Santorini - Kamari Beach

We had a slow start on Monday morning, making the most of the views from our balcony. Anatoni came in for a play with Sophie and Will. John went for a climb down to the 'beach' below our place. Ana made nutella crepes for the kids and then Anatoni took us up to the Naval Museum and through town to get some butter from the supermarket for her Mum. She is a very independent and resourceful 8 year old. During the afternoon, John and I went for separate walks around town. We had a spaghetti dinner at a restaurant in Oia and we had our first opportunity to view the famous sunset.

On Tuesday, we caught a local bus into Fira (the capital of Santorini) and then another bus to Kamari Beach. We had heard that Kamari and Perissa Beaches were worth a visit and decided on Kamari because the bus to there arrived first. John was highly unimpressed with the black rock beach but was much happier with the visit when Sophie dived in and immediately said 'there are bright coloured fish down here'. I had a swim with Sophie and Will, then John spent a long time diving down with the kids (goggles only), looking at about five different kinds of fish - which seemed to be parrot fish, cat fish, etc... feeding on the algae on the rocks. They found some 'diving rocks', which they used to hold on to, to keep themselves on the bottom for a while. There were a few people with scuba tanks further along. The day heated up on the black rocks, so we retreated to the shade for giros and chicken burgers for lunch.

That evening Ana put on a 'farewell dinner' for herself and Anatoni, as they were going back to Athens for the school term. Ana invited two other families. Ellie works in diagnostics at the local hospital and is originally from the Ukraine. Her husband works for the water supply company. The other family (father) is establishing a small hotel on the other side of the island. So, Sophie and Will had 8 and 9 year old girls and 7 and 10 year old boys to play with for the evening. Ana prepared a meal with mostly local ingredients - turkey, a rice dish like paella and plenty of side dishes - local olives, goats cheese from Crete, etc... We now have upstairs and downstairs, and the decks - to ourselves, plus access to the other flat to use the washing machine.

Walking to the Naval Museum with Anatoni

Displays in the Naval Museum

The cool archway on the way home

On our way to dinner

Spaghetti for dinner

One of the many cats of Oia

Through the alleyways to sunset

Sunset over Oia

Watching the sunset over Oia

The windmills at sunset

On the local bus to Kamari

Will can't bring his souvenir diving rock home

Kamari - Black beach

Giros for lunch at Kamari

Views on the bus trip home

Will has been asking what pomegranite's look like inside

The sun begins to set around the headland

Playing monopoly junior in Greek