[Itinerary Page]The Daily Diary of a Wandering Restaurateur
May 15 - At Home in Ia
It seems that our preferred operating format is a day of "doing stuff" followed by a day of doing nothing much at all. Since yesterday was a work day, we all looked forward to the lack of schedule today. We awoke to see three large cruise ships moored off Thira and it wasn't long before the parade of elephants (tour bus after tour bus) came rumbling around the mountain and into town. We watched them from the terrace feeling unbelievably smug and congratulating ourselves on not having to go anywhere and fight the crowds.
We figured that they would be here today and gone tomorrow when once more our brave little safari would set forth into the dark of the jungle. (That evening we found out that tomorrow would bring SEVEN new cruise ships!)
I don't want to knock cruises or cruisers. It is better to get out and see the world, even with a mob, than never to experience another culture. Still, I guess I just don't have the herd mentality it takes to travel that way. The idea of sitting quietly in some interesting country, relaxing and experiencing the area and the people is far more appealing to me than seeing everything through the viewfinder of a camera, particularly on a schedule set by someone else. When some of these busses arrive in Ia, the folks on board only have an hour before they have to load up and head back to the ship again! Somehow that doesn't sound too relaxing to me.
I can only think that tourists end up seeing famous buildings. Travellers end up seeing more of ordinary life in extraordinary places. your choice to make.
© 2007 Restaurant Doctor