Thirasia and Oia from our terrace

After breakfast on our terrace overlooking Thirasia, the island that forms the outer rim of Santorini’s caldera, we walked to Oia, another brilliant white and blue town on the far northwest tip of Santorini.  The hike is only about 4 miles along a well-traveled path, but has a couple of good climbs and 2 charming Greek Orthodox churches along the way. 

Greek Orthodox church along path to Oia

Oia is a very busy tourist town, full of shops where you can buy everything from flowing dresses to bling and souvenirs you’ll wonder why you bought once you get them home.   Most of the restaurants serve basically the same menu, Greek appetizers, generally fried, pasta and fresh fish.  We chose one with a shaded terrace and a gorgeous view of Oia as we looked back towards the curve of Santorini.

Later, we drove to the farthest southwest end of the island.  Roads are in poor condition, with lots of traffic, so, though Santorini is very small, it can take quite a while to move from place to place.  We’d planned to stop at the hilltop town of Pyrgos, but traffic deterred us since its streets are old and narrow.  Even our little car takes up more room than the smaller alleyways provide.

small shrine on path to Oia

The area around Pyrgos is full of vineyards, very different from what we’re used to.  Instead of having vines trained along wires in rows, these vines are low and more like bushes, perhaps to protect them from the powerful winds and salt air.  The vineyards are very small, only an acre or two, so the grapes are picked by hand.  There are some wineries here that produce good wine.

Greece’s economic shambles have not passed Santorini by.  There are many buildings that have been started and abandoned or completed and closed.  The area on the north end of Santorini seems much more prosperous than the southern half, with lots of high end hotels overlooking the caldera.  Tourist shops and restaurants are also more posh and expensive.  The farther south you drive, the less luxurious the homes and accommodations become.  It looks like the “spending” tourists stay north in Imerovigli and Oia because the towns and shops farther south are more careworn, as if Greece’s economic collapse of the past 15 years continues to plague them.  We saw a few new hotels under construction in the south, but some clearly are awaiting more investment. 

view of Oia 

We’ve talked to some of the people who work here about the economy.  It’s still very bad.  Santorini has its tourists back, but this is an 8 month economy, so all the hospitality workers have to find other jobs during the off season.  That drives many of them out of the country for 4 to 6 months a year because jobs are scarce in Greece.

Almost all of the tourists we’ve encountered on our walks are Americans.  Since Greece is a euro-zone country, and the dollar is so strong right now, it’s a good time for Americans to travel here.  I wonder if that will continue into next year as the US economy weakens.  If not, Santorini and countries like Greece will be suffering.

Santorini--a jewel among the Greek Islands

 

                                                                    view of Imerovigli

It’s been many decades since I first visited the gorgeous Greek islands, so I’m happy to start this visit to Greece with the stunning island of Santorini, a major tourist destination, despite its tiny size, because of its extraordinary beauty.  We're on the first stop of a driving trip to the Greek islands of Santorini and Rhodes and around Albania, ending with a couple of days in Istanbul. 

Greek Orthodox church on mountaintop

Our hotel, along with dozens of others, clings to the rocky spine of Santorini, high above the caldera that demonstrates the origins of these islands.  We’re staying at the Anastasias Apartments, charming, brilliantly white suites, overlooking the deep blue water that fills the volcanic crater forming the west side of Santorini.  Tonight, tired out from our long trip yesterday, we enjoyed wine on the terrace as the sun set over the islands and an excellent dinner of fresh fish and grilled vegetables.                                                                                              

Yesterday, we flew non-stop from Denver to London, connecting to Athens for a late evening arrival.  The Sofitel at the Athens airport is right across the street from the terminal, so a perfect place to stay when you arrive late and leave early the next morning, as we did for Santorini.

islands in Santorini's caldera

The villages on the island are picture book white with bright blue domes on the churches and blue trim on some of the buildings.  You land at the island’s airport, built on a shelf of land on the east side of the island.  Jutting above the plain is a rugged ridge of mountains, low by Colorado standards, but steep, rocky and jagged.  Tomorrow, we’ll hike from our village, Imerovigli, to Oia at the northwest tip of Santorini.  Because the island is so small, we’ll be able to see all the rest of the island in a driving trip tomorrow afternoon. 

Santorini has a couple of fishing villages on its rocky coast and hosts numerous cruise ships during its tourism season.  But, it doesn’t have broad beaches or a big port.  Vineyards and wineries fill out the economy though tourism is clearly the big economic driver here.  We rented a car at the airport, which was jammed with tourists despite being late in the season.  It took over an hour waiting in line to get our car, particularly since the agent and his clients were having an annoyingly chatty day.  

view of sunset from Santorini

Santorini is known for its sunsets, though tonight’s was muted because of low clouds.  We’ll be here 2 days before moving on to the much larger island of Rhodes, with its old city of Rodos and its Greek ruins at Lindos.  

nice ending to the day

Cairo is more than the pyramids

 

King Tut's sarcophagus, Egyptian Museum, Cairo

Every tourist who visits Egypt has the pyramids at the top of their sightseeing list.  And for good reason.  They are spectacular.  

pyramids in the murky distance beyond central Cairo

skulls and their crews on the Nile

But, there is so much more to see in Cairo.  For one, just watching the activity on the Nile can keep you entertained for hours.

