and last night I even got the the best sunset ever!

I had a feeling that it was going to be a good one because I hadn't seen many clouds in the sky all day. Sunset was at 7.59pm and I knew it would be packed so I made sure we headed to the spot where everyone gathers at about 6.30pm. I know it was early but I didn't mind waiting and I found it fascinating just standing watching and listening to all the different people from around the world. Simon left for about 30 minutes because he went to try and find a gift for someone but came back without a gift and with a local beer ;) Enough of the build because I know you're hanging out to see some pictures!

Forgot to mention this happened while I was waiting

Donkeys or horses?

You could hear a bell

Clear skies!

He's back!

Love this shot!

Greek flag

It's going down

Look at all those colours!

Happiness!

I held a good spot!

Nearly there!

Goodbye Sun!

There was a huge applause at the end and we kept giggling at people who started clapping before it was fully gone. So we got what we wanted and I thought it was quite fitting it was on the last night. We also saved the best restaurant until last too, it was called Ambrosia and the food was possibly the best I have ever had. I had haloumi and eggplant starter, pork fillet with mushroom, apricot and plum as a main (phenomenal combination) and brownie with vanilla ice cream and homemade caramel sauce for dessert, it was AMAZING!

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View from table - quite romantic

Everything was perfect!

It's just under 2 hours until someone comes to help us with our bag and get a taxi to the airport so I better go make some porridge, finish packing and take in the views one last time.

This whole trip has been amazing, the wedding at the beginning and now Greece to end with. We have been so lucky with all the hospitality given to us over the trip and it has been great catching up with friends and exploring new places together.

See you on Sunday NZ!!!

I wonder where the next blog will come from...

X

Santorini cont...

I finished a book today! You know the one I bought from that funky bookstore the other night, well it's finished! You know you're having a good holiday when you can read a book in a few days and do lots of other stuff as well :)

Yesterday we went on a walk to Katharos Beach, recommended by Laskarina (apartment owner), and this was about a 20 minute walk away. We could not believe it when we arrived and were the only people there. At the start there was a lady taking some pictures of her dog but after that it was just the two of us. We set up shop there and read our books for a good few hours I guess (the great thing about holidays is you don't worry about the time) before heading back to get ready for another night of sunset watching.

Beach this way

Simon leads the way

No one around - amazing layering on rocks

Zara on beach

Happy with his book - he also finished it today :)

Back we go

We found a different spot to watch the sunset this time but sadly there were way too many clouds to see it in all its glory. The sky did look amazing though.

Our balcony before sunset hunting - great shot Si!

Looked like it could of happened - grr I have dust on my camera lens!

The rays looked amazing

Cool!

Oh well... Still one more night

We weren't super hungry so only had a small dinner, Si got spaghetti with tomato and I got greek yoghurt with walnuts and honey. It was stunning!

I LOVE GREEK YOGHURT!

It was a very relaxed day, I loved it!

Today I woke up to some very exciting news, one of best friends has had her baby! I was already in a good mood but that did put me in an even better one. Our day today has been very much the same as yesterday, relaxing and some more relaxing. We did go out for lunch to an amazing restaurant and we both got moussaka. I also got grilled haloumi as a starter (OMG - yum!). Then Si came back to try and finish his book while I did some shopping.

Cave kitchen - every morning I have been making porridge :)

Nice view for breakfast, nice breakfast too!

So blue!

Found this on our walk

Top spot - recommended by Laskarina

Mmmm mousakka!

The good stuff!

As I look outside I cannot see a cloud in the sky so I have a very good feeling about tonight's sunset. We're going to go to a pretty fancy restaurant for dinner seeing as it is our last night. I am both sad and happy at the same time. Sad that we have to leave tomorrow but happy that we have had such an amazing time here. It has been the best ever!

Time to go sunset hunting again so until next time X

Santorini = BEST PLACE EVER!!!

So I am in absolute heaven right now. When we first arrived in Oia (said Ia) I could not believe how perfect everything was and how it was exactly as I thought it would be. It has always been a dream of mine to come to this small Greek island and I feel so lucky to be blogging from the balcony of my 'cave apartment' right now.

