11/4 - Bus Rides and Dunnies

Wednesday was a particularly warm and pleasant day. After some “debate” about holiday plans (both local, Greece, and France) we decided to head into the village (Pyrgos) square and catch the bus into Fira for some sightseeing and perhaps shopping.

Catching the bus was “interesting”. There is no timetable at the bus-stop. We asked at a couple of the local shops on the square, one didn’t know, the other said the bus came every hour. So we waited…and waited. Still no bus, so we took a walk to look at the local museum. Closed – the season had not started. Then back again to find others waiting for the bus. Another wait of nearly an hour and finally the bus arrived. At least we had the opportunity to observe village life for an hour or two – the teenage boys strutting, the girls flirting, workers arriving for their lunch, the priest coming down for something, etc. The busses used on the island are of the large coach type – I admire the drivers’ skill to be able to safely navigate the winding narrow roads.

Arriving in Thira (very quick) Grant, as usual, wanted to go to the toilet. We found a W.C. (the sign commonly used here) next to the bus stop and I took the opportunity to take a leak also. Using a cubicle (there was no urinal) there was a knock on the door and a question in Greek about paper – I had noted there was no toilet paper in the loo. I said Ohi (no). Emerging I found a middle aged woman who offered me a few sheets of toilet paper and insisted that I pay 50 cents for the use of the toilet. It’s the first experience we’ve had of this kind and while kind of laughable and a joke is also sad (imagine having this woman’s job and “extorting” money from tourists) and also cause for some anger (the island rakes in millions and millions every year – to charge for a basic necessity such as a toilet right in the centre of the largest and most elite township is ludicrous). But then Santorini (perhaps Greece also) is a place of contrast – exquisite beauty in the natural landscape, the distant churches, the warmth of the people – but also possessing some real problems in dilapidated and crumbling buildings (seen about the place), and insufficient infrastructure (e.g., no town water, toilets that can’t take having paper put down them). It’s a wonderfully earthy place of contrasts where old friend having a normal conversation look and sound like they’re seconds away from throwing punches, and great sunsets can be viewed from white-washed parapets while dog droppings must be avoided on the cobbled street at your feet.
So we grabbed some lunch (Gyros and Souvlaki – yum, but not as nice as the Souvlaki we’d had near The Two Brothers Bar the other day we were in town) and headed to the Pre-History (I think – main museum in Fira) museum. By then we only had 30 minutes because the museum, like many other services closed at 3pm (the post-office at 2pm). Still, the museum was quite small, and though possessing a number of the stunning wall frescos, we didn’t feel too rushed.Then we did a bit of shopping – the kids found a bead shop and made necklaces. Finally, we did what we had promised ourselves, we took coffee and cake at one of the “up-market” cafes on the caldera face. At 4:30pm it was still empty (sunset is when they are the most busy), but the cake with icecream was scrumptious – though 4 cakes plus 1 coffee set us back AU$85 – not something we’re likely to do again. Expensive – yes!, but sometimes its worthwhile having, and paying for, the full experience.