Oia: Defies Logic
Alright, I am still in Greece, and will be for a while. I guess I needed a long summer vacation. Lately I have been to Oia again, what can I say, the place defies logic! It is stunningly pretty, even in Santorini standard, and therefore it is loved to death! Well, almost! You can still find the plaza in front of the Church of Panagia Akathistos Hymn (shown below) completely empty, but you have to be there when the cruise ship crowds are not there! Or, you must not be there during the hours near sunset!
You can still find the cobblestone path near Saint Georgios Oia Holy Orthodox Church (featured below) completely empty at 9am in the morning, but don't try this at 6pm. Point is, everyone that you know and their girlfriend, wife, significant other; who is visiting Greece, will likely be at Oia during sunset! I don't know what the big deal is, but believe me, if you do not like crowd, you do not want to be at Oia during sunset, especially when there are a multiple cruise ships doing 'port-of-call' at Santorini.
What is Oia to me?
To me Oia is one of the best amusing people watching place in the world. Here you can see all kinds of breast implants, all kinds of botox works, all kinds of extreme fitness geeks, all kinds of designer clothes wearing pretty ladies and gentlemen, all kinds of folks who are delighted to be there and positive think that this is the first and the last time they can be here at this magical piece of paradise, so they must document their every move and share all that in facebook, instagram and whereever else! Damn, that was a long sentence! Sorry if I sound sour, that was not my intention. I really enjoy Oia, even in it present form, but as I show you from my images, I find time to take photographs when there are no many people, or a few selective people.
Just like on this Sunday morning, this old Greek lady was walking briskly towards her Church for her morning prayer. Most of party-going Oia was sleeping. Cruise ship crowd of 10am haven't arrived yet in big buses. This is the time I steal from Oia, this is my moment.
I can still find these closed doors that seem to open to the sea. Yes, the light maybe a bit harsh, maybe I don't have that alpenglow of the setting evening sun, but I am okay with it. I am happy to slowly wonder around the playgroud, where once I helped my 2-year old to get to her swing while she was eating her icecream. Now she is 11 and now she have her sister and they can both swing at the same park together. Watching them swing together, touching the same memory we created 9 years back, touching that memory again with them is my Oia moment that I cherish.
Yeah, that's them! I hope to be back here again in 9 years (hopefully sooner) and maybe they will still want to come with me, but if not there is no regret, I will remember this playground forever. Yes that is Oia to me.
Nine years back!
Gateway to Paradise!