Our first trip to Santorini was 10 years ago and I can hardly believe it's been that long!  When I think of Greece, this is the place that fills my dreams.  A place of sheer beauty, friendly people, and interesting transportation.  

Travel makes us step out of our everyday ordinary and into destination uniqueness.  Even though visiting someplace new is exciting we always find the familiar too!  Cable cars and public transportation aren't new to us, but Santorini offers a little twist on the usual.  First, thank goodness Greece added the cable car to get from the port to the cliff side town of Fira for without it, we'd be riding donkeys up a switchback staircase that believe you me, will make you appreciate your horsemanship (or should I say donkeymanship...is that even a word?).  Those donkeys are truly something!  We encountered them on the way down that same staircase at sunset.  The donkeys were all coming  up for the night and were on a mission to get to the barn!  Word of caution, don't walk where a donkey wants to walk cause the donkey is going to win.  Trust me, I found myself squished between a donkey and the wall.  Luckily no one was hurt :).  The views from the staircase of the setting sun over the cliffs, water, and our cruise ship were simply breathtaking and one of my most favorite travel memories!

When you're in Santorini, you just have to go to the village of Oia.  After all, it's just fun to say the name "Eeee-Ahh"!  I almost feel like the donkeys may have had something to do with the name.  Oia is a gorgeous place and is the epitome of a Greek Island Postcard.  It simply can't be missed.  Don and I wondered through the shops and off the main street to find terraced houses with clothes lines, and men playing backgammon, lots of cats, and almost mistakenly walked into a private yard...oops!  Don snapped the picture you see here not knowing it's a famous view that's been photographed thousands of times and similar images appear on postcards and coffee table books worldwide!  See what I mean about unique, yet familiar?  

So, 2018 is bringing us back to Santorini and I can't wait to see what's new and relish the things that remain the same.  This time, we're not planning to walk the stairs with the donkeys, but I must admit, I'm a little sad about that.  We're taking a "fast boat" to Oia this time from the cruise port.  Maybe that'll be my new favorite memory of Santorini or maybe it's something completely unexpected just like the donkey encounter was in 2008.  Check back for an update!