11 Oct, Sunday – Ferry to Santorini

We woke at 06:00, packed and made it down stairs in time to wait a few minutes for the taxi. It was on time, and the drive to Piraeus took about forty minutes. When we arrived, it was still dark, but the ferry was already boarding automobiles and people. The taxi’s meter said 12.50EU but the driver demanded 20EU, claiming taxes required the extra. We argued, but he wouldn’t take less, so we got screwed out of 7.50EU. What a lying bastard. If we’d had time we could have called a policeman, but we were in a hurry to get on the ferry, which the driver knew. Just one of the little extra adventures that are a part of traveling Greece.

Since we already had our tickets, we waked up the gangway where the attendant tore off our ticket stubs. The ferry was already crowded, and they ushered us into the large coffee shop on the third floor. We were not allowed into the posh area where the airliner-type seats had televisions. We could, however, upgrade our seats, which we chose not to do. Smoking was not allowed in the coffee shop, so that was an advantage.

The ferry started moving just about sunup. We stepped outside to the rail to check the air temperature, which was quite warm, and noticed that most people were out there. The cigarette smoke, even outdoors, was unbearable. We stayed in the coffee shop for an hour or so, and then went outside to the front of the ferry, where we took a table and settled down to watch the islands float past.

Once past the tip of Attica, the ferry skirted the western shore of Kynthos, then turned east to the north of Serifos.

The sea was calm with hardly a wave to rock the ferry.

After a couple of hours we docked at Paros, spent only a few minutes, and then we were on our way again.

We skirted the northern shore of Paros, then continued east to Naxos.

After a short stop, we then turn south past Ios and headed toward Santorini. The weather was good although the sea became a little choppy. After an hour or so, we saw Santorini in the distance, coming toward us.

We positioned ourselves at the rail, Richard took my snapshot camera, and I used my little Flip camcorder. Slowly we steamed into the caldera of the volcano.

Richard and I had spent the last two hours going over our guidebooks, Lonely Planet and Let’s Go! to see what we should do to find a room. We made a list of the names of the hotels/pensions recommended that were not too expensive, top among them was Pension Petros, but we thought there was little chance we’d actually be able to get a room at our first preference.

Once we docked, Richard and I scurried to get off the ferry and into the hoards of people standing behind a fence trying to get people to take a room in their establishment. Richard saw a sign “Pension Petro” sticking up among the multitude of other signs, and we crowded through the others to get to him. He told us where his van was parked, and soon we were on our way up the switchbacks to the rim of the caldera.

The pension was just off the center of town, as advertised, and we took a room that was quite spacious and clean up a long stairs. Cost: 45EU/night.

Once we got settled in, Richard and I took a walk around town and changed some money at a travel agency. We watched the sunset from the edge of the caldera.

We had a fabulous dinner at a large taverna on the main walkway through town.

We retired on full stomachs.

Here are some more images: