[gthang]

I dont understand a word of this blog. Everything sounds GREEK to me. (Pun intended)

The pictures are nice, though.

Cheers.

[Sam Kapasi]

Morning in Santorini!

The next morning appears a little better. We have requested for the terrace breakfast, but for sure will be avoiding this from tomorrow.

We've slept incredibly well, breathing the fresh island sea air and enjoying the sound of silence.

We enjoy a lazy breakfast, but must dress up in our windbreakers to eat.







Laziness in general, breakfast followed by snuggling back into bed. The cold wind makes us do that.

You know, those delicious moments of life, when you finish a nice breakfast, then rush back into a warm bed, with the sunlight streaming through, but you have the covers on and when you stretch there is this slightly metallic twang when you stretch and you tremble slightly?

Then you reach for a book because your agenda for the day says "nothing!"

That speaks mostly for Jenny.

I do have an agenda. I plan to make full use of the free wi-fi. BECAUSE TODAY IS THE FINALS!! India Vs Sri Lanka.

You can't be serious.
I'm dead serious.
Come ON, you can't be holed up here all day staring at the TV
I won't be staring at the TV. They don't show cricket here on TV.
So?
I grin. Internet TV, live streaming on my laptop!
Sam you are impossible.

She's off, sight seeing. Me, This is what I did all day.



A man's got to have his priorities.

And we won!! We won!! I spent some time explaining to the confused staff at the hotel what the game was all about!!

[mac187]

Greece is added in my To-Do list.

Great to read a Yetiblog again.

[SILVERWOOD]

This is such a beautiful place and the architecture of the hotel is amazing.

[ranjith.rajaram]

Paradise is a place in which existence is positive, harmonious and timeless.

I bet this is one such place ....

[phamilyman]

SUPER stuff my man. Keep going!

btw, Greece Tourism & their finance ministry should sponsor you. Your lovely pikchas will surely result in a measurable and positive contribution to the economy of Greece

[jaguar.runs]

Originally Posted by Sam Kapasi

Hi!

I can indeed offer you confirmed information regarding your "standard" indian driving licence.
First - it is very weird that they would not accept it in Germany. It is wrong in fact. In Germany you are totally free to use your Indian DL to drive PROVIDED you are using it for less than 180 days.
In order to prove this, you must carry both your passport and DL while driving. I know. I do this.

I have rented cars in Germany from Hertz, Sixt and Europcar and nobody even blinked while accepting my Indian DL. Similar stories in almost every county in west europe.

If a car rental agency in Frankfurt didn't accept your standard Indian DL they are wrong and you can contest this.

Thanks for the information Sam. Surprisingly Avis & Sixt confirmed to us that they need international D/L. We did not check with any other thinking it would be a waste of time. I know what to do next time though.

Originally Posted by vid6639

Sam the Indian license works provided it is in english and readable. the card works without any issues.

I had a card license and and even showed it to the woman at the counter.

Originally Posted by sudev

@Yeti :
I agree that in most countries Indian DL is acceptable for renting cars if you are visiting for a short period. However earlier this month was refused rental in UAE where they insist on international DL. Which is insane as these are not issued by any government body but by automobile associations.

In UAE they ask for international license for Indians. You can only drive rented cars, you are not supposed to drive privately owned cars even if you have an International license.

[n_aditya]

Rated 5 stars as usual. Yawn!

I've tried very hard to not comment until the story is over but i give up. This place is marvelous.

Sam, your travel exploits are guide books for us. We see these places through your eyes and a million thanks for sharing the experiences with so much passion.

Makes me want to pack up and travel to these exotic places. Time and budget permitting it'll happen sometime.

I loved the picture of the view from the hotel taken at dusk. Reminded me of Shutter Island. A calm yet mysterious dreamlike feeling.

Apologies for the intervention. Please continue.

[Elito11]

Originally Posted by Sam Kapasi

A man's got to have his priorities.

So true! Thanks for such amazing storytelling Sam!

[unoczar]

I have noticed over the years, every Yetiblog has these little, what I like to call forced mental animations!

I mean, its the way he writes, one is so deeply involved in the story that you can almost get that real life 3D effect just by reading! And you make a mental picture of what's he saying.

This one takes the cake so far! (as per me)

Originally Posted by Sam Kapasi

Small?

Small. One car size small road. She raises her open palms to face each other and makes it really narrow.

Absolutely Brilliant it is!

[ms001]

did you meet any other kapasi's on the way

edit : why are pictures not showing up in the last post?

[Sam Kapasi]

Santorini drive!

From what I've read so far, there seem to be different Architectural styles and living modes in Santorini. Broadly divided into the upper settlements and the lower settlements.

Of course you have the cliff settlements that are somehow all strategically arranged to all have a sea view (and consider that the island is a crescent, so honestly, everyone has the sun and the sea and that's the way they like it)

One notable thing is the love for natural lighting. As far as possible there are almost always skylights, large windows, doors with openable daylight windows and more. In the shops, in the museums and in the homes. Bring the daylight in as much as you can.

The other is the obvious fact that everything is painted, simply white. Sure there are a few rebels who paint their homes CREAM and even PALE YELLOW! The other is this clear preference for Blues. Blues in all shades, painted blue doors and windows and of course, every few METERS is a Greek Orthodox church with a blue dome head.

I imagine the paint shops here stock 2 colours. 3 if you're progressive. 4 if you're a visionary.

All in all it adds a beauty and flavour to this island that is honestly unmatched.
Let me start with our morning drive to Oia.

As mentioned earlier, Oia (remember it's pronounced EEYA, lol) is a cliff settlement, a village actually that lies on the northern tip of the island. It is quiet, picturesque and offers some of the stunningest views of the volcano and sunsets.
If you go to Santorini and want a quiet peaceful time, holding hands, cuddling, making babies and generally listening to nothing, then Oia or Imerovigli are the places to go.
You can also go there if you don't want to make babies. If you can't make babies because both of you are the same gender, you should go to Mykonos.

But I'm digressing. Here are the photos.


This picture makes me go weak in the knees. We've stopped the car on the way to Oia and have taken a picture over the side.

What you see at sea level are vineyards. Santorini is famous for this and there is a different kind of settlement at the bottom, one we will come to later.




I don't usually have a flower in my hair, but what the hell, it works with the atmosphere around me.


The "vineyard" settlements.




Finally we drive through the long winding roads till we reach the settlement of Oia. Beautiful!


At the end of the world, land's end or whatever else you want to call it in Oia.
We're standing at the harbour and you can see the pathway that goes up to the cliff settlement, the village of Oia, right on top.

Let me show you.


We walk around for a little bit, but the sun seems intent on hiding from us. And without the sun, the temperature and the wind is getting to us. We have come to Santorini 3 weeks too early.

While the price to pay is the cold (it's 7 to 8 degrees in the shade, but the wind!) the advantage is the peace and quiet.
Santorini has a great rent culture. The usual methods of transport for tourists are cars (of course) and scooters and bikes (no harleys, just Kinetic-types) and ATVs.
ATVs? Did I hear your ears prick up? Yes. The whole island is full of little agencies that rent out LARGE ATVs that seat 2 and have a largish box to put your stuff in. In summer I think this would be a great way to explore the island. Take your shirt off, ride the ATV all over the island. Perfect.

But I'm digressing again.

We decide to return to Imerovigli. For now.

[lancer_rit]

Originally Posted by vid6639

Sam the Indian license works provided it is in english and readable. In US my license was accepted but a colleague who had a license from Jharkhand had his rejected as it was not in english. Also the book type license is not easily accepted as it is hand written. the card works without any issues.

ps: even though I'm a veggie and there are not many options, I love greek food. Keep having it when I go to the US.

Spot on the DL needing to be in English in many counties. In Germany, Indian DL in English yes. In France and Austria, no! Unless they have recently changed the rules.

[ch.nathan]

EEYA!!
Just wondering what to do over the long weekend and here comes the Yetiblog!! And what a place for travelogue - mindblowing.
You made my day (week), Sam.

Originally Posted by Sam Kapasi

The other is the obvious fact that everything is painted, simply white.

What about cars? Are they all White too?

[Sam Kapasi]

Originally Posted by lancer_rit

Spot on the DL needing to be in English in many counties. In Germany, Indian DL in English yes. In France and Austria, no! Unless they have recently changed the rules.

Actually I have rented a car not long ago in France with my Indian card license.

Surprisingly Avis & Sixt confirmed to us that they need international D/L. We did not check with any other thinking it would be a waste of time. I know what to do next time though.

Here's what I do and what I recommend you do. Don't ask. Settle on the car, settle on a price and stick your driving license at them when they ask for it. That's that.

Never hold out your license and ask if it will do, or if it is good enough. The safer answer for them is always no. If you offer your licence and act like you know what you're doing, they'll always assume that you do know what you;re doing.

What about cars? Are they all White too?

Lol no, all colours. But the cars are not fancy like the cars in western europe. In fact the cars are almost identical to here.

LOADS of i10s and Altos (Maruti Suzuki, mind you) and Chevrolet sparks and Micras etc.