petite anglaise

holiday

10.09.2007 4:28 pmmills & boon, on the road
akrotiri.jpg

Of course, despite the inauspicious start to our holiday, I needn’t have worried.

We catch our flight with time to spare (Easyjet Paris/Athens), enjoy a leisurely lunch (and the first of many cafés frappés) while we wait for the catamaran I’d pre-booked (yes, there is a limit to just how much I’m willing to improvise) to take us from Piraeus to Santorini. The owner of the hotel where we are due to stay for the first three nights comes to fetch us from the port when we realise we’ve arrived in the middle of the annual firework display and taxis are somewhat few and far between.

Spiros (yes, really) shows us to our room - more of an apartment really, with a mezzanine level in the curve of its whitewashed roof - and my jaw drops as I step out onto the balcony with its panoramic view of the whole west coast of Santorini: the broken outline of the volcano’s crater visible across the water, the lights of what must be the towns of Thira and Oia perched atop the cliffs opposite.

“We’re on holiday,” I say gleefully, for the twentieth time that day, as I slip an arm around the Boy’s waist.

He gives me that look. The same look he reserves for particularly sinful looking cream cakes when we walk past pâtisseries back home in Paris.

The look that makes my spine tingle.

34 comments

  1. I know too how to do that look… it drives the ladies crazy, believe me (us), it’s like the best chat-up line ever!!
    ;-)

    Mr Jo | 4:35 pm

  2. Stunning! I went to Santorini a few years ago and we stayed in a hotel just outside Oeia. The island looks stunning at night time with all the town lights glowing. Did you ride the donkeys up and down the steps in Thira? I loved that.

    Nicole | 4:41 pm

  3. I’m completely wrought with envy, and not because of that amazing view, but because you guys in Paris have SO MANY flight options from Easyjet! There are little to no Easyjet flights out of Montpellier, so I’d have to drive to Marseille or even Toulouse, just to visit an interesting locale via Easyjet (which is super affordable).

    Damn.

    Mlle Smith in France | 5:01 pm

  4. Mmmm holidays…

    We’re just back from Fiscardo - I think Mrs Albion will tell you I gave her the same look.

    Mmmm mmmm. Holidays!

    Damian | 6:12 pm

  5. Yay for blue skies and seas! When I went to the Cyclades the ferry before us sank and 100 people died and we were stuck in Piraeus, sleeping on the floor of the ferry lounge, for two days and nights…

    Clare | 6:20 pm

  6. Wow, your hotel looks amazing and it has one of those infinity pools… a dream destination! Definitely whet my appetite for a bit of Greek gallavanting!

    Paris Lights | 6:59 pm

  7. I’m beside myself with jealousy. Hotel looks wonderful. What’s that end of the island like to stay in? I’ve only stayed between Thira and Oia. We were right to suggest the Cyclades, n’est-ce pas?

    Paola | 7:42 pm

  8. Mmm… That is much better.

    Choubine | 7:51 pm

  9. Sounds like a good holiday ahead…

    Jean-Luc Picard | 8:31 pm

  10. I have absolutely no idea how you left the hotel, that is such a glorious view. One day….

    tina | 8:36 pm

  11. What a lovely place to stay with the boy of your dreams, he is, isn’t he? I hope you had a wonderful time and did all the things you wanted to and that all the food was lovely and all the drinks and views intoxicating.

    Irene | 8:40 pm

  12. That’s beautiful! I’m so glad you had a lovely view, blue seas etc. . . A gal needs that sort of thing from time to time.

    Peggy | 9:00 pm

  13. What a gorgeous view.

    Kaycie | 9:12 pm

  14. Why talk when a look will do–oh my yes. And is there anything more beautifully blue than the Aegean excepting a lovely lady’s eyes? Oh my oh my. And her arm around your waist and that look in her eyes? The boy is so damn
    lucky and so are you, Catherine.

