Excursion 4 - Panagia Episkopi and Pirgos
The "Bishop's Church of All Saints" is the oldest church on the island
A Byzantine Emperor had the church built in 1115. It is a garden not in town.
A few of the original frescos remain.
Most walls are now covered with icons.
The church is very small and filled with traditional Eastern Orthodox deco.
Pirgos is the highest town on the island with a old Venezian fortress at the top.
We enjoyed just wandering around the alleys and steps.
The traditional blue domed churches unlike the Byzantine Pan.Epik.church.
Excursion - 5 A hike from Firastephani to Oia
We started our hike by taking a bus to just outside the capital of Fira.
The path took us toward Imerovigli along the Caldera Cliffs.
This part of the hike was among the houses and hotels with lots of steps...
And super views from every corner.
Heading out of Imerovigli the path rougher as we left town behind.
We could see our goal around the Caldera at the tip of the island.
Along the way at one of the high points was this church with shade trees.
We then hit the worse part from the church down the side with lots of loose gravel.
This view shows how high the cliffs are.
Looking back we could now see Imerovigli on the top of the far hill.
Katy on the way to another church on top of the last hill.
After that it was all down hill to Oia.
Looking back on the entire hike.
Excursion - 6 A boat ride around the Caldera, to the volcano and other islands.
The excursion on our anniversary was with an old wooden boat.
The was very little wind on that day so we went by motor.
Our anniversary picture with our hotel and Oia in the background.
We sailed through the Caldera to Fira port to pick up more people.
Next stop: the Volcano where we had to walk across other boats to get to shore.
At the top the crater of the last eruption in 1950.
Sulfur gasses still come out and leave a white crust
A view back to Fira. Nothing grows on this hot dusty lava rock.
Katy waiting for me to come down off the volcano rim.
Next stop was the hot springs at the neighboring isle (volcano from 100 AD).
After a swim we headed to the island of Thirasia for lunch.
The restaurant where we ate.
And because the water was beautiful we had another swim after eating.
Coming back into port where we started.
#7 Down to the Port at Oia
Another day we went down to Ammoundi Port again - but not by the stairs.
There were mules to ride but we drove down where there was a little parking.
We walked over to the Sunset Restaurant for lunch...
and from our table we could watch people and boats.
A nice place just to do nothing.
25 years and we still like each other!
