9/30/19 Oia to Thera Hike

One of the top activities that kept coming up in our research on Santorini was the hike from Oia to Thera, so of course it was high on our to do list. We left our Airbnb in the morning and hiked up onto the ridge of the island just outside of Oia. From there we headed along the ridge past all kinds of volcanic rock formations, a small church, and lots of incredible views of the entire island.

As we got closer to the town of Imerovigli we started passing a number of upscale hotels as well as more of the wedding industry that clearly thrives here. A few bride and groom photo shoots going on as we passed the many scenic points.

My personal favorite point wasn’t popular with the bridal parties though. Skaros Rock stands alone right out in front of Imerovigli, looking like a castle that is ready to defend itself from an invasion. There is a trail that leads out to the rock, so I knew immediately I had to get out there and climb up on top. This turned out to be much more sketchy than expected given the very run down condition of the trail to the top. The final climb was nearly vertical, with very little protection from a fall down the long and steep slope to the ocean. The view from the top was quite impressive though, and was a very neat way to see not only the neighboring town, but the huge cruise ships and the rest of the island as well.

Once we left Imerovigly, the crowds started to pick up quickly. Once we were in Thera we found it completely overrun with cruise ship tourists on their daily excursion. We didn’t really spend much time in town before meeting up with our ride back to the peace and quiet of our Airbnb.

Take home message: I would highly recommend the hike.

9/29/19 Ammoudi

After the sun had set, we headed into Oia for dinner. We made our way through town and down the steps to the port of Ammoudi. We had read before hand that it was 1000 steps, though the real number is closer to half that. The way down was fairly easy, and we had an amazing fish dinner right on the water. We got to choose our fish and have it cooked to perfection on the grill.

After dinner we walked around Ammoudi and then made our way back up the stairs to Oia. Though the trip back up was significantly more difficult, we took our time and enjoyed the ever changing views of Oia on the way. Once we were back up at the top we got to explore the main shopping streets of Oia with hardly any people around. The local dogs and cats were out in force cleaning up after the tourists and guarding their shops. As the stores closed up, it was off to bed to prepare for another full day.

9/29/19 Finikia

We stayed at a wild Airbnb in Finikia, just down the road from Oia. I got up early the first day to wander around town and watch the sun rise. The day was spent visiting a vineyard for a welcome lunch and wine tasting, and we returned to the Airbnb for the sunset. Though the view was not as good as it had been from the restaurant the previous night, it was still very nice.

9/28/19 Oia, Santorini

This fall marked an occasion we have been waiting for for a long time – my cousin’s wedding in Santorini Greece. We had a chance to see them get married, but also to see a new country and experience new things.

The new experiences started right away with our arrival in Santorini. We rented a car and drove around the island to Oia. We headed right for the Sunsets Restaurant for dinner with my family. As you might expect given the name the views were great, but so was the food.

9/21/19 Garden in the Woods

As I go to Garden in the Woods more and more, I feel like so many of the sights feel familiar and repetitive. On the other hand, I always find new things to see and new perspectives on those familiar spots. It really makes taking pictures here a unique but rewarding challenge, and this weekend was no exception.

9/8/19 Jewell Island

With the end of the summer approaching, we wanted to get up to Maine one last time and spend some time out on the water. We had a full day to ourselves on Sunday, so we decided to take the boat out for a bit of an adventure to Jewell Island. Once we had navigated to the island, anchored the boat, and successfully made it to shore, we began by exploring the Punchbowl, a very large tide pool on the north eastern end of the island.

From there we continued south. Jewell was used for military purposes during World War II, and some of the structures are still visible today. We explored one of the old fire towers, a bunker, as well as some run down buildings before heading back to the harbor area on the west side of the island. It is certainly one of the most interesting islands I have spent time on in Casco Bay.

9/1/19 Garden in the Woods

After a busy Saturday hanging out with our nice and nephew, I decided that Sunday would be a good day for a quiet change of pace. So, I went to Garden in the Woods again. For this visit the plants had changed yet again, and the turtles and frogs were out in force sunning themselves. Everyone seemed to be enjoying the weather.

8/31/19 Davis Farmland

We had a bit of an adventure this weekend when we joined some friends and their kids at Davis Farmland. We knew nothing about it going in, but apparently it is local establishment for kids, allowing them to interact with a number of animals and have a good time in general. We had a great time watching all the kids get so excited about all of the things to see, and I had a great time photographing them and the animals. To top it all off, the weather was beautiful.

8/24/19 – St. Anthony’s Feast – Boston’s North End

After leaving the Museum of Science, we walked over to the North End to see their small fair for St. Anthony’s feast day. There were many food vendors, a statue of St. Anthony, and a lot of people. We took the opportunity to eat some wonderful street food and then headed over to the Rose Kennedy Greenway for a quieter change of pace. After grabbing some snacks at the farmer’s market we headed home.

8/24/19 Boston Museum of Science

We have been wanting to see the museum’s Bodyworlds exhibit for a while, and this weekend we took the time to head in and visit it. Of course we also visited the butterfly garden, always a favorite of mine. We both found Bodyworlds to be quite interesting. It is a very unique perspective on humanity.

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