‘Right, let’s find these shops,’ says Lulu, striding off towards a busy street. ‘I have enough money left to treat myself to something nice, a reminder of being here,’ she says.
‘I’m not walking around with you if you buy a top saying “I love Santorini”.’ I giggle, although I am pleased that she has decided to treat herself.
‘I doubt they would sell stuff like that,’ she says, glancing at a dress in a shop window with a price tag of two hundred euros. ‘At least not in this particular shop.’
‘Anyway, you ought to get yourself something nice, you work hard and deserve it,’ I remind her.
‘I do, don’t I?’ She stops walking and faces me. ‘And you’re right, if I had given a handout to Chloe that wouldn’t be the case. She has her jobs, she ought to save for the things she wants. Maybe she has learned a lesson, me saying no,’ she reflects. ‘Ithink it’s time to close the bank of Mum and Dad for a while. Well, Mum mainly.’ She rolls her eyes. ‘Although I would never see either her or her brother in a fix.’
‘Of course you wouldn’t.’ I smile. ‘You are a good mother.’
‘Thanks, although I do let them walk all over me a bit. You made realise that,’ she admits. ‘I do like being needed, but I know they ought to be a little more independent. Besides, they won’t be living with me forever, so I’d better get started on making a life for myself.’
‘That’s the spirit.’ I link my arm through hers. ‘Let’s start with some shopping.’
Weaving our way along the crowded, narrow paths, we pass dozens of white buildings selling all manner of things and jostling for space. Juice bars and cafés rub shoulders with fashionable boutiques and jewellery stores, some with their wares displayed outside on small wooden tables. A couple are peering at rings through the window of a jewellery store, their hands entwined.
As we descend some flat steps, we come across a shop with baskets outside containing traditional holiday souvenirs such as straw donkeys and fridge magnets. There are even T-shirts bearing the logo ‘I love Santorini’ with a little red heart at the centre and we both laugh. I spot tea towels and ships in bottles, when a snow globe catches my eye.
‘My gran loves a snow globe,’ I tell Lulu as I retrieve one from the basket and head inside. ‘In fact, so does Mum.’ I backtrack and grab another one. I buy Dad a wooden backscratcher with the word ‘Santorini’ painted across and with a shoehorn on the other end. Given all the huffing and puffing Dad does when he puts his shoes on, I’m sure it will come in handy.
We shop until we drop, although mainly window shopping, me taking photos here and there and loving every second of my day out with Lulu.
‘I’ll just nip in here and grab us some more water,’ says Lulu, so I tell her I will pop to a shop next door for a sunhat. I stupidly forgot to bring mine with me, and I can already feel the effects of the burning sun on the top of my head.
After browsing in the shop, I select a plain straw hat and head to the till to pay.
‘I think I will need this in these temperatures,’ I say cheerfully to the guy behind the counter. ‘Especially in this heatwave.’
‘It is always very hot in July,’ he tells me. ‘Although it is a little hotter than usual. Probably due to climate change,’ he says as I pay for the hat and my receipt chugs out of a card machine.
‘Do you think so?’ I ask. There have been many discussions about this in my household back home.
‘I am sure of it,’ he insists. ‘Although it is hardly surprising with all the planes, and ships full of diesel making their way across the globe. Speaking of which’ – he glances at his watch – ‘a cruise ship will be descending on the island shortly.’
I would be quite happy to continue the conversation with the handsome shopkeeper, but a small queue has formed behind me, so I say goodbye.
Strolling along, I stop intermittently to take photos of my surroundings.
‘Imagine staying there.’ I point out a house to Lulu as she hands me a bottle of water.
We both glance down at a white, super cool house that looks a bit like a cave. ‘They have their own private swimming pool too,’ I say.
‘Not that private though, is it?’ reasons Lulu as we spy a couple below, stretched out on sunbeds next to their pool.
‘I still wouldn’t say no.’ I eye the luxury accommodation enviously, although I take her point.
‘I won’t be a sec, I just need to nip in here,’ says Lulu, indicating a nearby pharmacy.
I wait outside and the view is so stunning below, I perch myself, somewhat precariously, on a wall, and pout in preparation for a selfie. The camera wobbles a little, so I place one hand firmly on the wall to steady myself.
Just then, I notice a good-looking guy striding towards me.
‘Would you like me to take the photo?’ says the Greek guy from the shop earlier. ‘It is quite a long way down.’
‘Um, sure, if you don’t mind,’ I say, handing him my phone. ‘And I guess you are right, it is a bit of a drop.’ I smile.
‘Although maybe you would have had a soft landing,’ he says, a smile on his face as he glances down at the path below.
