It was our 2nd day in Santorini today, the day where the adventure begins. Also, it was also our 2nd last day there, so I had a list of places I wanted to head to today and wanted to make today the best out of it.
Day 5 - 08th April 2019
We woke up pretty early and just to soak ourselves in the hot tub at 8.30am and also to enjoy the sun rise, 🌞 although there was a sign saying hot tub can only be used after 9.30am and before 11pm. But, the hotel management did say we can use it anytime we want as long as we don't use it till late like around 2am, not sure why either.
I know we won't have time to try the hot tub after today because it will be a long day for us and plus tomorrow, we gotta start packing to head back to Athens. At least we have time to dry our wet clothes today before heading off tomorrow.
The popular grey & white staircase of Santorini's to every steps we take around our hotel.
Again, the view in Santorini always fascinating be it in the day or at night. These are views just outside our hotel. 😍
Our hotel with yours truly, the hot tub.
The temperature drops to pretty cool in the morning and also at night. So can you imagine we were quit freezing here but luckily for the hot tub, it was warm at the lower parts of our body but freezing cold on top. Lol! We can't even have breakfast by the hot tub please like you see in the gram. HAHAHA! I honestly wanted to but I cannot imagine shaking while having to eat or even drink. Hahaha!
45 minutes later, we decided to head in back to our hotel, showered and have our breakfast. The hotel staff asked if we had any allergy to any food, so they can avoid serving us those food. I did mention, no pork, no lard and no alcohol on the day we arrived. Luckily we did because they served us alcohol as our welcome drinks. And when we mentioned, they quickly took the drinks away and apologize. We had to call in to the reception and told them we wanted breakfast. Unlike other hotels, we've been to where breakfast buffet spread is served and you choose. Here, they deliver breakfast to you.
All set and ready for breakfast. Hehe!
Enjoying breakfast with the view inside our hotel instead, since we can't have it by the hot tub. Hahaha!
Being Asian, you know this is not really the kind of breakfast for us. So we're like "Okayyy...Just bread." Lol! Ours will be like Nasi Lemak, Noodles, Sausages, Scrambled eggs etc. Hehe! But thankful still, because the portion was generous and we were full. Also, we feel quite jelak from too much bread. We didn't actually finish the breakfast and I find it so wasteful. You know me, I hate wasting food but we just couldn't force ourselves too anymore.
Took a short rest and we headed out for our activities for the day. We left our hotel, headed to the hotel information counter to ask for help on how to get around in Santorini. Since we're not that good either in navigating. The hotel staff was really helpful. She printed out time tables of the bus timing, recommended us that we can drive or take the ATV as well if we want too. She even recommended us good food to eat near the places of interest.
D and I then walked down to Fira again, where the bus services are. Yes, we decided not to drive because again, I'm worried about driving in other countries. But it's good too. As we walked down together holding hands, more romantic 😝 and there were more pictures for us to capture.
Pretty as well.
Reached Fira town,
So D was like telling me to choose either or. 😢 But I don't want either or, I want to go for ALL. 😢 The buses timing also ranges differently between one places to another. I thought I could just hop onto the bus at anytime like our normal buses in Singapore. Lol! Theirs is more like a shuttle bus that comes at every 1 hour or 30 minutes. And the places it's not near either, it's like few minutes drive out of town.
Left with no choice, I had to choose which is the ones I wanted to head to first. I told D, if we can head to all the places and squeeze time for all, we will try. Lol! So, I chose to head to Akrotiri first since it we haven't miss the bus for this yet.
1) AKROTIRI - White & Red Beach
Hopped onto the bus and the journey took us about more than 30 minutes to reach.
Heading to the other site of Santorini.
Finally here.
Upon reaching, I remembered the hotel staff who recommended us this restaurant - The Dolphins, being one of the best restaurant to dine. They have fresh and nicest fish but time constraint, we decided not to try. Plus, I had another place that I was eye-ing on to have dinner later on.
It was really quite a distance to walk in. We walked past souvenir shop etc and 5-7 minutes later, we finally reached.
The red beach is not exactly very red. I had thoughts of it being bloody red when I see it in person. Hehehe! But yes, it's a red maroon kind of colour as you can see from the rocks.
D and I walked up to the top of the hill just to see what was up there. Mostly, people enjoying the view and also fishing. I guess due to it being spring season, nobody was swimming. 🥶
We spent here about 30 minutes at least and tried to catch the next coming bus. It would have been easier if we were to drive. We wouldn't be so tight on time. But....it wasn't an option. I gave the white beach and this Akrotiri Archaeological site a miss. D asked me if I wanted to go, but I knew if I were to spend time in here, I would have to give up another site.
I got pretty anxious too when the bus didn't arrive on time and came only 15 minutes later. We would have been able to drop by this archaeological site please. Tsk!
So anyway, we headed back to Fira and I couldn't decide to head to Kamari or Perissa Beach. Honestly, I wanted to go both but I know I had to give up one in order to have time to head to Oia after this. Plus they are both black beaches, so I could afford to just go one due to time constraint. After much consideration, the waiting time for the bus to Perissa beach was nearer compared to the bus heading to Kamari beach and I also googled that people suggested Perissa beach to Kamari.
2) PERISSA - Black Beach
The weather don't look too good and I was hoping it wouldn't rain. But much to my disappointment, it rain and pour so heavily on our way to Perissa. It was about 20 minutes drive to Perissa and I don't even feel like alighting because of the rain, but seeing the black sand from the bus makes me excited.
