After climbing the volcano, our tender pirate ship tootled over to a hot spring. We declined. Too much folderol of wet clothes and mineral-stained bathing suits, and we decided we’d rather explore the island later than float around in the water. Mom and I put our legs in the Mediterranean. It was cold. Really very cold – resulting in photos so unflattering that I decline to post them.

But! On the uninhabited island near the hot springs: goats! We watched them climbing around on impossibly small ledges and heard them call to each other. Goats are neat, except when they are butting you in the Parts.

When we got back to the main island, we had three choices to get up to the town of Fira: walk, ride donkeys, or take the funicular. For me, that was no choice at all, but the funicular goes up at 70 degrees and my mother does not love heights. However, she ALSO does not love Donkey Smell and we had just walked up and down a volcano.

Funicular! Let’s say that 7 times fast. Have a picture:

It was awesome. Mama was very brave.

The front row of buildings of Fira, which overlook the cliffs, are extremely touristy. Have another picture:

That’s the volcano and our ship.

We bought some touristy things, and my sissa had a long and hilarious conversation with a woman about the “Mediterranean booty.” I do not have one. It was in every way awesome to watch the hot men of Greece and Italy checking out my sister’s badonkadonk. And bafrontkadonk. But I digress.

We stood on a balcony and looked at donkeys:

The donkeys were coming home for the evening, and they were READY. They walked right by us, but there are no pictures of this because we were too busy jumping and squeaking.

Then Volcano Climbing descended upon us, and lo! dinner was needed. We wandered hither and yon until we ended up on some deserted back alley and climbed a bunch of stairs to a nearly empty spot.

I had squid:

The *only* thing that would’ve made this dinner better would have been a pile of tzatziki. This dinner was our first exposure to Greek Jug Wine.

Recommended.

The restaurant looked out over the back half of the island:

We could also see a billboard advertising the wine museum, and we were sad that we had no time to see THAT. Clearly we need to go back.

Here’s a view of Santorini’s alleys:

Sissa and I mooned romantically at the view while Mom stood way back from the cliff edge. We took the funicular(!) back down, which was rather faster and bumpier than one might like.

We sat in our accustomed spot in the forward bar and watched the ship pull out of the dark cove with the cliffs lit up by Fira and Oia in the distance. It was utterly peaceful and lovely.

Then we fell straight over.