Usalola’s Weblog

 I jetted off to Santorini, (as Glenn calls it “our trip within a trip” ), one of my favorite spots on the entire planet. Who doesn’t love a place with fabulous food,  tear-jerking views, and wonderful people?  A picture paints a thousand words….

Santorini-where else?

yet again..

LOVIN' this!!!

I think I’m also enamored a bit with Santorini because this is where Glenn and I “met” 14yrs ago. Let me quickly explain (for those who don’t know the story): He wrote an ad looking for a traveling partner, I answered the ad with a picture of me wearing a big hat and glasses and sitting on a wall in Santorini waiting for the sun to set, he called, and the rest is, well, a little more involved, but as they say, history. So of course I had to find the wall again and take another picture.

14 years later...

The weather was absolutely glorious, which showed off the stark white buildings even more. We wandered through the cobblestone streets window-shopping, with a must-do stop at a taverna overlooking the water for a late afternoon cocktail. One afternoon we wandered to the “old village” (how it differs from the rest of the island, we’re not sure) and came across a sign for a winery. We followed the sign as it snaked through narrow, deserted streets until we came to a cave-like entrance and a winery called Gavala. We walked in, and were greeted by numerous cats (in abundance in Greece) and the somewhat frazzled winemaker. He stopped working with his scientific potions long enough to taste us on some of his wines, and tell us the winery has been owned by the Gavala family for 300years! Take that Napa valley!! We really enjoyed a dry white produced from the rare and indigenous grapes of Katsano and Gaidouria, both unknown outside of Santorini. It was a pleasant surprise to taste such good wines on the island.

After 3 sun-soaked days in Santorini,we were off to Crete. They couldn’t be more opposite- Santorini is stunning and euro-chic, where Crete is rugged and a little unkept. The landscape is dramatic with more olive oil trees than I have ever seen.

Olive trees galore

The “Cretans” are very proud of their island and its history. We went to the ancient city of Aptera, which dates back to 8th c. B.C. An earthquake in 365 A.D marked its decline, and the next powerful earthquake in 7 A.D. its definitive abandonment. It was amazing to see so much of the city still standing.

Aptera

three-parted cistern

The weather in Crete was a little wild – cool and very breezy. We had a wonderful hotel room right on the water, so we could see and hear the waves hitting against the shore. Really quite beautiful.

view from our room

One very,very breezy day, our guide drove us to the area called the Gramvousa Penisula on the northwest tip of Crete. The wind was howling as we walked the steep stone steps down to the water of many different colors, passing goats and a sign for a “taverna” on the way. It was amazing! Hit on the photo to enlarge it and really see how gorgeous it is.

Goats on the trail, and a taverna awaits!

various shades of blue

parting shot