Santorini
May 9-10, 2007
Commerce on the Volcano
There’s
no doubt Santorini’s caldera, the result of a huge volcanic explosion around
1650 BC, is a spectacular sight. Coming into the harbor of Athinios, the port
buildings look tiny compared to the cliffs rising above it. Walking on a trail
above Fira, the main town, the rows of buildings cascading town from the rim
seem destined to slide into the sea during the next earthquake, but highly
decorative in the meantime. The ubiquitous white-and-blue color scheme adds
to the contrast against the dark rocks.
There’s also no doubt that Fira is a bit too commercialized. The car rental agents along Fira’s main street are pushy in a way that reminds me of India. And much of the rest of the town seems dedicated to selling souvenirs and jewelry to tourists who don’t know what to do with their time until the next sunset.
There are solutions to this of course: For one, there are several interesting museums around. The Museum of Prehistoric Thira, in particular, has some fascinating relics excavated in Akrotiri, a town that was buried by the 1650 BC eruption, including several frescoes. And then, a 10km hike, about 70° around the caldera, provides varied views of raw nature, before ending back in the crowds for the sunset at Oia.