View from our cave house in Oia!
(PHOTO: Panoramic photo taken from our patio at our Cave House in Oia at Sunset! On the far right is our tan house)
Each person has their own magical place! A place that feels as close to heaven on earth as you can get. For me, it is the town of Oia on the island of Santorini, Greece!
Sunrise in Oia this morning, looking back to the town
I first came here in the summer of 1987. I had a Eurail pass and was cruising around Europe with all my college friends who were smarter than me and had spent junior year abroad. I had already been to Italy and planned to go to Spain, Portugal, Morocco and Germany after Greece. I never made it to any of those other countries. A three day trip to Santorini lasted a month.
The next time I visited Santorini was after business school in the summer of 1993. Traveling with my sister, Kaarina, and two dear friends, Mo and Roberta, we stayed in a few different towns on the island and ended up back in Oia. Kaarina and I rented a room for $7 / night and stayed an extra two weeks just hanging out, eating yogurt and honey for breakfast and Greek salad for dinner.
Kaarina, this is Beksedhes Beach…the one we walked to everyday!!
In 1999, when Wescott was just 2, we left him with my parents and came for my third visit and Cliff’s first. We both had high pressure jobs so the downside was that we could only be away for a week, but the upside was that we could afford to stay in a hotel with a view of the caldera.
Around every turn is another spectacular view of the caldera!
14 years later, we have come back with our kids and rented a cave house with a view of the caldera for 2 weeks. To me, this is truly a dream come true! To have all the kids here and to have the time to soak it all in!!!
Cliff enjoying a peaceful cup of coffee at sunrise on our roof deck before the kids are awake
The twins and I on the roof deck at sunset!
Why do I love it so much? Sure, the views and the architecture are one of a kind. We met a few people yesterday who grew up on Santorini and now run businesses here. After meeting them, we were all talking about how people who were raised on Mercer Island return to raise their kids because its so pretty. Imagine growing up on Santorini? How do you live anywhere else?!?
But it isn’t just the views and architecture and sunsets…even though those who know me well, know that I am a sucker for all those things 
It is the warmth of the people, and the crazy-good food, and the rich history that made me fall in love with Santorini the first time. It is the mystique around the island and belief that Santorini is the location of the lost city of Atlantis!
It is the warmth of the people, and the crazy-good food, and the rich history that made me fall in love with Santorini the first time. It is the mystique around the island and belief that Santorini is the location of the lost city of Atlantis!
Even Jones LOVES the yogurt and honey for breakfast!
Tuck and I scoped out the local taverna’s menu!
With so many years between my visits, I always wonder if I have built Oia up in my mind to be greater than it is. And yet every time I come, it exceeds my expectations and captivates my heart all over again! Luckily, I have 6 people with me this time to insure that I won’t bag the whole trip around the world and just stay here for the year 😉
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