In the ying/yang that is life… you can’t truly appreciate something until you have seen and/or felt the opposite extreme. So it was when faced with the choice of making a trip to Athens… do I quickly fly in (25 min flight) or do I take the ferry in uncertain weather. For me it was a no-brainer. A boat ride on an old ferry in stormy weather was far too delicious a prospect to ever seriously consider any alternatives – especially yet another boring… albeit quick flight. So on a dark, stormy morning I boarded a slow-boat to Athens… purpose unpleasant, cause of problem unknown, travel time uncertain, weather unsettled & state of mind unclear. The trip had been made dozens of times, but not under these conditions… weather or mental.
The blinding bright light of the Aegean summer had given way to winter grey and the island which mesmerises millions of people every year, looked cold, inhospitable & decidedly empty. Yet… there was a zen-like beauty and calmness about it. It looked at peace, resting… enjoying the winter storm and lapping up the life-giving rainfall. It was then I realised that I was seeing something few people get to see… the rarely seen winter “yang” of the summer “ying” that everyone knows all too well about Santorini. These are the sights and sounds that visitors never see… believing instead that all Greek islands are bathed in brilliant light and warm sun rays all year round. The images that follow provide you with a glimpse of an Aegean storm and a day-long trip across this mythical sea.
the rain was falling heavily and the island villages were barely visible…
an almost empty ferry pulled away from Santorini’s port… sailing into a storm
the totally calm summer-blue caldera waters had changed to a dark, unsettled
sea that looked angry…
the little church on Skaros rock looked a lonely place in the middle of the storm
soon the island was left behind… the ferry heading for the open and much
rougher waters of the southern Aegean Sea
In summer… you couldn’t get a seat here if you tried. In winter… well, winter
is a different story. It makes you understand the cycles of life & time…
The starkness of a lonely deck and the angry sea below, make you pause and reflect…
you remember the brilliance of this scenery in summer, but also appreciate
it’s raw beauty on a stormy winter’s day…
you look and reflect… what was and what will be
this is NOT a black & white photo… the water
was simply reflecting the mood of the sky above!
but this IS Greece after all & the skies soon cleared, the Aegean putting on
it’s royal blue best once again…
the first of our island stops was in sight… a tiny jewel in the Aegean,
another summer paradise breathing a winter’s sigh of relief!
We will see more images from the small islands along the way on Wednesday’s post. I hope you enjoyed the boat ride through the Aegean storm and thank you for the many kind comments, emails & good wishes… all greatly appreciated ;-)
M
Oia Santorini... a notebook about life in Oia 