Before continuing my visit to Turkey, I would like to share photos of Thira, Greece.
Thira is the capital of Santorini, which is the largest island of the Santorini archipelago and a remnant of a volcanic caldera. The latter appeared over 3,600 years ago in the aftermath of the Minoan eruption. It is one of biggest volcanic eruptions in recorded history and, according to popular theory, the potential source of the legend of Atlantis.
The eruption may also have caused a gigantic tsunami, thus leading to the indirect collapse of the Minoan civilization in Crete.
Thira was formed in 2011 following the merger of two municipalities (Oia and Thera) and covers all settlements on the islands of Santorini and Therasia. (If you are interested in learning more, check out Wikipedia.)
Unfortunately, I did not have time to get out of Thira. But if I were to go back, I would definitely try and see more of the island. What a beautiful spot!
Fira and the port at the bottom of the island are connected by 600 stairs and cable cars. People not willing to walk up those stairs can also use donkey "taxis".
Before leaving the ship, the captain had strongly advised us against using the latter for two reasons. 1) The animals are not supposed to carry loads over 50 kilos; and 2) They go up and down all day long without much rest.
On the day I was there, it was extremely hot. But, I chose to walk down the stairs. I didn't want to wait in line to catch the cable car. Plus, the view was mind-blowing.
It took me 30 minutes to reach the old port at the bottom of the island. There wasn't any water anywhere. However, I saw at least 50 people using the donkey rides. They obviously weighed more than 50 kilos. Many donkeys were in poor condition, injured, and limping.
I passed many animals on my way down. And yet, the amount of feces on the ground was very low. That tells you how malnourished and badly treated those animals are. I felt angry and sad that people would even consider using them instead of waiting to take the cable car. The fare is exactly the same.
If you ever visit Santorini, avoid the donkey rides. Otherwise, you will contribute to the continuation of that cruel practice.
Check out the video I made of my visit to Santorini below...
Have you ever been to Santorini? If so, tell us about your experience in the comment section below.
Photography by Cendrine Marrouat (@cendrinemedia) - http://www.cendrinemedia.com
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