I Wish It Was Less Rude to Take Pictures of Strangers

Today was our relaxation day. We had to give the ATV back at one, so we took the morning to go see Kamari Beach. Kamori Beach is very popular. This is where many of the beach bars and restaurants are. We drove just to the beginning of it, so that it was basically just beach. Rather than sand, the section of Kamari Beach we went to was covered in dark rocks. It made for a nice alternative because the fine sand of the other beach had gotten into all our stuff. It was beautiful. The water looked blue and when we actually went in, we could see our feet at the bottom, which is a healthy change from murky Jersey Shore water. Sam and I worked on our tans, and when we got bored, we watched Friends on my iPod. It was a nice piece of home to comfort us while away.

Once we had driven back to Kartdardos, and given the bike back, Sam and I stopped for a frappe (iced coffee) at the local creperie. It was lovely and we are both now resolute to return for a crepe. We ended up sitting there for an hour, discussing Sam’s upcoming year of graduate school. Then, we stopped at the bakery for snacks and a fresh loaf of bread, followed by the mini-mart for water and feta cheese. To save money, we plan to eat bread and feta for lunches rather than going out. What could be better? Possibly only the bread and mozzarella we buy to save money in Rome.

Anyway, the rest of the day was devoted to lying by the pool, reading, and resting. ‘Twas excellent. At night, we went to Savas. Savas is a little restaurant in Karterados that we had passed everyday and thought looked good. It was small, but crowded when we got there. Sam and I had vowed to try something completely new, so I chose Fried Pork with Egg and she had Pastitsio. Mine was fine – basically a bread pork chop. Sam’s looked like lasagna, with a layer of tubular pasta below a layer of ground meat (beef or lamb, we do not know) below a layer of some white stuff. At first, we thought it was potato, but Sam Goggled it and learned it was some kind of flour custard. ??? Anyway, she liked it.

Then, we headed to Thira. It was a little early for nightlife to begin, so we sat to digest and do some people watching. At that time, we wish that it was more socially acceptable to photograph strangers or that we were stealthier. If we could have, I certainly would have posted the pictures of the bedazzled shoes, the ill-fitting dresses, women dressing decades younger than they should. Our personal favorite was the groups of people all wearing completely white outfits. Thank goodness they were tan, or else they would have been invisible against the stark white walls. Then, we started walking around Thira and looking for a place to go. We finally landed on Murphy’s again. There, we met Xavier, Aka, Nikolai, and Andia, four super sweet Frenchmen on vacation on Santorini. They brought us to the Enigma Club, a very stylish place with neon lights and completely white furniture. It fit very well with the island atmosphere.

I think one of my favorite things about Santorini is all the different people here. Sam and I walked down the main street of Thira and heard about six different languages being spoken. Even at Murphy’s, we discussed touring Athens with a girl who lives there. I can hear Australians, Germans, and French people through my window at Stavros throughout the day. It is rare that we are exposed to people from so many different countries, and I’m truly enjoying it.

We’ve been going to Thira almost every day. Tomorrow, we go to Ancient Thira to wrap up our time on Santorini…