Istanbul to Santorini, Greece
No doubt I have one of the most beautiful bits of scenery from my hotel veranda that a man could ever want. I'm into my last few hours in my hotel on the caldera of the ancient volcano that is Santorini, but I'm fine with leaving. Everything beautiful has its time, but then you have to move on 'cause after a while you won't think it's so beautiful anymore. Some friends are coming in today and we'll be staying in Kamari, right on the book, and just down the road from where I stayed with my folks when we were here back in 1990.
The last night in Turkey, I was scammed. At the time, it was depressing and a real challenge to my sense of vulnerability, but since then it has significantly lessened in power. Basically, I met a Turkish guy on the streets, and we were walking the same direction. He said he wanted to treat me to dinner, so we looked for a restaurant and found one, having a nice time together. His name was Ali. We thought we'd have a beer after dinner so he takes me to this seedy bar where girls soon show up and try to work me. I told Ali I was gay, but he didn't really care, just wanted me to continue drinking. This is the part of the scam where the bill comes and our beers were like $50 each and the cocktails for the girls we were supposedly buying for were over $100 each and my "friend" Ali paid half of the bill but then expected me to come up with the other half. Management tried frisking me and sent their security guy with me to get money from Cash Machine. All the while, Ali is saying how disapppointed his is that I did this or that or didn't do something in regards to the bill. Basically he was using the trust we built against me. Long story short, I lost $200 but a big piece of my dignity (and trust for Turkish men). I was all too happy to leave the next morning to head south and then out into the Greek islands.
I flew into Izmir, which is a common launching point for some ancient ruins in Turkey. My time was limited since I had to be in Santorini the next night, so I planned on getting to Samos that evening. I rented a car at Izmir and had just enough time to go to Ephesus (Ancient Greek Outpost, well-preserved, very cool), run up the hill, take pictures running down, drive back to Izmir, get a ride to the bus station, and make my 3pm bus just barely. Takes a little over an hour to get to Kusadasi and the Port Control closes the gates for the 5pm ferry at 4:30. I arrive at 4:20. The taxi driver calls to make sure I can get on. I can. Make that connection by 1 minute or so.
It's on this ferry that I meet a couple of American girls (who took a picture of me at Ephesus earlier in the day) and they had just met this guy from NYC, Tal. We all hit it off great. At Samos, I trade numbers with the girls to perhaps join with them later but Tal and I find out there's a night boat leaving for Mykonos, which gets us more into the Greek Islands, so we decide to take it. We had a nice Greek dinner together and then are off to Mykonos. Only one problem: we arrive at 2:30 in the morning and calls for accommodations reveal nothing. Our ride is very pleasant and Tal and I bond and honestly have a several hour conversation. I'm a big fan of the Tal -- very sweet, honest, genuine guy. So we have trust built up enough by the time we get to Mykonos that we agree to go camping at Paradise Beach, even though neither one of us has a sleeping bag or tent. At the Ferry Terminal (getting off the same ferry we were on), we met two girls (one from Australia, one from Vancouver) and they were in the same predicament as we were. Also on the bus to camping were the Australian couple who barely made the boat (like me) in Kusadasi. Long story short, we ended up camping in this huge hotel/beach/party/camping complex, and we all were slumming it on the ground. The Australian Couple and I had no sleeping bags or sheets or anything and other weren't too better off. We slept to the side of this row of bamboo directly on the ground with our bags off to the side. From 4-Star to 0-Star, and we made a great time of it. I had a blast with everybody, and although the party was going on not too far away, we actually got some sleep.
The next morning we all had breakfast together and hung out on the beach. They were busy making their sleeping arrangements for that night on Mykonos and I was preparing my exit.
It was nice to have company for once (and fun company at that) and I hated leaving again to go be on my own, but I had bought my Ferry ticket and had reserved my hotel. I pretty much didn't have a choice. I couldn't get a Taxi so I ended up taking a public bus into town but was running very late for the boat. In town, I got a cab and went to the Ferry and, although I was twenty minutes late, it was still loading! On the high speed to Santorini. Who else was behind me in the seats on the ferry but the Australian couple, Garrett and Sharon, and they were making their way to Eos. Familiarity is great on trips like this. They left and I made my way to the great volcanic island, arriving at my hotel in the middle of the evening, the sun still up.
I was in heaven! Such a gorgeous view. This night was a big volcano celebration with fireworks so I had a nice dinner near to the hotel and then came back to enjoy the spectacle. It wasn't very shiny or wasn't put together seamlessly, but it was interesting to watch as though the volcano was coming to life again and then exploding in its former destructive glory. Great timing on my part...I arrived just in time for something special, and I was grateful.
So I've been hanging out on Santorini. Yesterday I went to find a hotel for me and my girls coming in (Kate and Katie from Mykonos) and then I find out Tal is coming in, as well. So we'll be reuniting for a couple of days and I can't wait! A few more hours and I'll be in the mix of it again, and I found a place right on the beach down in Kamari (where I stayed with my parents back in 1990).
