Grinning in the Greek Isles

After the dirt and sweat of Athens it was time for some cleansing, so to the delicious aqua water of the Greek Isles we headed. First we would meet up with Pasq (who we had visiting in Perugia) and Adam (another friend from University) on Santorini. Widely regarded as the most beautiful of the Cyclades (southern Greek Islands), Santorini was stunning. Despite one member of the party describing the sunset from Oia (a postcard perfect town in the north of the island) as rubbish, the spontaneous applause when the sun finally set from the hundreds watching reveals how special the view was (see top 2 photos). In case the stunning views weren’t enough the island also sports some great black volcanic sand beaches (see bottom photo) and a party scene to match. Although not as notorious as Mikonos or Ios, Santorini still has great night life. There’s Parissa (where we stayed) with its beach clubs where bikini clad under 25’s swap cocktails for a quick dip in the seaside pool, or Fira where the more dedicated dance fans head. Pasq had all his Italian mates from Perugia with him so we arrived with a ready-made group of friends, hell-bent on having a party.

For a change we hired a small car for a day and I took on the roads, Greek style. While not a totally relaxing experience we made it around the island and ticked off most of the sights. Using the car as a tripod for a group shot was probably the worse idea of the day as we almost left the gearbox behind when backing back down the hill. The car (and its occupants) arrived home safe though and its driver recovered over a few ales.

After Santorini it was time to say goodbye to Pasq as he headed off to meet a friend (or more than a friend) in Paris. For Adam, Kelly and I though it was on to Paros, another Greek island. Slightly more laid back than Santorini, Paros while also being the ferry hub for the islands, is a great place to relax for a few days. After Santorini we were keen for a few days on the beach and little else. For a bit of entertainment (or adrenalin if you’re Kel) we hired scooters for a day and headed off around the island to visit some different beaches. Able to indulge his hoon side, Adam absolutely loved it! A few nights playing 500 where Adam would invariably shock us by bidding misere with the Joker and we were back on the Ferry bound for Athens. There would be little time to rest though as we had tickets for the overnight bus to Corfu, another Greek island. This time in the north, Corfu is considered by some to be the most beautiful of the Greek islands. It is certainly only a 2 horse race between Santorini and Corfu, and we had to find out for ourselves.