Greek freak–

The Greek island of Santorini in the middle of the Aegean Sea is making us go, “goo-goo, gah-gah”…really quite lovely.

The clouds float by in many shapes and sizes and colors…the breezes are warm and soothing…the people are welcoming…and the waters keep us floating high and high and higher. . .mmm, aaaah!

Kooky human existence continues, but out here things feel slightly less kooky…in fact, they feel non-kooky cuz we can shut it all out–all of the debating and competing and bamboozling. . .out here no one cares about much except taking it easy while eating good food and drink.  This is a program that we can get our heads around with no problem at all.

I send you super-chill vibes from Santorini. . .feel them. . .they will help you sleep really well tonight.

It’s lovely out there.

Sun ‘n’ sea…good ‘n’ good–

MMM!  Everybody loves the sunshine…people get brown in the sunshine…birds fly around in the sunshine…etc. and so on.  Shout out to Roy Ayers for these magical lyrics…they capture exactly how folks feel here on the island of Santorini or in any place where the sun is prominent.

Without the sun we are not here…an average shining orb–a giant helium factory actually–sending out rays of warmth so that we can live. . .thank you, sun…thank you, sun. . .or ‘efheristo, ilios’ as the Greeks might say.

Such an honor to have the opportunity to hang in this place right here, right now. . .please consider a visit to Santorini some time before you pass on. . .the sun and the people and the good vibes will make you go, “mmmm, aaaaahh!”

If you can’t make it here, then just go outside, look up at the sun and say, ‘thanks.’

It’s lovely out there.

Fish ‘n’ wine by the sea–

YES!  We love the Sunset Ammoudi Restaurant here in Oia, Santorini.

Lunch is the best time to eat here…you can walk down a steep path from town or take a taxi down to Ammoudi Bay…once you are here the Aegean Sea embraces you with warm breezes and sparkling water…you grab a table in the Ammoudi Restaurant–ideally a spot right at the edge of the water–order you seafood delights: we like giant prawns, langoustines, sea urchin salad, fried red mullet, sun-dried octopus, grilled squid and whole grilled scorpion fish.  Sip on carafes of house white wine as the food arrives and you gobble the day away. . .mmm, aaaah!

I would eat here every day for the rest of my life if I could…low-fat Mediterranean seafood diet will help you live a long long time.

Please come to Ammoudi the next time you pop out to Santorini. . .you will love it–I gar-ron-taaaayy!

It’s lovely out there.

Snacks by the pool–

Hangin’ at the pool…belly starts a’rumblin’…order up some snacks…enjoy.

Katikies Hotel here in Santorini serves up a wonderful Greek salad that features the delicious Santorini cherry tomatoes–just magical…a wonderful grilled octopus served in a hummus-like mixture drizzled with tasty Greek olive oil…and amazing fried potatoes that are crispy on the outside and, you guessed it, creamy on the inside…fresh warm pita slices…and crisp assytiko white wine. . .WOW!

Views of the volcanic caldera and the soothing Aegean Sea make digesting all of this as easy as spinach pie…yamas!

Please consider Santorini and possibly the Katikies Hotel for your next getaway. . .this place will help you get your mind right.

It’s lovely out there.

#1 restaurant…Oia, Santorini–

If you only eat in one restaurant while visiting Oia, Santorini, then it must be this one: Ammoudi by Paraskevas. . .let’s check it out.

Ammoudi…aka, Sunset Ammoudi…aka, Ammoudi Seafood Restaurant is owned and run by a dude called Paraskevas, and he is rockin’ it here.  Paraskevas is an older gentleman…he appears to have lots of family members and loyal workers assisting him with this joint–they all treat him with the utmost respect, and they even treat us patrons with the utmost respect…so we all win–mmm, aaaah!

The main reason we win here is because the location cannot be beat–Ammoudi Bay right on the edge of the Aegean Sea…and the food is totally outstanding–really really good.

For this nighttime visit we gobble grilled octopus, grilled squid, giant prawns, fried shrimps, and lovely grilled red mullets–about 5 of them–FABULOUS

Everything is washed down with carafes of cold house white wine…no need to order fancy bottles here–just get the house wine, and you are good-to-go.

