Oia - 1

Oia (EE-a), like Fira (aka Thira, the other major tourist center of Santorini), is strung along the rim of a large ancient volcano, whose crater is now filled with Aegean Sea except for some central islands. From the crater - er-r-r Caldera rim toward the outer ocean is mostly pretty gentle sloping land. From the rim down into the caldera, things are precipitous to the point of breathtaking.

Residential Strangeness

Most accomodation in Oia is still closed for the Winter. This former fishing village caters mainly to the package tour business, with little provision for independent travellers. And package tour season is still a few weeks away.

The only accomodation I found open is on the caldera - i.e. expensive - side in a "Residence Villa" operated by a "Wellness Spa" that is so empty that the manager took pity on me and rented me a room at only an arm more than I can really afford. Above, we see the way from my digs back up to the rim. Below, the caldera itself.

The Museum Spa, to give its formal name, is just a tad strange. The manager is a Greek woman. All the other staff are young Romanian women who speak fair English and little or no Greek, They study English online,, but don't seem to be encouraged to spend time learning Greek. Go figure.

The manager did her best to sell me a massage ("two hands or four hands"), which I am not interested in, and can't afford anyway after what she is charging me for a room, even if she thinks the room rate is an act of charity. Mercifully, she has given the massage a rest. The only man in sight appears to be a sysadmin(!). Y'see, the Museum Spa is also the local Easyinternetcafe franchise. The only net connection in town that I have found. That too may be seasonal.

Yeesh - I am running on disproportionately about a strange, but liveable situation. The town is pretty, sometimes breathtakingly so. Imagine an architectural team of Gaudi, Seuss, Escher, Oog the Caveman and Owsley. More of that in the second half of my planned Oia pix.

"Island Photos" sign and stairs to Atlantis Books' terrace

Atlantis Books - entrance below, terrace above

Local people have been friendly and helpful. Atlantis Books here has only been open for the season a week or so. The proprietress, a kind woman who lives otherwise in Munich, did her best to help me find cheap digs on the cheap side of the rim. In her shop here, she has taken a subterranean flat that could have felt like a dungeon, and made it feel as homey and comfortable as the Gryffindor common room.

Restaurant and grocery store owners often light up when I try to use my few Greek phrases on them. It is a great icebreaker.

Yes, that sign is pronounced "Meow!". Miaou, actually. I think it will be some kind of shop soon.

Like most of Greece, Oia is chock full of cats. Unusually, many of these are quite friendly.

Also unusually, Oia has lots of dogs, most of them sweet outgoing schmoozers.