There are somewhere around 4 million Coptic Christians in Egypt.  Coptic Christianity, which began about 50 AD when the Apostle Mark visited Alexandria, is one of the oldest Christian denominations  outside the Middle East.  You can visit Coptic Cairo, with its Coptic churches and ancient culture.

nave of Coptic Church in Cairo

In the 12^th century, Saladin built Cairo’s Citadel, a huge fortress with a large round tower.  The Citadel was the seat of government until the 19^th century and, today, is a fascinating place to visit.  Some of the countless packs of stray dogs who make Cairo their home spend a good part of their days snoozing in the warm sun of the Citadel’s courtyards.

Cairo Citadel

The Muhamad Ali Mosque, modeled on the fabulous Blue Mosque in Istanbul, is one of the beautiful places to visit in old Islamic Cairo.  

Muhammad Ali Mosque

From the terrace of the mosque, you get not only a wonderful view of Cairo, but a vista which has the Giza pyramids far off in the haze that envelops the city.  A beautiful tomb in the central courtyard shows off the artistry of the workers who built the mosque.

tomb in courtyard of Muhammad Ali Mosque

dogs snoozing in Citadel courtyard

golden casket, Cairo Museum

Not to be missed is the Cairo Museum.  While there is a new museum near the pyramids that will open in November, 2022, the Cairo Museum, on the famous Tahrir Square (where the 2011 revolution began) is full of beautiful artifacts from the Pharaonic era.  When I visited the Museum so many years ago with my family, it was dark, dusty and overstuffed.  Today, the displays are beautiful, well-lit, and breathtaking.  King Tut’s sarcophagus is still there, stunningly gorgeous.  I admit to sneaking a forbidden photo of the sarcophagus, along with everyone else in the room.  Except for King Tut’s special rooms, you can take photos everywhere. 

queen's image, Cairo Museum

Covid is a continuing risk when traveling and Egypt is no different from anywhere else in the world.  Six of our group of 12 came down with Covid, mild, thankfully, and spent several extra days in Cairo until they could safely return to the US.  So, one caution for travelers there, as elsewhere, is to be prepared in case you need to stay longer than expected.  We were fortunate to be in an excellent hotel with great room service.  You also want to be able to contact a doctor if you need medical assistance and to get a Covid test for your return.  Being flexible and prepared makes any foreign travel much easier, especially in the ongoing era of Covid.  We expect to keep traveling and will always have contingency plans in case something goes awry. 

sphinx outside Cairo Museum

There's nothing like Egypt's pyramids (except its tombs in Luxor)

Stepped Pyramid, Saqqara

The first time I visited Egypt was with my family nearly 40 years ago.  My kids were 10, 11 and 14, and that trip remains one of the highlights of our lives.  The skies were clearer and the crowds, much smaller.  We rode camels to the pyramids in Giza.  Today, despite Covid, there are more people, more vendors, more smog, and more camels.  I've visited the pyramids 5 times and am awed by their grandeur each time.  And would go back to see them in an instant, given the opportunity. 

Giza pyramids

The huge size, perfect geometry, intricately cut facing stones and mechanics of construction speak to the power and wealth of the pharaohs.  

facing stones on the pyramids

Though our guide insisted that slaves did not build the pyramids, and some Egyptian archaeologists agree, Herodotus wrote that 100,000 slaves built the pyramids.  It is hard to imagine that a society that relied on slaves for countless tasks to keep their economy going didn’t also use slaves for its greatest construction projects.  

hawkers in front of Cheops' pyramid

There are dozens of pyramids, besides the 2 or 3 we see in all the photos.  Above is the beautiful Stepped Pyramid, at Saqqara, within sight of the famous Giza pyramids.  You can crawl down a long set of stairs to one of the tombs under Saqqara and, much more easily, walk upright into other tombs to visit the beautifully carved and painted rooms inside.

offerings to the gods, Saqqara

I learned something new and very appealing on this visit.  The Sphinx has a tail!  The tail was buried by sand but emerged as the sand was cleared away over the years.  I guess the tail should not be a surprise, given that the Sphinx has a lion's feet and claws.  

tail of the Sphinx

Legend says Napoleon's troops shot off the Sphinx's nose, but apparently that may be little more than just a legend.  Erosion seems to have been the culprit.  Work continues today to stabilize the Sphinx. 

Sphinx with pyramids

The Giza Sphinx is only the most famous of dozens of known sphinxes.  They guard the entrance to the Egyptian Museum in Cairo and what remains of Egypt’s ancient capital of Memphis.  What was once a large city, Memphis is now a Cairo suburb, but you can find remnants of its glory days in the mounds of earth and rubble that abound in the area. 

