We started this beautiful day with a special Greek breakfast made especially for us. Our time today will be centered exclusively on Jack and Pat. We really haven’t slowed down to pamper ourselves. Rather, we’ve just pushed ourselves beyond the point of exhaustion. So today we are going to experience a two-hour sauna, spa, and massage treatment (really out of character for both of us). Then in the early afternoon, we’re going to be picked up and join a sunset catamaran cruise with dinner.Endless stairs.. good thing we are young and spry..On our way to a local market an old hotel in ruins.

It’s been very hot during the day and rather chilly here in the evening. We’re still kind of bummed that our private pool is just too cold for swimming. Yes, we want our cake and have the ability to eat it too.

Breakfast was scheduled at 8:45 this morning and prepared to perfection along with a view that was created by God. The breakfast was also huge! There were three types of eggs (scrambled, sunny side up, and an omelet). It wasn’t a buffet, it was all made especially for us. At least five types of bread, and Greek coffee. If you can’t relax here, you can’t relax anywhere.

After breakfast, we decided to go out exploring to find a market. Pat wanted some things and I “needed” some wine. So I picked out a bottle of red wine for me and a bottle of white for Pat and the cashier/proprietor looked at as and said, “These are the two most expensive bottles of wine in the store. Maybe you want to buy something a little cheaper.” Either she didn’t think we could afford them or she didn’t feel like she wanted to cheat us. Either way, it was a very nice gesture. We thanked her and left; but we will go back there.

At 10:15 am, Sophia the masseuse gathered us together for a walk to the DeSol Hotel just down the street for our couples massage. (Now that I think about it, even relaxation is apparently on a time schedule around here. Breakfast at precisely 8:45 and our relaxing massage at 10:15. I actually like a time regimen. There are no questions and things always seem to happen on schedule. Guess that’s what 20 years in the military did to me… Not that there’s anything wrong with that.) Anyway, it was a beautiful facility with a massive hot tub that even had a waterfall, a sauna, steam room, and an extremely relaxing massage room. We were there for a couple hours and Sophia and Foteini treated us like the Clooney’s.

We walked back to the hotel and are sitting around our private pool with an “inexpensive” glass of wine in hand waiting for our catamaran to pick us for our Caldera cruise and dinner at sunset.

We arrived at Vlihada Harbor on the south side of Santorini and were introduced to Captain Ted and his crew of Santorini Sailing on the Blue Lagoon. He immediately broke open the drinks and started explaining the history of the island as we made our way North along the coast. To the Red Beach to the White Beach.Here we are at Red Beach

We set the sails and traveled around the Caldera, amazed at the shear cliffs, and the history of Santorini. Our fellow passengers included a group from Fargo, North Dakota; a member of NYPD and his fiance; and a US State Department employee. It was a great group of people and we enjoyed each other’s company. Ted and his crew fixed us a fabulous dinner on board which included barbeque chicken and pork, Greek salad, mussels, pasta, shrimp saganaki, wine…What a beautiful afternoon.Our crazy, fun new friends from Fargo.

,CJack in his happy place. He grew up sailing with his dad. Don’t think I’ve seen him this relaxed.

We arrived back at the hotel and scheduled a driver to pick us up at eight in the morning to take us to Oia, the main city that is seen in all the photos that advertise Santorini. We want to get there in the morning so the lighting is where we want it for the best photos. It was another sterling day in Santorini.