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We awake early the next morning for breakfast and an 8:15 departure by launch for the island of Delos. Delos has an impressive set of ruins but 800 people from the cruise ship are all trying to see the same thing. We actually had 30 people in our group with one guide but we constantly ran into other groups of 30. We hung out with our group for an hour and then bolted to the museum before the crowds. After the museum we hiked to the top of Mount Kynthos at 370 feet we had a great view of the island and the surrounding sea.
Delos flourished in the 6th/7th century BC. It is a sacred island in the Cyclades group because the other islands in the chain form a circle around it. This made Delos an important commercial and political center for the Greek states. Delos was also considered the birthplace of Zeus, so the Greeks made it illegal for anyone to give birth or die on the island. It was also well placed on the trade routes. Delos is now a national park and one of the more important antiquities surviving from the ancient Greek world.
We boarded the ship for lunch and two hours later we had the afternoon on the island of Mykonos. We are going to Paradise Beach-the wild one. It is a bit of a hassle to depart the ship with 800 other people because they only have four taxis and two buses. We walk through town looking for the bus to Paradise Beach. The bus stop is actually on the other side of town which assures all shops get maximum exposure from the tourists. The bus is very crowded and has exceeded standing room only. Twisting and turning our way through the countryside we end up at a lively beach covered with oily bodies in various stages of undress. There is music, cafes, tikis, and lounge chairs. It did not take long to make ourselves at home. We landed a couple of lounge chairs and a tiki umbrella, mixed in with a couple margaritas this could work very well. Scooter has already decided that we will be returning for camping on our way back from Greece. Paradise Beach has a nice setup and camping is only a couple hundred feet from the beach. We boarded our bus back to town for a little shopping and sunset watching over Greek wine. Not the best wine but the atmosphere more than compensates. Dinner again back on the boat and by the time all the courses get served it is 10:30 and I ready for bed.
The following morning we do not have time for breakfast because our tour starts at 7:00 AM on the island of Santorini for the ruins of Akrotiri. Santorini is part of the Cyclades and is set on the rim of a volcano which exploded in 1500 BC. The cliffs around the flooded volcano rise 1,000 feet with the whitewashed towns of Fira and Oia on top. We are first off the boat which means we will be the first group at the ruins of Akrotiri. Akrotiri was a Minoan outpost in the 16th century BC and is the best preserved prehistoric settlement in the Aegean. The reason this place is so well preserved is because the island decided to blow up and bury the town in ash. The residents knew the eruption was coming so had plenty of time to pack and vacate before the Island erupted. The archeological site is filled with vases and beds which were to large to bring with them.
Great ruins and a great guide combined with being the first group in makes this experience first rate. The city was discovered by an archeologist who was looking for the lost city of Atlantis. He was hoping that the volcanic explosion on Santorini would provide some clues to the origin of Atlantis. The city has only been partially excavated and it is a slow process. They only dig during the month of August when the humidity is low and then they only use straws and spoons. When the volcano erupted it covered the entire area in ash which later turned to rock. Over the centuries the wood used for furniture, beds and cross beams rotted and left hollow cavities. So when the digging team finds one of these cavities they pour plaster into the naturally formed mold and get a perfect replica of the ancient furniture. In most of the main rooms the family had a painted fresco on the wall which depicted the times of 16th century BC. These paintings provide a great deal of information about how the Minoans lived. They X-ray the wall to get an outline of the painting and then begin the slow task of taking away the rock trying not to damage the original painting. If not for the volcano this information would of been lost forever. Mother Nature works in weird ways sometimes.
We headed back into town for more shopping and the Akrotiri Fresco Exhibition. The small town is actually built on top of and in the side of the cliff. We are so high up that the Marco Polo which is docked in the harbor looks like a kiddy boat in a pool. The views are stunning and you can't help but feel relaxed and at peace with your surroundings. We had the option of walking down the side of the cliff but the group has opted for the cable car to the bottom. The place is crowded and after a short time we are back on the Marco Polo heading for the Isle of Crete and an afternoon excursion.
The actual cruise is going very well, food of course is tasty and plentiful and served in numerous settings around the ship. The more casual being the buffet around the pool which is our favorite. The Marco Polo can handle 800 passengers but has an amazing 500 crew members working hard to make everyone's stay enjoyable. A job on the Marco Polo would be a great way to travel. They circle the globe at least once every year as well as a 21 day Antarctica cruise. According to the ship's captain this is the way to see the seventh continent and all you need is a lot of time and a lot of money.
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| This page last changed on 27-Apr-2006 23:28:16 EDT by 70.171.24.221. |
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