The Evolution of a Santorini Sunset

Have you ever watched the sun set through a camera lens? It's quite interesting, really. You're able to zoom in on the heart & soul of the sunset...that great big orange ball of gas and fire collapsing into the abyss...and truly see the sunset in motion. Sunsets are quick, y'all. Like mmmbop quick. You gals know what I'm talking about. Urban Dictionary defines an mmmbop as "when something cool happens," "an instant," or "an unrepeatable moment in time." One second the sky is on fire, an mmmbop later, that fire is scorched out, leaving only faded remnants of color swirling into the sky until the dark of night engulfs them. Really cool, totally unique, and super fast. Hanson nailed sunsets on the head. They should really write a comeback song about them. I'd buy it. 

Ahem, moving on...

Our ship was set to draw up its anchor and sail away at 9pm sharp that night. We finished our dinner and walk down the donkey trail in Fira just in time to catch a tender boat back to the ship at 8pm. The sun was scheduled to set at 8:12pm. We barely made it to the top deck of the ship before the sun began its descent into the sea. As soon as my feet hit the boards of the Solstice Deck, I whipped out my camera and started snapping, along with about 200 other people huddled up against the railing doing the same. I always thought the best view of the Santorini sunset would be from Oia or Fira, sitting on a patio sipping wine. But I think watching it from our ship might have been even better. It felt like we were inside the sunset...floating among the beams of orange and red within its core. It's impossible to be unhappy while watching (or floating through) a sunset, I've decided. I got all kinds of warm fuzzies as I stood there with D and our new friends, "ooing" and "ahhing" over this stunning sunset and our great fortune having been able to witness it. It's sunsets like this one, just off the shores of beautiful Santorini, that are charming reminders of a day well spent. Exploring a new place, laughing with new friends, and finding peace knowing I lived my best that day. If only every day ended with a Santorini sunset. The world would be a much happier place.

Coming soon...our day on the island of Mykonos!

Fira, Santorini

Fira, while more touristy and not quite as enchanting as Oia, surprised me with its winding cobblestone streets and charming Greek character. Truth is, it's hard to find the words to describe how each part of the island of Santorini made me feel; the memories it evokes every time I flip through the photos I took. Oia made me feel like I was submerged within a scene of Mamma Mia! or The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. Colorful, rustic, dreamy...off the beaten path. I was on the verge of bursting out in an ABBA medley around every turn. Fira, on the other hand, conjured up feelings reminiscent of My Life in Ruins. Misfit tourists, souvenir t-shirts, crowded streets, and ouzo drinking. Funny how I've become able to compare my travels to blockbuster films. Hollywood isn't too far off from the real thing, folks. Granted, you should never replace traveling the world for movie watching. But it's a good place to start.

After exploring Oia, we hopped the city bus and made our way back to Fira with just 2.5 hours left to tour before our ship pulled up anchor and sailed away to Mykonos. We wandered around, shopped (I bought the most gorgeous pair of olive wood serving spoons!), and dined on authentic Greek fare while overlooking the sun-drenched caldera. The baked feta cheese, homemade moussaka, and local Santorini wine I consumed almost put me into a complete tourist coma. I can't tell you how delicious that meal was. Or how wonderful our dinner company was. Dining with new friends was the cherry on top of my already too-sweet-for-words day in Santorini. As we walked back down the zigzag donkey trail (the cable car seemed too rushed...we wanted to savor our last moments in Fira, even if they were littered with donkey poop), I couldn't help but stop every few seconds to snap a photo. The sun had finally made its appearance and was hovering coyly over the water, projecting amber streaks of light across the cliffs above. It was like some kind of dream I didn't want to wake up from...even the part where I slipped on a pile of "organic mud" and crashed down to my knees on the donkey trail. I know, ew. But, the bruise I subsequently got just reminded me of our fabulous 6 hours in Santorini. I definitely left a piece of my heart there. 

Guess I'll just have to go back there someday and retrieve it.

Oia, Santorini

Santorini has been on my travel bucket list for years. Just shortly after D and I got married, I remember confessing to him how much I wished we'd had the money to honeymoon there. Jamaica was a wonderful spot for a honeymoon (and we had such an amazing time!), but Santorini just conveys a sense of romantic wonder that I'd never experienced before. I knew I had to get there someday. Someday when we weren't still in college living paycheck to paycheck. Almost 6 years later and planning for our first cruise,  Sanotrini was tippy top of our list of ports we HAD to sail to. Even though we only had 6 hours to explore all this stunning whitewashed Greek island had to offer, there was no denying...it was one of my favorite stops on our trip.

Santorini is essentially the most mythical spot of the Cycladic Islands. Believed to be the "real Atlantis" written about by Plato, the island itself was formed out of lava from a volcanic eruption in 17th century BC. The eruption left a large caldera (giant crater...partially submerged underwater) surrounded by volcanic ash hundreds of meters deep, thus forming the hills and valleys of Santorini island and numerous small surrounding islands. The landscape is nothing short of fascinating. All around the island you can see jagged cliffs with the layers of volcanic rock and bright red sand exposed as the caldera collapses off into the sea. Juxtaposed to these massive cliffs are the famous white and blue buildings, littered with colorful flower boxes, expansive patios with inviting lounge chairs, and stunning views of the imposing caldera below. This place is a true (aspiring) photographer's dream!

Oia (pronounced ee-ya) was our first stop exploring the island. Just a 20-minute city bus ride west from Fira (where our ship was docked), Oia boasts some of the most beautiful scenery and sunsets I've ever witnessed. Although it drizzled on and off while we were there, you hardly needed the sun to capture the etherealness of Oia. I was worried that all my photos would come out dull against the cloudy sky, but if the sun had been shining, I surely would have been blinded by the stark white architecture. Every inch of Oia was gorgeous. From one vantage point you could see blue roofed churches and house on top of house fading into the cliffside. From another view, you could see the uninhabited islands of Nea Kameni, Palaia Kameni, & Aspronisi floating out in the caldera. Turn to the west and you'd see a proud windmill, standing tall and charming atop a hotel in the island's oldest settlement. Oia was absolutely a dream...and my most favorite town on the island of Santorini. I only wish we had more time to enjoy it! Stay turned for photos of our time exploring and dining in Fira, Santorini's alluring capital city.

{Miss any of my previous Santorini posts? You can find them here and here.}