Day 2 - Lazy Hazy Days

After our rubbish journey, a relaxing, chilled-out day was needed. The day started with breakfast at our hotel, eaten poolside. It's the normal continental affair, which for me usually ends up as a George's Marvellous Medicine type concoction - bread, cheese, Nutella, egg, cake, waffle...that kind of thing. It was a sunny start, albeit a bit cloudy. The proprietress was there, stoic and stern, but our hotel is proving to be quiet and pleasant.

We then did some sun baking by the pool - glorious - and I burnt my back as it was around midday. Mad dogs and Englishmen, but hey ho! Then we had a little saunter around Perissa. Our hotel is situated a couple of hundred metres from the beach, and it's a short walk along the sea front to the main part of Perissa. For lunch we headed straight to a cafe/bar we have been to on previous visits called Tranquilo. It's my absolute fave place in the WORLD. It's a really chilled, friendly place with delicious home made food and great, MASSIVE cocktails. Think rustic colourful decor, hammocks, cool music and a no wifi policy and you get the idea. We shared an extra large quinoa salad with tzatziki and basil and feta cheeseballs. It's basically Chorlton-by-the-sea. After a Pina Colada and an Alfa beer or two, I had my first dip in the Aegean. I just love swimming in the sea! (A quick tip if you ever find yourself holidaying here, sunloungers and parasols on the beach are charged at about €7/€8, BUT if you buy a drink or food at any of the beachfront tavernas you can use their stuff for free.)

We then had a quick trip to the supermarket to pick up some bottled water, as the tap water is undrinkable in Santorini due to its salt content, and sweated our way back to the hotel for a wee snooze. (Oooh, all that swimming in the sea really takes it out of you...) We had had to change rooms earlier in the day, due to some cruise line entertainer who had been stranded who had to stay another night, but actually our new room is much nicer. I dragged myself away from the air con to go out for a little pre dinner drinkie at a bar called Yazz just round the corner. Sadly they didn't play "The Only Way Is Up", but there was some live entertainment provided by a singer in a Jack Daniels t shirt accompanying himself on a Casio keyboard...The bar was really nice though, and we tried a local wine from the Sigalas vineyard in the north of the island. It was disgusting. But they gave us free popcorn, so swings and roundabouts!

We had decided to keep everything local for today, so for dinner we went to a restaurant called Cyclades in the main town. It was really yummy - I had Kleftiko (lamb) and Andrew had tomatoes and peppers stuffed with rice (called Gemista) washed down with Mythos beers a plenty. After the ubiquitous free shot of ouzo at the end of the meal, we waddled home happy and a wee bit pishayed. More tomorrow! It's Andrew's birthday, so LOTS of exciting treats planned!x