The photos doesn't really look like as if it's raining heavily but trust me it was. It was so heavy that D and I was soaking wet and cold.
For experience sake, I touched the black sands. Haha! It feels like normal sand except it's a bit more coarse and black in colour. We couldn't even walk and explore around Perissa because of the rain and we do not have an umbrella. We ended up taking shelter in one of the souvenir shop. The shop owner was really nice, he even told us to stay indoors inside his shop to take shelter and let us walk around even we didn't buy anything.
He started a coversation with these 2 girls asking where they were from and those girls were from New York and he asked the both of us. We said "Singapore!" and he said "Ahhh, Singapore niceee! I've been there." And I'm like Woahhhh?! Lol! Because we don't usually have people traveling all the way to Singapore and most of the time they always get us confused with other countries. But this guy is good. 👍🏻 For being good, hahahahaha! Okay not really, but I did buy a souvenir from his shop. Hehehe! He wrapped my souvenir so nice, so that it won't break.
We had few minutes to spare before the bus come and I don't know what else to do, so we ended up in a cafe nearby where the bus will fetch us. They sell only ice-cream. So, we had ice-cream in the freezing weather and I never felt more froze. HAHAHA!
As soon as the bus came, D and I quickly hop inside. We headed back to Fira bus station and D asked me if I really wanted to go to Oia because it was still raining super heavily. ⛈☔ In fact, heavier. I know D wanted to skip the idea of Oia and just head for dinner and home. BUT, another reason I came to Santorini was to visit and see Oia. Not wanting to disappoint me, he just accommodate. We took the bus to Oia and the rain just didn't stop. I prayed and prayed and prayed for the rain to stop, or at least wait for me to see Oia first but still, it didn't stop. 😢
3) OIA
It was about 30 minutes bus ride to Oia. Upon alighting, we just couldn't head anywhere. So, we end up staying for a short while to take shelter in a souvenir/convenient shop again. I started to shop and kill time to buy some things while waiting for the rain to stop. I shop for my in-laws souvenir as well. Hehe!
They are popular with argan oil, olive oil etc. The best place to get them and it's cheaper too.
The rain didn't stop, so D and I decided to buy an umbrella. We took the cheapest umbrella and D bought himself a rain coat. My winter jacket was kinda water proof, so I didn't get wet much on my clothes except my shoes, pants and hair. Whereas D was already soaking wet. We tried to just walk in the rain. There was too much puddles and so much rain water flowing through the steps like a waterfall. I gave up in my shoes and pants by then.
There weren't many tourist and people around too due to the rain. So we walked up the steps, till we came right up to the almost top of Oia.
We were hoping to catch the sun set, ⛅ hoping there will be one despite the rain. So, D and I just stand next to each other, watching the sky with our umbrella in hands together. It was such a nice, sort of romantic and sweet feeling. Hehe!
And then......GUESS WHAT?!
We finally get to walk around Oia.
The popular book store in Oia. I didn't go in because I was really feeling uncomfortable of my wet shoes.
Most of the shops are close and rather quiet, I guess due to the rain. D and I then make our way to see the sunset via the 3 blue dome. As we were walking, guess what we saw this time?
Yes, rainbow! 🌈😍 I couldn't feel more bless than I already have. Being here in this beautiful place, after rain and seeing the beautiful rainbow. Just just so amazing! Allah is indeed the greatest. ❤
The view the other side of the blue dome.
It was also here, I help a Filipino couple to help them take a picture and they offered to help D and I take a picture together too. Our first picture together. Hehehe! #AnotherBlessing
We headed back to where the bus will be to fetch us and while waiting we had gelato ice-cream from this place, recommended by Have Halal Will Travel.
D happily eating away while looking out for our bus. Hahaha!
Few minutes later when we're done, the bus came. We hopped on the making our way back to Fira, enjoying the Sun set in the bus itself.
Reached Fira and we headed to this place for dinner. I chance this upon a Suria actress, Huda Ali in her Instagram when she visited Greece. One of the few places who put up 'Halal' word on their restaurant.
The place is slight squeezy and small but it was fine. I wanted to have some meat for dinner but they said it was sold out and was left with only fish. I'm not exactly a fish or sea food person but since I was hungry and couldn't be choosy, I decided to try out the fish.
This was free.
We ordered fries too. I wanted to try their fried zucchini but yerps, sold out too.
Boy, I did not regret trying their fish. It was sooooo fresh and so nice. I thought I wouldn't be full from this meal but yes I was. Alhamdulilah. The owner of the restaurant was super friendly too. Indeed. I overheard he was telling his story to one of this customer, saying he was working in London or something like that and he lose his job. One of his friend wanted to sell this restaurant away in Santorini, so he bought and took over the business or is it he came to help out, lol. If what I heard was right. Hehe! 😜
Soon after, we left to make way for others to have their dinner and made our way back to our hotel. I mentioned how dark Santorini can get at night, only lighted by some low lit light at some houses. So we try to go back as soon as possible while there's still cars driving to light up the dark road. Hehe!
I was trying to capture the moon, although fail. Hehe!
Sad that we have to already leave Santorini the next day. 🤧
Till my next entry.
Links:
- Red Beach
- White Beach
- Beach Day: Kamari or Perissa?
- Kamari Beach VS Perissa
- Amazing spot to catch sunset in Oia
XOXO,
Princess Azie Anni ♥
