As I have said, if you want to savor Greek civilization, you have to sample the settlements the Greeks had in the Eastern Mediterranean and on the coast of Turkey. That was one of the purposes of this trip–to Crete and Naxos and Delos and above all, the photogenic Santorini. That island, blown up in a massive volcanic eruption, has the familiar white and blue buildings that
identify it immediately. Many of the islands have, by contrast, ruins that demonstrated their importance in the ancient Greek world. Not so 
much today, 
however, but the ruins themselves are extensive and impressive. Perched atop the hill, the city is accessible by funicular–or donkey! Some of the other islands included Patmos and the palace of King Knossos on Crete. And the wonderful windmills at Mykonos. Easy to remember, but hard to keep straight.
