Just another day in Santorini...

Friday, August 22, 2008. 1:45 AM Santorini time

Well, I wasn't planning on posting everyday, but seeing as we keep on running into such adventures, I figure I might as well share!

Since 8:30 this morning, SO much has happened! We called the airport who informed us that our baggage was in fact in Santorini. (Well, we first accidentally called the hostel thinking that it was the airport when the man who runs the hostel answered and proceeded to ask why we were calling from downstairs…) After spending another 1,40e each way to the airport and back and about 2 hours, we finally got our baggage. I felt so relieved!! It was like I was actually officially IN Santorini—not just half way.

We then decided to throw on our suits and walk around Oia (the city on the island of Santorini where we are staying, pronounced “ee-ah”) while Ellen explored Fira, the capitol city. We each had delicious “salty crepes” for lunch in Oia at a little cafe where the woman made each one at a time (translation: we were there FOREVER because it took so long). But, it was delicious! I had chicken, cheese, corn and green peppers, can you think of a better combination of food, all wrapped up in a yummy crepe??? I took some BEAUTIFUL pictures, (again, to be posted as soon as possible) and we ended up trekking down 235 stairs to the coastline. We curved around the volcanic rocks on the coastline and then jumped in the water!! (not from too high up, don't worry, it was more like big steps down). Here’s where the story gets interesting. As Kendra, Katie, and I jumped in, we encountered some very chilly water. As Meredith and Elisabeth jumped in, they stepped on some sea urchins. Super. Mer and I swam over to a boat hoping that they knew what tweezers were and hoped that they had some. They did not, but one boy (later to be known as Storisis, or as Ellen affectionately calls him, “unibrow”) informed us, “no worry, I doctor.” Comforting, yes? As Storisis tried to pull out the spines, Eli swam over to the rocks in immense pain. To make a long story short, Apostolis, the friend of Storisis, gave Eli and Mer a ride on his jetski back to land because they could not walk, then rode Katie, Kendra and me back from the boat to the shore. We were careful not to receive any spines for ourselves. Storisis moped-ed Mer and Eli back to the hostel while the rest of us hiked back UP the 235 steps, easier said than done, and found the girls back at the hostel. Our new Greek friends informed us that they would be working at a bar in Fira named Memouna and we should come visit. Ellen, at this point, was MIA. Mer and Eli soaked their feet in olive oil per advice from many and tried to figure out what to do next.

This is where my part comes in. I sat on the floor of the courtyard of our hostel with the girls for about four hours picking at Mer’s feet trying to retrieve the spikes. Literally, during the hours of 4:00- 8:00 pm I saw little but the foot of one Meredith Edrington. Somewhere in here, Ellen walks in to the hostel, foot bandaged too. She had evidentially found some sea urchins of her own. What a strange coincidence!! We eventually decided to go grab some dinner (after watching the sunset, of course!!) We ate at this little Italian-like place where I had yet another crepe, this time with mozzarella, basil, and tomato. It was good, but I’d say my first crepe was better.

After dinner, we headed to Fira to meet up with the boys. We were not sure what the name of the bar was, nor could we really remember their names, and we for sure did not know the location of this bar, so we were really looking for a needle in a haystack. We finally found Memouna, but were told it didn't open until 11:30, so we waited around and people watched on a bench. We finally met up with the boys outside the bar (we didn't want to pay the 10e cover charge…) and chatted with them for a while. We eventually decided to head back to the hostel, seeing as it was 1:30 in the morning at this point. One taxi ride later and I find myself sitting here, outside our room in the hostel, overlooking the lights of this beautiful place, and thinking WOW!!!!

What are we doing tomorrow? No one knows. We have half the group unable to walk because of the sea urchin spines, and so much ground to cover!!
Just another day in Santorini…
xoxo
mckin