The only problem this evening is that the joint is packed with a big group of Aussies celebrating someone’s upcoming wedding…they are loud and affecting the overall experience for us and many other patrons around us.  So dinner is touch-n-go in a popular place like this. . .to wash the taste of this experience out of our heads we return for lunch the next day, and have a better time…the food tastes so much better when the vibe is chill, the sun is shining, the staff is relaxed, and the place is mostly ours.

Please eat here whenever you like…the food is always outstanding…but for us, we will avoid dinner and only do lunch here in the future.  In fact, I would eat lunch here every day for the rest of my life if I could. . .this is a quintessential Greek island feed spot…eat lunch here, you will love it–I gar-ron-taaaayy!

Yamas!!

It’s lovely out there.

Top-notch dining…Santorini–

BAM!  Here we are puttin’ on a major feed at a joint called The Red Bicycle on the island of Santorini…let’s have a look and see what’s happenin’.

The Red Bicycle is located at the older end of the walkway in the town of Oia…this place is cozy, totally chilled out, and full of good food and drink.

My wife and I roll in here about 10:00 p.m….most of the gringos are finishing up their meals and paying their bills–Greeks like to eat later, gringos eat earlier…we arrive later on purpose.  The place empties out, and we are offered our choice of tables…we choose a cozy corner so we can sit side-by-side and soak up the views of the town and sea.  A few Greeks show up to eat…quiet conversation…sipping of wine…magic.

We order our food…it starts arriving…it is outstanding.  For this meal we do a summer vegetable medley, a fish ceviche, a couple of fish fillets for our entrees–scorpion fish and a sea bass, both DELECTABLE…then a red berry thing for dessert–mmm, aaaah!  All of this is washed down with a bottle of assyrtiko–most wonderful.

Red Bicycle is owned by a woman…we meet and chat with her briefly.  She tells us that she moved to Santorini with her husband about 30 years ago…they started this restaurant together…he died about 5 years ago…she is keeping things going–the Greeks always move upward and onward no matter what things happen to them.  We love them all, and we especially love this woman because her restaurant is great–yamas!

Please consider doing a meal here the next time you visit Santorini. . .you will be totally satisfied and uplifted–I gar-ron-taaaayy!

It’s lovely and tasty out there.

Breakfast…WOW!

When staying at the Katikies Hotel on Santorini breakfast is included with the room…you can go down to the restaurant and eat with all of your fellow guests, or you can have a staff member deliver breakfast to your terrace.  We prefer the private terrace experience…sooooo civilized.

Eggs Benedict, sausages, bacon, breads, yogurt, fruits and a nice pot of coffee. . .mmmm, aaaah!

Plus, the warm breezes, bright sunshine and magnificent views really help with digestion.

If all peoples of the world could have a breakfast like this just once a year, then there would be less conflict and tension all over the planet…if only.

I send you soothing brekky vibes from a terrace of Katikies on the island of Santorini. . .feel them. . .they will make you go, “ah.”

It’s lovely out there.

Delectable island grub…Santorini–

YES!  Lounging about on an island makes us hungry…let’s do some dinner at a place called Roka and see what’s what.

Roka is located somewhat off of the main walkway in the town of Oia here in beautiful Santorini…low-key vibe, outdoor/open-air setting, chill staff, and delicious food.

During our din-din we do tomato soup–Santorini tomatoes are famous for their sweetness, totally wonderful…grilled octopus–Greeks do the number one octopus on the planet, we will eat octopus on the Greek mainland or the islands anywhere, anytime…ceviche of sea bass…skioufikta–Greek pasta with Santorini tomatoes and lots of other good stuff, wonderful…a grilled fish…and a Santorini salad–again, we can’t get enough of these tomatoes.  All of this stuff is totally satisfying and washed down with a tasty assyrtiko–perfect!

Please seek out Roka the next time you pop over to Santorini. . .this place is most-worthy of your attention–yamas!

