#AMMOUDI BAY SANTORINI

Ammoui bay has always been the port for the people in oia as their means of survival from catching fish, to bringing the villagers and visitors, to exporting wines and agriculture products to the boats moored at the bay.  

 It is known all over the world for the beauty of the rugged rock and cliff formation left after the eruptions  Santorini has had over the centuries but it still has kept it character and lifestyle of old meeting the new world in adapting to the thousands of  people who have visited.

When i need to relax on an afternoon i love to just sit at anyone of the tavernas and have a raki or local wine over a chit chat with the owners and let them know what is happing in the village or friends ,or just chill out watching life on the bay and remembering times of standing at the edge trying to catch calamari or small fish with my hook and line in the months off season and Chostas  giving me lessons on fishing .    

 We all know Paraskevas for his taverna but i didn't know until yesterday that he was the first to open a small taverna alongside a traditional greek coffee shop over 30 years or more  when the only way down was by the steps in oia or an old path  but now he is high demand for his expertise in playing the most famous pastime of Greece backgammon  when there is a lull in the afternoon. The lovely thing i like is he is goes to the katina for his Greek coffee in the early mornings and chats about life etc.            Katina is a lovely lady who is always with a smile and welcomes you with the feeling you are coming into her house and has seen many a famous person and loves to blow a horn when some of the ships pass by in the traditional farewell from the island .                                           

 

  Dimitris who is also an owner of a taverna and a small coffee snack place came later about 20 or more years and is situated at the last taverna where you can find a small mermaid hanging on a wooden post representing the connection of fish and the history of the wooden sail boats from centuries passed and is the start to the stone walk way towards st nicholas where a lot of visitors go swimming .    

We finally come to this year when Lambros the newest owner to Ammoudi  opened his taverna bringing a new touch to the bay and creating what was an empty cave into a place that adds colour and forming a connection of as all the tavernas have done making Ammoudi a lively place as it was in the 50's where local people and visitors could go swim ,fish and have family or friend gatherings in one of the tavernas and not have to check anything but the small to the big liners sailing pass and creating at times waves that would have everyone laughing or having to wipe away the water on a windy day but all in fun .

I LOVE AMMOUDI FOR IT'S FEELING OF KNOWING ALL THE OWNERS AND STAFF AND NOT HAVE TO WORRY WHO I SIT WITH ON THAT DAY AS THEY  ALL WORK AS A SMALL COMMUNITY  :)