During my trip to Greece, I stopped at the islands of Santorini. While I didn’t go on the land, I was struck by the beauty of its towering cliffs, which seemed to emanate from the placid sea. Although I’d seen pictures of the village in travel ads showcasing close-ups of whitewashed buildings with rounded rooves of sapphire blue, I’d never realised how many buildings there were perched at the edge of the cliffs overlooking the cove below.
I was also unaware of the fact that this crescent-shaped collection of islands (Asproníssi, Nea Kaméni, Palea, Thíra, and Thirassiá) is an active volcano, partially submerged in the sea.
Even though the sky was overcast when I arrived, the sun and clouds combined to create floating patterns on the island and its surrounding cove. As I watched the boats taxi back and forth from my cruise ship to the foot of the cliffs, the rest of the world felt far away.
“Mommy, one day you and I are going to go on a mommy-daughter trip to Greece.”
From my solitary perch on the deck, I remembered the promise which I’d made to my mother as a precocious five-year-old: “Mommy, one day you and I are going to go on a mommy-daughter trip to Greece.” I then reflected that I wouldn’t have felt so solitary had I invited her to join me on my trip.
Nevertheless, I now have two reasons to return to the island: first, to actually set foot on it, and second, to show it to my mom.