It’s lovely out there.

#1 hotel…Santorini–

BOOM!  Here it is…this place gets our vote for the number one hotel on the island of Santorini: Katikies.  Let’s check it out, and see what’s what.

Katikies is located in the town of Oia–pronounced “ee-ah.”  We are told that this was the first of the fancy cave room hotels built on Santorini…in fact, the word ‘katikies’ refers to the famous cave rooms and cave houses built all over the island.

The cave-like structure of these rooms keeps everything nice and cool inside with minimal air-conditioning necessary when it is bright and sunny and hot outside.  These cave rooms also protect everyone from the winds that are quite persistent on this island and throughout the Aegean Sea.

All that you need to know about the Katikies Hotel is that it is absolutely topnotch.  We are met at the airport after our thirty-minute flight from Athens…the driver is sweet and efficient…the check-in upon arrival at the hotel is welcoming, professional and helpful…our room is wonderful–crisp white with everything we need for a fabulous stay (add a ceiling fan over the bed, and it would be absolutely perfect)…the entire staff are switched on and totally helpful…the food here is extremely tasty…the pools are magic…the champagne and wine are delectable…the views are jawdropping…etc. and so on. . .I could go on and on here, but I won’t…you get the idea.

The best thing to do is have breakfast delivered to your terrace each morning…eating perfectly-cooked eggs outside while gazing at the caldera views is most soothing. . .mmm, aaaah!

If you ever plan a visit to Santorini, then you must consider a stay at Katikies…there are lots of other hotels around, but I cannot imagine that any of them are better than this place.  Look it up online…peruse the website…book a room–DO IT!  You will love it–I gar-ron-taaaayy!

It’s lovely out there.

Santorini, baby!

If you need some island time in your life, then you can’t do much better than the island of Santorini in the middle of the Aegean Sea about 120 miles southeast of mainland Greece.  Let’s check this baby out, and see a little of what’s what.

The official name of the island is ‘Thira,’ but folks have referred to it as Santorini over many centuries since a small cathedral was built here in honor of one of the Christian saints called Saint Irene…which one?–who knows…there are many Saint Irenes–Google to learn more.

‘Thira’ comes from a Greek word that means “the round one.”  This island used to be a big round plot of land…then about thirty-five hundred years ago a volcano exploded and blew about half of the island to smithereens.  It is said that this was the third largest volcanic explosion ever recorded by humans on Earth. . .some fifteen cubic miles of matter were blown into the atmosphere…fifteen cubic miles of rock and dirt and stuff–that’s gonna leave a mark!

In fact, it did leave a mark: a giant caldera that we all get to enjoy now while laying by our infinity pools, sipping wine, gobbling grilled octopus, and enjoying the passage of time while taking in wonderful views of distant islets and the deep blue/green Aegean Sea. . .mmmm, aaaah!

We are hanging in a town called Oia–pronounced “ee-ah”–it’s quite built up and nice. . .lots of hotels, shops, cafes, restaurants, and all of the folks who love these things are here now.  There is a walkway that leads us along the upper ridge of the caldera…it gets narrow, it gets wider, and the flow of the crowd compresses and bulges depending on where we are. . .not too bad, but very little like the rest of the island.

The rest of the island seems rough and hardscrabble…cave houses scattered here, there and everywhere.  Lots of locals work in the tourism industry driving buses, running restaurants, cleaning rooms, etc….and some folks work in the small wine industry of the island growing the indigenous assyrtiko grape to make tasty white wine.

It’s windy here a lot of the time…the grapes have to be grown on vines that are wrapped into a cocoon shape–the grapes are surrounded by the vines and leaves so they can grow while protected from the winds. . .hard life for these grapes and the people who grow them, but it is worth the effort–the wine is delicious.

We need to come back here some time because there is much to more to see: the vineyards, Minoan ruins, other towns, various views of the caldera, etc.. . .if it is meant to be, then we will return most happily.

Come here and check this place out yourself some time. . .Santorini awaits your arrival winter, spring, summer, and/or fall.

It’s lovely out there.