Being in a foreign country is a completely humbling experience. You have to really rely on others. You must take a chance, hope for the best, and go. This is both exciting and terrifying. A brand new experience from what I am use to. This is exactly what John and I had to do today.
Our day began very slowly. We woke up feeling much more refreshed then the mornings before. Our spirits were high and we were excited to start the day. We began by ordering breakfast. Although the hotel serves breakfast in the restaurant from 8 to 11, we have found it to be much cheaper and easier to just order a brunch off the menu. I had a wonderful omelet filled with cheese, mushrooms, and peppers. John, once again, ordered baked feta and bread. Everything here tastes different. It's not like the states where you can pretty much pick out where each flavor is coming from. Here, there is always a sweet element, which is somewhat strange. Last night we ate in the restaurant. I had noddles with a spicy tomato sauce, and John had shrimp (not cheese!!). Just like this morning, there was that sweet taste. After breakfast we decided to go to Oia. Oia is famous for being beautiful. Every travel show, book, or website I've seen raves about Oia. It was a definite "must see" on our list. Although we could have hiked, like we did to Fira, we decided it would be best to take a cab. We hiked 5 miles the day before and were scared we would be too tired to hike the entire way. Finding out how to go about doing this was a little tricky. We awkwardly asked the person in the reception (lobby for American hotels) and once again the man who picked us up from the airport took us to Oia. This time he was playing some form of grunge.
The drive was amazing. Until then we had only witnessed the cliff side of the island. The other half of the island is completely flat and when driving this side of the cliff we were able to see it. It almost looks like a different place. The land is very scarcely populated and most of the land is filled fields and gardens. Different square patches spread across the front side of the island. Although, from that distance we could not tell what was being produced in those specific patches, they looked beautiful with their different colors and textures, lined with dark green, which were probably trees. The road twisted and turned along the cliffs. I was terrified. Cars speed around corners as if there was nothing to fear. It was difficult for me to watch us drive, you could never tell when a car was going to fly out from behind a bend and it was a straight drop to our right.
We finally made it to Oia and it proved to fulfill every expectation we had. When leaving the taxi John made another attempt to communicate with our driver. When asking if there was a bank in Oia he answered 'Aww, bank, yes.' There, however, was no bank.
Similarly to Fira, the streets of Oia twist and turn and are filled with shops and cafes, but in Oia, it is a different experience. Every street provided an amazing view. The breath was almost taken from you as you entered a new street and saw the ocean stretch for miles. These shops were not full of the cheesy and cheap knick knacks of Fira, instead they were art shops, pottery shops, and book stores. The streets themselves seemed like a piece of art. Every door or gate has its different color and they tell their own story.
After walking a way I found myself thirsty. I prompted John to stop at the next cafe we saw, so we could take a break and get something to drink. The place we found was a treasure. It was a roof top cafe specializing in home made deserts. Page after page on the menu was a different sweet treat from tiramasu to chocolate crepes. I had found heaven. John ordered a chocolate tart and I ordered a strawberry cake. I was expecting what we often see in America. A piece of white cake with strawberry sauce drizzled on top, which is always good, but what I received was much better. A piece of chocolate brownie with strawberry mouse, and finished by a strawberry gel. Delicious. Our gaze was amazing as well. It would not matter if you were eating fruit loops, it would feel like the most amazing meal you had ever had in your life. In all of these places you never really feel like what you are seeing is real. It is too amazing. It almost seems like you are in front of a giant green screen or picture, the kind they use for backgrounds in movies. It is out of this world.
After walking the streets of Oia we finally decided to head back. Finding a cab to come back was very difficult. We were really not sure who to ask or what we should say. After wondering around for awhile, we finally found someone who drove a cab. He was an even faster driver than the man at the hotel. I thought to myself, well, at least I'll die with this view. We made it, however, and are currently enjoying some rest.
The first three pictures are of Oia. The last two are samples of some of the doors I described.