Sphinx at Egypt's ancient capital, Memphis

Sphinx in front of Cairo Museum

 

The Magnificent Ancient City of Petra, Jordan

 

The Monastery, Petra

When we first visited Petra with our kids nearly 40 years ago, Bedouin families were still living in its caves.  The next year, the Jordanian government kicked them all out, moving them to a village above the valley, in order to turn Petra into a “real” tourist site.  It was phenomenal then, when our kids were able to play soccer with local Bedouin boys inside one of the huge cave tombs.  Today, it is no less wonderful, just filled with Bedouin offering rides on their camels and donkeys instead of living in the caves.  

view of Wadi Musa (Petra) from above

The valley is one of the most spectacular ancient cities in the world.  First, the rock into which the tombs and temples have been carved is multi-colored and gorgeous. 

Petra's colorful rock formations

Second, one of the most stunning sights on earth is emerging from the narrow Siq, a deep rock chasm with towering cliffs, ranging from 10 to 40 feet wide and ¾ mile long, to see the famous Treasury building, what everyone visits Petra to see.

the beautiful Treasury

But, there is so much more—the Nabataean stone architecture and tombs, Roman ruins, Byzantine mosaics, not to mention the natural beauty of Wadi Musa (Valley of Moses), the canyon of Petra, occupied for 12,000 years. 

walking down the Siq

All along the valley, tombs have been carved into the sandstone.  You can walk the length of the valley to a restaurant at the end and then climb another mile to the Monastery, a third century BC Nabataean tomb surrounded by huge black rock mountains and many vendors.  If you don’t want to climb the stairs cut into the rocks, you can take a donkey ride, which one of our group decided to do.  Despite her qualms, her donkey and guide hauled her safely up the steep trail so she could see not just the Monastery, but the gorgeous terrain all around.  If you walk from the entrance to a viewpoint past the Monastery and back, it is 10 to 11 miles, and a wonderful hike. 

tombs dug into the cliffs

The Byzantines built several churches, one of which

has beautiful mosaic floors.  It is well worth the short

climb to the church because the mosaics are 

stunning and you can continue on to a long series of

tombs carved into the colorful cliffs.

mosaic floor in Byzantine church

The Romans built their own city in the first couple of centuries AD, complete with temples, marketplaces, theaters and roads.  They ruled Petra for 250 years, but left when an earthquake destroyed much of the city. 

Dogs and donkeys are everywhere, usually resting, sometimes noisily announcing their fights and frustrations.

Roman temple

tomb cut into colorful cliff

dogs lolling along the Roman road

The Roman City of Jerash and Ancient Amman

Two views of Jerash's Roman Forum

                                  

Jordan’s wonderful Greco-Roman city of Jerash is one of the most beautiful Roman cities I’ve visited anywhere in the world.  It spreads across open fields, full of wildflowers in March and April, with its warm sandstone columns and stones glowing in the sunlight.  Centuries after the Romans built the roads, colonnades, theaters, temples, markets, forums, and houses that made up the Roman city, the Byzantines took over, building churches alongside the earlier structures, using stones from the Roman period.  An 8^th century AD earthquake destroyed most of the city and later earthquakes finished it off. 

Roman columns and storm clouds

We visited Jerash on a stormy day, just before a rare rainstorm drenched the city.  You could easily spend a full day wandering, pretty much alone, among the ruins, but we kept an eye on the rain clouds, spent several hours enjoying the site, and scrambled into a restaurant just before the rain poured down in sheets.  Quite unusual for arid Jordan.

Roman theater in Jerash

As in most Roman cities, the Forum was the heart of the city.  The graceful Forum in Jerash is surrounded by columns and crossed by the Roman road Trajan built.  After Trajan, Herod visited the city, welcomed by a huge arch constructed in his honor. 

 The theaters have amazing acoustics.  You can stand in just the right place on the stage and be heard easily throughout the seats rising steeply up the sides of the theater. 

Today, there is other life in Jerash, besides tourists.

bird nesting in Roman column
below:  columns and capitals of church

Roman stone flower and today's daisy

The Byzantine church of St. George has beautiful mosaics that are, unfortunately, fully exposed to the weather.  Jerash would like to protect these treasures, but doesn’t have the money.  In some ways, I’d love to see the mosaics better protected, but would hate to see ugly tin roofs mar the open serenity of Jerash.  It is such a pleasure to wander the unmarked paths among the ruins, visiting these ancient structures as they were 1500 to 2000 years ago, imagining the busy marketplace, roads filled with goods and chariots, priests in their temples, and the daily life of the inhabitants.

left:  family walking along Roman road; right:  Hadrian's Arch

 

  

mosaics in St. George's church

Temple at Amman Citadel

After the deluge, we returned to Amman and its Citadel, atop one of the hills that make up the city.  There are the remains there of a fortress and a temple as well as a small museum with sculptures from 6,000 BC.  Obviously, people have occupied what is not Amman for many thousands of years.  Below the Citadel is a beautifully-preserved Roman                                                                                                    amphitheater, surrounded by the buildings of the                                                                                          modern city. 

Roman Amphitheater, Amman

Amman Citadel with modern city behind

 

8500 year old sculpture from Amman