Aegean Cruise

We had wanted to see a bit more of the Greek islands and to mix some island-hopping with our archaeological interests. Our first choice would have been Santorini (aka Thera) and its Akrotiri archaeological site. Santorini is in the Cyclades island group and is itself the remains of a volcanic cone that blew off some 3600 years ago in one of the largest known volcanic explosions. What is of archaeological interest is the relatively recently discovered town of Akrotiri, buried in cinders sometime around 1628 BCE; sort of like Pompeii, only 1600 years older, and Minoan, not Roman. And in many ways, all the more remarkable. But the Santorini site has been closed for several years and remains closed (another long story).

We ended up choosing Mykonos, also in the Cyclades, and its site on the nearby island of Delos, said by some to be the second most important religious site for the Greeks, after Delphi; and also associated with Apollo. We conferred with several travel agents in Athens, about the ferries, Mykonos, and Delos, received appropriate assurances, and then proceeded to free-lance the trip, stuffing overnight gear into a day-pack and showing up at the dock very early the next morning. We should have consulted the Oracle at Delphi, too, but that's part of a larger story. To be continued.

We took the bus to Piraeus and arrived well before dawn's

rosy fingers touched the wine dark sea; cast-off was at 7:35

AM

Leaving Piraeus

Looking back toward Athens

At least on our little five hour voyage, islands were always

in view, sometimes quite large, sometimes small, sometimes

inhabited, sometimes not

Typical scenery; beautiful clear day



Landing at Syros

More Syros; we also stopped at Dinos

Our ship, the Good Ferry Ithaki; wait, wasn't that Odysseus'

ship's name?

Aegean sunset the next day