Yellow Donkey,Red Donkey,Crazy Donkey! Micro-brewery,massages,English lessons,shop owners,horse riding lessons,restaurants,cinema,hotels,bars owners,holiday rentals;the flavor of Santorini and its international community. People from around the world have chosen the island as their permanent home.
I have visited Santorini on a number of occasions and have even worked a summer there. But I have been on the island in the winter only twice. On my second winter visit last month I enjoyed the quiet and serenity that is only available this time of year when the crowds and most tourists have departed. Walking along the seaside in Kamari,you see the empty shops,many boarded up against the elements,lights wrapped with plastic to protect from rust leaves blown along with plastic refuse on to the spaces where in the height of summer,chairs,tables and people sit socializing eating and drinking. However,now there is loneliness and an atmosphere of abandonment. There are on this long seaside walkway maybe a total of three places open. A few more were open for the winter but closed to celebrate the Christmas holidays.
Over the last few years there appear to be a growing community of year round residents on the island. Many of these belong to the international community a supportive and helpful community of individuals who have made Santorini their home. Many are entrepreneurs and investors. For example the microbrewery,the first of its kind on the island is up and running and producing specialty beers for a niche market. The beers are tasty with memorable names: Red,Yellow and Crazy Donkey. Production and distribution is small so one may have to wait for a visit to Santorini to sample the brew.
Another member of this enterprising community rents her restored 300-year-old holiday villa known as Villa Camari,located in Mesa Gonia,one of Santorini’s traditional villages.
Granted most of the businesses,whether Greek or foreign owned,are geared toward serving the island’s large summer tourist population,however,I think it is safe to say that the variety of enterprises and the internationals just add spice to the island’s attractions.
Photo:Gravalos,Santorini (cropped)
H Vivian Ε. Gales είναι Assistant Professor,Department of Applied Sociology,University of Indianapolis,Athens. Ολοκλήρωσε τις μεταπτυχιακές σπουδές της στα πανεπιστήμια U.C. Berkeley και California State University Hayward.