More Greek Highlights

Yesterday i started running again. After leaving Athens I haven't done much in terms of working out so why not fall back on my default.

That first run was along the coastline of Mykonos, beginnig at the Adonis Hotel (our home base). I'm forever going to be in awe over how crystal clear the water is. Whether I'm viewing it from the coastline or within the water itself, I can see EVERYTHING!!! It's absolutely amazing.

My runs, and our own drives around the islands, has taught me that Greek drivers are IN. SANE.

For serious. If you thought New York, LA, or DC was bad, you've just lost. Stop signs are for decoration only. Walking along the street brings on a series of *honk-honk* or in most cases, a car aiming directly for you. You either jump into the bushes (or over a cliff in the case of Santorini) or get hit. Not a lot of options.

Today we decided to spend the day at Perissa beach. Casey needed a low-key day to deal with a cold. He's doing wonders on this trip. Anyhow, we snorkeled and I discovered that the sea life is very minimal. Compared to the Galapagos and Grand Caymans, the fish are very bland in color and the life itself is hard to come by. I believe it has something to do with how salty the water is. If the water can keep me a-float then you know that there is a lot of salt in the water. (Anyone anyone who has gone swimming with me knows I sink within a blink of an eye if i'm not constantly moving.)

We did come across hot pockets in the sea. Santorini is just one island in a series of islands that make up the caldera of a volcano. The last BIG explosion took place in 1650 B.C, which is how the caldera formed. Since we are on part of a volcano, I believe the hot pockets are a product of the volcano activity itself. Pretty neat, so long as nothing too dramatic happens.

There was something else about the sea that was a neat distortion of reality. Before leaving Mykonos, we went to Paradise Beach. As I sunbathed (building up enough of a sweat to brave the cold water) I zoned out on itty-bitty waves crashing onto shore. It looked like the ocean floor itself was breathing. Pulsating every time the water rose a bit. And then in Perissa, the ocean shore had a neat ripple effect. Sort of like the pattern found in the desert from a snake. That pattern was placed row after ... row and when we hit pockets of either hot or cold springs in the sea, it looked as if the sea bed was shifting. Crazy ways in how I entertain myself.

Ok.. tonights highlight. We went to Oia to watch the sunset. Found a cute little cafe to get some drinks and the most scrumptous dessert. Met some fellow Americans from Nashville, TN. Received the bill. *JAW-DROP* 15 Euro for one drink. Approximately $17 US! What did we order? A Mohito and a 'Chi Chi' (nothing more than a glorified daquari). 15 Euro!! All because they are located in in the side of the cliff (with a few dozen other cafes) and feel that can charge 15 euro. I'm in the wrong business. I need to open up a cafe in Oia and charge by the number of actual liquors that go into a drink. **Dina: You with me?!?! We can open up the bakery/sweet shop we've been talking about and charge ridiculous amounts of money because our shop would also display the sunset behind the caldera!** Needless to say our tip was rather light -- the first time this trip.

Now we're back in another internet cafe and I'm enjoying a normally priced B52. Yes, we're internetting again. I know.. addicts.