I enjoyed one last sunset from my room last night -- the most amazing sunsets on earth. I'm ready to get moving along the road, particularly if it involves fun with friends, but I've loved my time on the Caldera and will treasure the memories of this place.
The last night in Turkey, I was scammed. At the time, it was depressing and a real challenge to my sense of vulnerability, but since then it has significantly lessened in power. Basically, I met a Turkish guy on the streets, and we were walking the same direction. He said he wanted to treat me to dinner, so we looked for a restaurant and found one, having a nice time together. His name was Ali. We thought we'd have a beer after dinner so he takes me to this seedy bar where girls soon show up and try to work me. I told Ali I was gay, but he didn't really care, just wanted me to continue drinking. This is the part of the scam where the bill comes and our beers were like $50 each and the cocktails for the girls we were supposedly buying for were over $100 each and my "friend" Ali paid half of the bill but then expected me to come up with the other half. Management tried frisking me and sent their security guy with me to get money from Cash Machine. All the while, Ali is saying how disapppointed his is that I did this or that or didn't do something in regards to the bill. Basically he was using the trust we built against me. Long story short, I lost $200 but a big piece of my dignity (and trust for Turkish men). I was all too happy to leave the next morning to head south and then out into the Greek islands.
I flew into Izmir, which is a common launching point for some ancient ruins in Turkey. My time was limited since I had to be in Santorini the next night, so I planned on getting to Samos that evening. I rented a car at Izmir and had just enough time to go to Ephesus (Ancient Greek Outpost, well-preserved, very cool), run up the hill, take pictures running down, drive back to Izmir, get a ride to the bus station, and make my 3pm bus just barely. Takes a little over an hour to get to Kusadasi and the Port Control closes the gates for the 5pm ferry at 4:30. I arrive at 4:20. The taxi driver calls to make sure I can get on. I can. Make that connection by 1 minute or so.
It's on this ferry that I meet a couple of American girls (who took a picture of me at Ephesus earlier in the day) and they had just met this guy from NYC, Tal. We all hit it off great. At Samos, I trade numbers with the girls to perhaps join with them later but Tal and I find out there's a night boat leaving for Mykonos, which gets us more into the Greek Islands, so we decide to take it. We had a nice Greek dinner together and then are off to Mykonos. Only one problem: we arrive at 2:30 in the morning and calls for accommodations reveal nothing. Our ride is very pleasant and Tal and I bond and honestly have a several hour conversation. I'm a big fan of the Tal -- very sweet, honest, genuine guy. So we have trust built up enough by the time we get to Mykonos that we agree to go camping at Paradise Beach, even though neither one of us has a sleeping bag or tent. At the Ferry Terminal (getting off the same ferry we were on), we met two girls (one from Australia, one from Vancouver) and they were in the same predicament as we were. Also on the bus to camping were the Australian couple who barely made the boat (like me) in Kusadasi. Long story short, we ended up camping in this huge hotel/beach/party/camping complex, and we all were slumming it on the ground. The Australian Couple and I had no sleeping bags or sheets or anything and other weren't too better off. We slept to the side of this row of bamboo directly on the ground with our bags off to the side. From 4-Star to 0-Star, and we made a great time of it. I had a blast with everybody, and although the party was going on not too far away, we actually got some sleep.
The next morning we all had breakfast together and hung out on the beach. They were busy making their sleeping arrangements for that night on Mykonos and I was preparing my exit.
It was nice to have company for once (and fun company at that) and I hated leaving again to go be on my own, but I had bought my Ferry ticket and had reserved my hotel. I pretty much didn't have a choice. I couldn't get a Taxi so I ended up taking a public bus into town but was running very late for the boat. In town, I got a cab and went to the Ferry and, although I was twenty minutes late, it was still loading! On the high speed to Santorini. Who else was behind me in the seats on the ferry but the Australian couple, Garrett and Sharon, and they were making their way to Eos. Familiarity is great on trips like this. They left and I made my way to the great volcanic island, arriving at my hotel in the middle of the evening, the sun still up.
I was in heaven! Such a gorgeous view. This night was a big volcano celebration with fireworks so I had a nice dinner near to the hotel and then came back to enjoy the spectacle. It wasn't very shiny or wasn't put together seamlessly, but it was interesting to watch as though the volcano was coming to life again and then exploding in its former destructive glory. Great timing on my part...I arrived just in time for something special, and I was grateful.
So I've been hanging out on Santorini. Yesterday I went to find a hotel for me and my girls coming in (Kate and Katie from Mykonos) and then I find out Tal is coming in, as well. So we'll be reuniting for a couple of days and I can't wait! A few more hours and I'll be in the mix of it again, and I found a place right on the beach down in Kamari (where I stayed with my parents back in 1990).
I enjoyed one last sunset from my room last night -- the most amazing sunsets on earth. I'm ready to get moving along the road, particularly if it involves fun with friends, but I've loved my time on the Caldera and will treasure the memories of this place.
posted by The Laughing Penguin at 11:14 PM
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