Tracy and I were nearly arrested last night. When we returned from our day trip to Fira, we hung out on the porch with our fellow hostel guests (about 30, 20-somethings). This is a nightly ritual, during which many get drunk, some hook up and other try unsuccessfully to sleep.

Two of the leaders of the pack got it in their heads to build a bonfire down on the beach. So, we dragged about 2 trees worth of dead wood to the seaside and lit it up. About 10 minutes later a guy walked down to us claiming to be a cop, but yielding nothing more than a very official looking flashlight. The young ones in among us instinctively hid their beers. But he wasn't there for the beer. He told us "no more" and we had to let the current fire burn out.

Five minutes after he left, a few bold (read: drunk) ones threw more timber on to the pile. The fire grew. About 15 minutes later the cop returned, this time in a car with a siren - a bit more believable. So the eldest of the group (myself and a 27-year old botany PhD from UT-Austin, Nico) went up to talk to the guy. He said "no more" again, and explained that if he had to come back, he would take 2 or 3 of us away to the station. Okay, we said, we are very sorry. Thank you, we said. Which we tried to say in Greek, but I think that made him only more pissed.

We reported back to the group, but to no avail. They wanted a fire on the beach! The cop never came back, and the night ended with piss drunk Aussies and Brits walking barefoor over the embers!

We did the Donkey and volcano thing, which was lovely and strange. Perhaps I'll tell that story later. Tomorrow we leave magical Santorini for Naxos, the biggest of the Cyclades islands. We might be out of email/blog touch for a while. Let us know how you are and what is happening in the States. Despite our 24/7 fun, we miss you!