世界之旅 世界城市博览之Santorini(希腊)

世界之旅世界城市博览之Santorini（希腊）
Mykonos, the most famous of the islands in Greece and one of the world''s most popular holiday resorts has been welcoming visitors for over half a century.
Mykonos is a grand example of unique cycladic（基克拉迪群岛的）architecture set around a picturesque（独特的）fishing-village bay. Totally whitewashed（涂成白色的）organic cube-like buildings fit closely together to form a kind of haphazard maze（曲径，迷宫）of narrow alley ways and streets. The earthen colors of the bare hills which surround the town''s gleaming whiteness is set between the aura（光环，气氛）of an incredibly blue sky and even deeper blue sparkling（闪闪发光的）sea. Its many well preserved windmills（风车，风车房）and hundreds of tiny red-roofed churches adds a flavor of culture and custom to the scene, enhanced even further by many museums and the historical ancient site of nearby Delos（得洛斯岛）. Together with being friendly and open people, the locals have a healthy understanding of what it means to have a good time. Put this together with all the island''s other qualities and it is no wonder Mykonos has been often named "the jewel" of the Aegean Sea（爱琴海）.
As with any famous location, sensationalism（追求轰动效应） by the press often distorts the facts. Some of the recent publicity Mykonos received for being very expensive, full of gays and even a drug capital is in fact far from accurate. Efforts made by the local police force to curb drug abuse have kept this common tourist-resort problem under control through the introduction of a well-organized undercover network. The modern gay society exists in every corner of the world but only gravitates to locations that are uniquely beautiful and socially tolerant. As the island does have a long established gay scene this clearly suggests Mykonos is both. The fact of the matter is, the majority of visitors to the island are non-gay.
Expense as we know is a relative thing, different to each individual. In relation to the rest of Greece, Mykonos can be one of the more expensive places to visit. In actual fact to supply the needs of the rich as well as the budget holidayer（度假者）, a complete range of accommodation and eating facilities are available to make it possible for just about anyone to enjoy the island. In relation to other holiday resorts in Europe and North America, Mykonos is not only on a par（同等）but often cheaper in comparison.
As well as catering to the demands of its summer guests with an infrastructure that has been well developed over the years, an off-season tourist industry has also emerged making it possible to visit in comfort during the non-summer months. Frequent air and sea connections together with heated rooms and good tavernas（希腊酒馆） in and around the main town, allow the adventurous traveler to properly experience the island''s natural beauty. When the crowds have departed, it is then that Mykonos can best be enjoyed as the tiny cycladic fishing village it has always been.
Santorini（桑托林岛）is one of the most ruggedly beautiful and dramatic places on earth. Santorini, also known as Thira, is the southern most of the Cyclades islands （基克拉迪群岛） and one of the most popular destinations in all of Greece, for good reason.
Anyone who travels to Santorini may choose to arrive by boat before sunset and stay on the caldera（火山喷口）side of the island for one of the most magnificent and awe-inspiring views on the planet.
The magical island of Santorini is truly one of Greece''s "must-sees", right along with the Acropolis（雅典的卫城）. Santorini''s wild majesty created out of the apocalyptic event（预示灾难的事件） associated with mythical Atlantis（亚特兰蒂斯，传说中沉没大西洋的岛屿）, is unforgettable.
The sunsets, seen while sipping（啜饮）local wine high atop the sheer cliffs（陡峭的绝壁）is very romantic.
Santorini is a crescent shape（新月型） surrounding the black volcanic islands lying in the bay. What was once the island of Thira sank to the bottom of the caldera in the apocalyptic explosion in 1450 BC. The lagoon-like（环礁湖般的）caldera measures 32 square miles and is 300 to 400 metres deep.
On the western side where the volcano is located, the sheer cliffs, 300 metres high, are multi-coloured strata（地层、土层）of black, red, grey, and brown. Perched high atop are the scenes most often adorning a poster for Greece, startling white sugar cube houses and churches with brilliant blue domes（圆屋顶）set against the deeper blues of the sky and the Aegean Sea（爱琴海）.。