Nisiros

Nisiros

Greece
Aegean Sea
Dodecanese
island of Nisiros

on the way to the volcanic site

Intense volcanic action in all Aegean expansion is nothing particular and was well known since the very early stages of Paleontological research. Not only Cyklades but many other islands have been the end result of powerful eruptions that, in the course of history, have destroyed thriving ancient civilizations, Cykladean and Minoic the most famous among them from 3500 to 1100 BC. Still several islands apart their lovely and highly advertized shores can also provide outstanding evidences of such volcanic potential, still lurking according scientists.
Such an island is smallish Nisiros, end result of a volcanic eruption 150000 years ago.The near by famous Kos and the other Big volcanic Ladies Santorini, Melos, Serifos, have stolen much of her fame but nothing of her beauty with nice shores and old houses on them that foreigners buy rather cheeply and turn them in pretty summer residencies. The fact that is not flooded with turists in summer is a gift to visitors like me but a constant bitter grievance for the poor locals..."Well ...no good deprived of a pinch of evil..." ancient Greeks used to say!
This summer, the days I spent there end of July, Nisiros was as empty as ever..That helped me a lot in photographing the volcanic site.Many times I had to get up very early at morning to avoid turists and get the best of light not difficult though for an old man like me...

In the photo the volcanic valley as I was approaching to it fairly early in the morning. The crater is visible. In the far side one can sea the sea. The Temp was reasonable, less than 30o.