Photos: Crete & Santorini

Dizzing view to port of Fira, Santorini; Calendar photos abound.

Donkeys share pathways with people; donkey rider.

Mighty Medusa & gold bee pendant in Crete's Archeological Museum.

Inside Greek Orthodox church, Crete.

Crete by Morning, Santorini by Afternoon

Inside one of Crete's orthodox churches, we lasted only about 1 hour of the 3 hour service and not just because men sit on the right side, women on the left nor by the pungent fragrance of billowy incense and lullaby incantations! Colorful biblical stained-glass depictions presented inside spider-webbed leaded glass windows, gilded iconic scenes, worshippers lighting wedding-cake terraced candle holders upon entry, whose slender white tapers barely melt down before an designated church monitor plucks them from their holders only to be replaced by a candle from the next worshipper. Without knowing the Greek tongue nor the progression of the service, I occupied my time on photographic moments! Couldn't leave without seeing the head of St Titus inside what looked like a big Ferrero Rocher gold candy wrapper encased in glass.

Later, Steve & I wandered through the quiet Sunday streets, finding ourselves inside a scaled down (ie. in renovation) Archeological Museum. Few but quality items on display, included pieces as old as 6,000 b.c. - wow! - frescoes, intricate bee pendant & mighty Medusa!

Santorini is just like all the calendar photos we've all seen. A funicular ride to the top and we were perched like eagles, looking dizzingly down rooftops & strips of narrow pathways below, our cruise ship, a dot in the vast blue liquid water. Houses jammed into rock holes, picturesque; we opted to walk down, side stepping colorfully mounted donkeys & riders & their 'residual'!

Photos: St John in Patmos

Local transportation; Monastery of St John the Theologian.

Orthodox monk offering wares; Grotto of Revelation.

St John's Years in Patmos

Inside a nondescript white walled church atop rock whose outside lintel mentions the Grotto of Revelation is the cave of St John; once inside the church, a rather humble natural stone cave found by walking down steep & narrow, terraced staircases. Note that you must subsequently climb back up those steep & narrow, terraced staircases! Most have to duck under an area of the overhead rock. "Evidence" indicates St John was actually in the cave writing the Book of Revelation by pointing to "his head rest", "hand support" and "area where his scribe marked down the narrative", indentations in the stone. Hmmm.....

A short bus ride away & further uphill is the upper monastery which was founded in the 11th c. by Hosios Christodoulos (a mouthful of a name, eh?) and called the Monastery of St John the Theologian. It appears as a walled fortress and was actually a protective garrison against pirates! Brownish stone exterior castle-style chess piece towers contrast whitewashed walls, dotted by tourists hurrying to & fro.