The Villa Lianne Givens is built in the Greek tradition! We enter through a small private courtyard into a spacious entrance hall, through alcoves and living rooms, with high curved ceilings and archways. It has a large bright modern kitchen, a charming loft bedroom and large bathroom. It is really quite lovely.
Julie's house is attached, so we share the huge traditional patio. It has a long front room, which is a kitchen/office/sitting room. (see photo) A bricked, round walled bedroom, was in former times, the oven for the village bakery. A small en suite bathroom has been added.
I awake to the sound of the village roosters greeting the dawn, joined by the soulful song of a donkey braying in the wind. I rise and watch the sunrise over the sea and take a picture of our first morning here. Up the hill, I can see the village of Exo Gonia, topped with a large Byzantine church and many smaller traditional Greek churches, with their whitewash and bright blue domes. We can see a total of 9 churches from our patio, in the two villages. Our view in front is Messa Gonia, Kamari and the sea. To the right is the Mesa Vouna mountain, or the rock as the locals call it. It is barren on the upper part, but covered with terraced gardens and the odd spattering of churches on the lower reaches. On the very top, out of sight, is ancient Thira..
When Julie and Peter get up we have a breakfast of famous Greek yogurt, fruit and honey, something I have been dreaming of since my last visit here.
. Today, Diane and Spiro Zorzos, their daughter Evie and Diane's parents, the *McMillans from North Vancouver, take us to Amouthi, a tiny seaside port, situated at the foot of huge overhanging cliffs, crowned by the village of Oia. The bay is awash in tiny fish boats and the view of the caldera is spectacular. We sample the wonderful Greek cuisine in the best of Amouthi's three tavernas, Taverna Amouthi.
After lunch we go for a walk through the narrow cobbled streets of Oia,
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