Santorini

 Sunday, September 17, 2023

 

T

he trip to Santorini left me sick.  The rough, choppy waters took a toll on me even after taking medications.  It took awhile before we were able to disembark from the cruise line to land.

 To ensure every passenger’s safety the transit between the ship and the little boats called “tenders” ferrying passengers to land requires some engineering maneuvers, a dose of courage, and a lot of measured skill.

First, the two vessels should align properly.  The passengers should be nimble and steady at heart.  The personnel from either side shepherding the passengers should be confident, reassuring, and most of all strong.  

This becomes all the more difficult if the water is turbulent as the smaller vessel becomes a rocking boat.  It meant longer cross overs.  The simple task becomes an act of bravery and faith.  It takes a leap of faith to “jump” from one boat to the other because any change in existing variables may potentate a rescue effort.

Santorini is an island close to an active underwater volcano.  The city itself sits high up on the side of a mountain.  There is a cable car system suspended like a ferris wheel that transport people from the landing dock up and down the mountain.  It is a  perilous ride when complicated by high winds or bad weather. 

It is a trying ordeal for people with disabilities.  There are no ramps but steps to get to the cable cars.  There is an elevator but this proves useless if there is no human operator because it is dependent on having one.  I imagined how frustrating this condition would be for people using mechanical aids to get around.

Once atop the mountainside, the majestic beauty of the city is something to behold.  So too is the testament of human endurance to live here far removed from normal daily convenience we often associate with modern living.  I wondered how shopping for supplies will require premium service and effort to transact and facilitate.

Santorini offers modern amenities like any other place with electricity, water and sewage facility, shopping places, social and recreational centers.  Its night life is teeming with activities and the view from above overlooking the blackness of the skies and the sea invites a mystical charm.

We celebrated mass at St. John the Baptist Catholic church.  After a quick look around in the shops, we descended the mountain in darkness via a suspended cable car breathless at the beauty around us and eager to reach land without a moment’s hesitation.  In hushed prayer, faith kicks back to full gear.

I needed it because I have to cross over to the cruise line ship in furiously whipping eddy waters.  It didn’t help that my motion sickness is also throwing me out of balance physically.  I prayed that everything will be alright and my prayers were answered.

 

Santorini at Night