JAP | ENG
Santorini, Greece
October 2014
#2/3
Pier below the cliff
There is a tiny dock at the foot of the cliffs of the outer rim of the volcano. From here, cruise ship tourists climb to the clifftop city of Fira by cable car or donkey. Taken from the terrace of the hotel in the early morning.
Photo by author, 2014
A cable car connects the city to the pier.
The height difference is as much as 300m.
Taken from the terrace of the hotel in the early morning.
Photo by author, 2014
The cable car that climbs up from the pier at the bottom of the cliff in the early morning is filled with cruise ship passengers. The descending trip is now empty.
In the evening, it’s the reverse phenomenon, where the ascending trip is empty,
Photo by author, 2014
Entrance to the cave hotel
There is a small iron door, through which you enter and go down the stairs to the hotel that is set on the cliff. This is a typical Santorini approach to hotels.
Photo by author, 2014
NAOUSSA Restaurant
The caldera cave hotel only offers lodging, so I walked around the area and found a restaurant on the outer rim of the mountain, where I had breakfast.
Photo by author, 2014
There was a menu board in English. Prices are in euros.
Photo by author, 2014
It’s still early in the morning, so we seems to be the only ones.
The half dome makes the place comfortable.
Photo by author, 2014
The view from the rooftop of the restaurant. On the far right is the city of Fira, and in the distance is the city of Oia. These two towns are connected in an elongated strip on the outer rim of the mountain. They are about 10km apart.
Photo by author, 2014
Numerous Greek dishes for breakfast. Marinated sardines in olives oil.
Photo by author, 2014
Mediterranean-style healthy food with a fresh salad.
Photo by author, 2014
Photo by author, 2014
Photo by author, 2014
After the meal, we took a commemorative photo with the owner and chef of the restaurant.
Photo by author, 2014
After a satisfying breakfast, it’s time to head out into the streets of Fira and begin our walk.
Orthodox Metropolitan Cathedral
A Greek Orthodox church built in 1827.
It was devastated by a major earthquake in 1956, but was quickly rebuilt.
Photo by author, 2014
A pure white church shining against the blue sky.
A landmark church in the heart of the city of Fira.
Photo by author, 2014
Donkey slope
A zigzag path is marked on the cliff in the picture map below.
This is the so-called donkey road that connects the town of Fira with the dock 300m below.
Photo by author, 2014
Donkeys carrying both people and luggage, and is indispensable on this slope.
Photo by author, 2014
Photo by author, 2014
Donkeys climbing, donkeys descending, this is truly a donkey road.
Photo by author, 2014
Photo by author, 2014
Photo by author, 2014
Catholic Cathedral of Saint John The Baptist
As I continued my walk, I found a church with a clock tower on the hill of Fira.
Photo by author, 2014
Most of the churches in Santorini are Greek Orthodox, but there are also a few Catholic churches that coexist.
Photo by author, 2014
We arrived at a small commercial complex in the center of the city of Fira around lunch time. The grey lines on the map are roads, and the orange lines are the sidewalk.
Photo by author, 2014
Spacious outdoor terrace seating.
Photo by author, 2014
Photo by author, 2014
Photo by author, 2014
“If the moussaka is good, the restaurant will be a good place to dine in.” Moussaka is a traditional Greek dish that contains eggplant, potatoes, cheese, meat sauce, etc., and is baked and I have ordered it several times in Athens.
Photo by author, 2014
Goat cheese Feta, a salty Greek sheep’s milk cheese, is often used.
Photo by author, 2014
I walked to the city “Firostefani”, which is located about 10~15 minutes on foot from Fira.
The itinerary is about a 1km walk ⇒ the hotel ⇒ Naoussa Restaurant⇒ the Metropolitan Cathedral⇒ the Donkey Slope⇒ the Catholic Church ⇒ the small commercial complex in the centre of Fira ⇒ the Blue Dome Church in the Firostefani district.
After eating, I walk north towards Oia.
The roof terrace of the cave hotel stretched out before me for a while.
It was a typical Santorini scene.
Photo by author, 2014
A narrow path with white walls on both sides seems to continues on forever.
Photo by author, 2014
After passing the maze of narrow paths, I came to a place with a good view.
Photo of author, 2014
Two Mediterranean cruise ships are docked.
For souvenir shops in Santorini, it’s time to make money.
Photo by author, 2014
“Blue Dome” Church
It is located in the “Firostefani” district, about a 10~15-minute walk from Fira.
Agios Spiridonas (Saint Spyridon)
A blue-domed church in the Firostefani area of Santorini.
It is built on a narrow piece of land right on the edge of the outer crater cliff.
It is one of the most photogenic spots on Santorini.
It would have taken an extraordinary amount of labor and cost to bring building materials into such a narrow place with an inclination of more than 45 degrees.
I was thinking about all these while taking photos.
Photo by author, 2014
The church was built on a cliff in the Firostefani district.
On the road leading to this point, there is only a width where two people can pass each other, and if it is crowded with tourists, it will be a big chaos for taking pictures.
It was late afternoon at the time of this shooting, and it was a perfect time to avoid the crowds.
Photo by author, 2014
If you were to choose the color of a tablecloth for a restaurant, it would have been difficult to find a color that would match other than this color. If you picked this, you got it right!
Photo by author, 2014
St. Gerasimos Christian Church
These two churches are located next to each other.
I secured a seat at restaurant again for a photo shoot.
The angle was such that the dome and the outer rim overlapped.
Photo by author, 2014
It gives the illusion of a cross projected on a hill.
Photo by author, 2014
The black cat is also looking at the caldera sea.
I feel like there is a ship on his head.
Photo by author, 2014
The white outdoor table and the blue sea seems like they are connected.
Photo by author, 2014
Blue sky, blue roof, white cross, white lime plaster walls.
It is a church that was located in the Oia district.
Photo by author, 2014
The Church of Panagia Platsani
The Main square that is the center of tourism in Oia.
The dome roof of the church here in the Oia district is blue, unlike that in the Fira district. The name of this church is Ekklisia Panagia Platsani and it is a typical Greek church.
Photo by author, 2014
Planting in Santorini
Bougainvillea creates a comfortable shade for the pocket patio.
The bougainvillea on the white wall matches well with this island.
Photo by author, 2014
Photo by author, 2014
Ornamental plants in a volcanic gravel jars
In Santorini, there is little rainfall, so water is stored in the trunk.
Photo by author, 2014
Photo by author, 2014
Photo by author, 2014
Have a beer to conserve water.
The annual rainfall in Santorini is 554 mm, and since Tokyo is 1,520 mm, which is about one-third. Drinking water in Santorini is precious.
I found a sign that said, “Save water, Drink Beer.” It’s a good pun
Photo by author, 2014
All photos by author, October 2014