We arrived in Santorini at 1.35pm on Sunday afternoon (it is now Tuesday morning) and were greeted at the airport by a friendly chap who drove us to Oia. This was organised through our air b'n'b booking so it was a very nice to relax on the drive knowing that everything was legit (I do always worry a little bit when I organise things through the internet, but touch wood nothing has ever gone wrong yet). On the drive he told us a bit about the history of Santorini and the different landmarks as we drove around the island. It was about a 35 minute drive and we were greeted by another man who carried our suitcase to our apartment. We followed him around a few paved paths and after about 3 minutes walking we saw the view and it actually took our breath away, it was unbelievable. In the past I have found that sometimes places I've visited are not quite as good as the post card but I am telling you this place is the real deal.

Check it out...

View from our balcony

Hard to wake up to this...

View to the right

Our balcony - no one is staying in the other place so it's all ours!

Cave apartment exterior

We quickly dropped our stuff off, got familiar with the apartment and then were off exploring. Of course I was thrilled to find all of the boutique jewellery and art stores lining the marble pathway through the village of Oia. We got some food and then headed back so I could have a nap because it was a very early start and I didn't sleep on the plane.

Gate to our apartment

Our pathway

Out on the main strip

Funky

That blue on white is so cool!

You can probably tell from the photos that it was weirdly foggy so we didn't worry about going to see the sunset on Sunday. Our taxi driver said because the island was warming up the fog came but thankfully it only lasted that first day and we've had picturesque blue skies ever since. We went to a restaurant just above our apartment (literally 30 second walk) for dinner and I had chicken souvlaki and Si had a mushroom and duck pasta. It felt good to be eating Greek cuisine again and the view wasn't bad either ;)

Waiting for our food

Loving the setting!

Chicken souvlaki!

Pasta!

Dessert wine - on the house!

I woke up quite early on Monday morning and it took me a while to register where I was and as soon as I remembered I was outside taking in the blue skies, calm sea and everything else around me. Then I went to a small store to buy some supplies for breakfast. Then I waited and waited and waited until Simon finally emerged so we could get started on our day out exploring. 

I really wanted to go to the ancient city of Akrotiri and Simon researched the best way to do this. We caught a bus from Oia to Fira and then went from Fira to Akrotiri. Once we got there we organised to go on a guided tour with two other couples. The guide was well worth the money and really brought the ruins to life. Akrotiri was a prehistoric city which was destroyed in an eruption in the 17th century BC. This was the same eruption which made Santorini the landscape it has today (the caldera). It's similiar to Pompeii in that the ash helped to preserve the city so archaeologists have been able to see what life was like when it was inhabited all those years ago. We both loved it, learnt a lot and highly recommend visiting here.

Akrotiri!

Happy Zara

These vases have been left exactly as they were found

Mmm interesting

It was huge and this is only 12-15% of city

We had to wait for the bus so we walked to the Red Beach because it was only 10 minutes away. This is where the cliffs are red clay so the sand is red, we didn't end up walking to the actual beach (a bit too rocky) but got some pictures there. Santorini is not most famous for its beaches but it was still nice seeing the clear water.

Red Beach

A photo by the beach

Warm enough for a bball shirt

We headed back to Fira and got a pizza for lunch and then we got back to Oia we had a bit of down time before going to find a spot to watch the sunset. I had read that it was hard to find a spot because the sunset is what makes this island famous and it was busy alright. We did get there with quite a bit of time to spare so we found a good spot and it just happened to be at the entrance of a gift store which I may or may not have looked in and bought something for the house while Si held our spot... It got crazy busy.

Showing off Santorini

Blue sky!

We found our spot

Happy!

Sun in a heart - cute

A few people...

The sun goes down

Unfortunately there was a layer of clouds at the bottom so the sun went down behind them but lucky for us we have two more nights of sunset watching and it's bound to set into the sea one of those nights. It was still amazing though and as it did do down into the clouds people did applaud which was nice. 

We took our time walking back and stopped in at an amazing book store where I bought a book to keep me entertained for the next few days. Our host had recommended it and it was well worth the visit.

Inside is even cooler!

She had also given us a list of restaurants worth trying so we went to one just up from the one the night before and moussaka was on the menu so I was definitely getting that. Oh my it was delicious!!! It was gone in a flash it was that good.

Si tried a Greek beer

Moussaka in a clay bowl

Gone a few minutes later

Needless to say Santorini is exceeding expectations and we are having the best time. As I have been writing this Si has retreated inside as it has got a bit hot to read outside (hard life isn't it). In about an hour we are going to walk to a beach that is a 15 minute walk away, so we'll take our books there and set up shop for a while. 

I'll leave you with this image.

It's pretty hard reading my book here

Sending everyone lots of love from the best place ever X