    From Seattle where I’m putting my arm around my lady and giving her that special look:
    Beau

    Beau | 9:35 pm

  15. Spectacular views. Blue seas. Cream cakes (sort of.) That look.

    What more could a girl ask for on her hols?

    Mya x

    Mya | 10:04 pm

  16. It looks so beautiful there.

    Becca | 10:05 pm

  17. oh look lovely - wish I was there.

    Alix | 10:39 pm

  18. petite
    I’m writing from Australia having just disovered your blog. I’ve been frantically reading past posts to catch up on your journey. You’ve been busy!
    No wonder you need some R&R, or as we say down under, ’sun, sand and sex …’ (not necassily in that order!)Have a luscious holiday… Cream cakes is a good way to start.
    Best wishes
    running thread

    jan jacklin | 4:42 am

  19. I’m so glad you had a great time petite, you’re a very lucky girl to stay in such a gorgeous place, and the boy is very lucky to have been able to enjoy it with you :)

    Ella C | 9:59 am

  20. It will be good to “get you back” … look forward to hearing how you fared ” sans internet” !!

    john west | 10:04 am

  21. Ah, that’s what we were waiting to hear.

    Parkin Pig | 10:42 am

  22. Catherine … me thinks that you might have a few “contre-temps” with the url of your new site here !! I did a “typo” just now…. and came up with a very surprising result !! try it !! Hope it doesnt cause you too many problems. ( hey, it might be fun though .. certainly will give you something else to write about !! tee hee )
    regards
    John

    john west | 11:42 am

  23. I’ve been aware for some time that various subdomains and misspellings of my domain have been bought up by purveyors of p0rn…

    Not a lot I can do. I will try to take it as a compliment that they feel doing so is worthwhile.

    Although if the owners are reading, perhaps I could have a free subsription?

    petite | 1:15 pm

  24. On closer inspection, I’m now EXTREMELY upset to see links to “older women” and “mature women”.

    Just how, may I ask, are those categories relevant to me?

    petite | 1:18 pm

  25. Yea, i would be upset too about the older woman links…its so WRONG!

    Its things like this that make me need long holidays with white canvas hammocks and sea side breezes…

    blueseaurchin | 5:46 pm

  26. Now THAT’S the entry we’ve beeen waiting for. Relief and envy all round. Good-oh.

    Moses | 7:11 pm

  27. The place looks stunning and so relaxing.

    Diane | 9:20 pm

  28. That all seems divine to me…

    Sally Lomax | 11:38 pm

  29. Gosh ,that photo brings back memories of island hopping from Santorini down to Crete in 1979 with a pack of fellow student nurses.After a gruelling year on the “wards” we thought we were in heaven,even if it was on the cheap ,sleeping on the beaches more often than not.Santorini was and still looks stunning.I must go back with my sons and husband one
    day especially now I know that there’s a low cost link from Paris.

    Carol | 11:44 pm

  30. I bet you’re teasing this holiday report out. Come on, spill the beans, did the holiday climax in a big question?

    john | 12:37 am

  31. Dear Petite Anglaise,
    I write books for teaching English to Terminale classes for Hachette Livres. we will be writing a chapter on the INternet and I was wondering whether I could interview over the phone from our Paris studio or face to face would be eve better. The interview would be included in the book as a listening exercise. I wanted to ask you about your blog and your angry employer. Would you agree? thanks so much, Judy Martinez

    judy martinez | 9:10 am

  32. Ah, Santorini. I recognized that view instantly and I am pretty sure you are staying at the same hotel that we stayed at 5 years ago! Enjoy your vacation.

    Caroline in Rome | 2:10 pm

  33. A low cost link from Paris?! That means in a few weeks time … a link from St.Pancras, which is two stops away on the tube. I like it!

    Once upon a time I walked with my spouse along a dutch beach, deep in conversation. At the end I uttered words I have never been allowed to forget: “what topless women?” (indeed there were many but really once you’ve seen thousands…). It’s a dinner party story now.

    Eats Wombats | 8:51 pm

  34. wow. so beautiful!

    Lindsey | 6:02 am

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