Still

After the last few days of almost gale-force winds and cold, the wind finally ceased and at long last I got to enjoy my day at the pool. Yes, there really was a pool, although quite small, as is typical of many of these hotels built almost into the rock. Because it is very early in the season, the pool was also very cold! But who am I to care about a man-made pool, when there was this beautiful creation right in front of me! I feel very blessed to be staying in such a beautiful place!

I really thought I was going to have to still be bundled up in layers today, but even though the temperature wasn't really any higher, the lack of wind made it feel much warmer. The clouds eventually cleared completely. I enjoyed the whole afternoon here, resting, reading, soaking up the rays and the view, enjoying the changing light and watching the cruise ships come and go. I even got to watch - from a distance - a wedding taking place at a nearby hotel, though why they had to amplify the sound quite that loud is a mystery! Santorini is quite the wedding and honeymoon destination!

Other than the loud wedding, which was kind of entertaining, the loudest sound was that of the sparrows twittering, and the occasional cruise ship horn. A quiet restful day.

A friend asked me last night - 'Isn't that a bit of a waste, to spend a whole day at the pool when there are other things to do and you have travelled so far?'. Although I am not a typical sun worshiper (I spent much of the day in the shade under the umbrella), I am a serious reader, and the only thing better than spending the day reading is spending the day reading in a beautiful location. Although I love exploring new places, the last thing I want from a vacation is to be on the go the whole time.

I've decided that when travelling to Greece in low-season, one must always remember to bring:
-A very warm jacket and a scarf
-A wooly hat and maybe even gloves
-A hot water bottle and bed socks
-Lots of layers
Because it may just be so much colder than you could ever expect for the Mediterranean.

One must also bring:
-Swim suit and flip flops and other summer attire
-Sun lotion and insect spray
-A sun hat
Because it may just be much hotter than you would ever expect - sometimes all within 24 hours!

Oh, and bring the little binoculars!