… and So the Adventure Begins

APRIL 15: 6:20 a.m. CST – I feel that I sounded a bit down in this morning’s post. And I was. I don’t think that I’ve mentioned that I tripped on a step two days ago and fell. I would say flat of my face, but my face wasn’t injured nor was any other injury serious. I have a bruise on my left knee and a minor scrape and bruise on my right elbow.

Five people gathered around to help and I think that what I will remember most is the kindess of people in Greece — both nationals and those who are visiting.

After successfully finding the office of Key Tours which is in charge of my tour Monday, I am feeling a bit more confident. NOTE: I am glad I planned for three weeks, because it’s taken a week to acclimate myself — even after a SIM card with an internet signal has my GPS working wherever I may be.

I had literally gone looking for the KT office several times — but was never exactly sure how I had gotten there. This morning I went down a street that I was sure was the correct way, but still had to ask a different tour guide agency where the hotel I am to be at for the tour early Monday morning was located.

Then the proverbial lightbulb came on. When I got to the major intersection all I had to do was cross over, continue straight for another block, and I was in front of the hotel.

Lynn tried to explain this to me the first time we were together after I arrived. She pointed out landmarks and explained that it was more important to remember buildings than street names It is so true — but she didn’t realize that I was still so tired at the time that what she was saying and pointing out was going in one ear (if it even made it that far) and out the other, without sticking.

Now I find myself going back to the “old neighborhood” (LOL) because it’s comfortable. That is where the beauty shop is where I have another appointment tomorrow. That is where I have found a little bistro named Migniardise (You really can find everyone on Facebook! Check out his link.) that has some of the best French quiche that I have ever tasted. The owner is so courteous, practices his limited English on me, and I my limited Greek on him.

The truth is that I am having a wonderful time exploring and testing my limits. And, when I think about it, that is exactly what I did when I moved to Lee’s Summit. The only difference is that I was driving everywhere in an air-conditioned car. Even at that, it took me quite awhile before I began exploring Kansas city. Here, I am putting a LOT of steps on my Fitbit.

Future trips anywhere in the world will probably begin with guided tours. But I don’t doubt that there will be future trips.

More hugs and a kiss or two,

Sharon

APRIL 16-17: During this Holy week of Easter, I am blessed to be able to celebrate our U.S. Easter Sunday tomorrow and Easter Sunday for the people of Greece next Sunday.

The photo shown is one view of a small Greek Orthodox Church that I pass frequently on my walks. Though traditional religion is no longer my path, I have found solace a number of times, whether that solace was physical or mental. The beautiful trees provided shade from a hot Greek day and the faith of the many who have worshipped here remind me that we are never alone.

I have been just sitting, relaxing on the steps from time to time. Today I walked up and looked in the doorway to a view of walls covered with vintage masterpieces. Tomorrow I intend to go, properly attired, and sit inside for a time of meditation.

Next Sunday I will be on a bus to Volos, Greece, to meet a teacher whom UWM contracts with. I took his class online when he was teaching from Austria where he lives half the year; the other half in Greece. I am very impressed with his covenantal versus contractual business systems and we have agreed to meet in Volos.

Just down the street from the church is a “burger joint” where I may have had the best cheeseburger and fries I’ve ever eaten (my photo doesn’t do it justice).

You wouldn’t think that there would be that much difference between a U.S. burger and a Greek burger. In many ways they taste the same. The difference, though, is the vegetables. The tomatoes here are the freshest and sweetest that I have ever tasted.

And this reminds me of a couple of fallacies that I read on the internet before comin to Greece:

1. Always ask if the water is safe to drink. Lynn assured me before I could ask that the water in all major towns in Greece is fine for drinking. In fact, I have found the water to taste like a clear flowing mountain stream.
2. NEVER flush paper down the toilets, because the sewer system can’t handle it. Businesses anywhere in Greece CHARGE A FEE to use their restrooms. ALWAYS carry a roll of toilet paper with you, because most don’t have any. NOT .. NOT .. NOT true anywhere I’ve gone. And they have all been clean. I will, however, say that using a businesses’ restroom is not for the faint of heart or anyone with handicaps. Each one that I have used is down a winding metal or marble flight of stairs and, of course, you have to walk back up the same stairs!

Have a wonderful Easter Sunday everyone.

Blessings,

Sharon

APRIL 18: I really wanted this title to be from Thessaloniki where the apostle Paul wrote his letters to the Thessalonians, but it doesn’t appear that I will make it there. So, our first step this morning was in Corinth, where he wrote his letters to the Corinthians.

Therefore, I greet you my sisters and brothers from the area where Paul spread the gospel of Jesus — “The Way”.

It’s been a long day AND cold AND rained all day. This is not supposed to happen in the land of 300 days of sunshine a year. But it did. And I’m okay with it. Today was visits to archeological sites that, while important to Greece, were not a calling card for me. It is Delphi and Meteora that that are calling to me. We will reach Delphi at the end of the day tomorrow.

There was a lot to tell today, and pictures to show, but I’m having some connectivity issues. Not even sure that this message will post. Am going to stop now, though, and see if things will work better tomorrow. We ARE in the beautiful mountains of Greece so it’s not surprising that even a hotel with wifi has issues.

APRIL 18/19: On a 4-day bus tour you quickly connect with people of like interests, and in this case, athletic abilities. I have connected with Jan and Keith from Reno, Nevada.

The first day of the tour was primarily a history of Greece, beginning with driving through parts of Athens I had not seen. Observing how beautiful some street art can be. Observing that the 2.088 for gas is in euros — and is for a liter! A gallon calculates to over $8.00. Still, there are a LOT of vehicles on the roads, mostly compact cars and motorcycles.

Out of Athens we drove along miles of the Aegean sea to reach Corinth. Those miles showed orange and olive tree orchards and we learned that most olive oil stays in Greece rather than being exported. I would have sworn that bottles I buy say “A Product of Greece”.

Of course one problem with tour buses is that they are on a schedule and can’t stop just anywhere a curious tourist would like to take a photo. I have been seeing beautiful roadside shrines beside roads that we travel. The following is an example from the internet, not one that I took.

These shrines, much like crosses or floral arrangements that we see beside the road in the U.S., commemorate loved ones who died at the scene. The difference is that it is believed that this was the last attachment the person had to the earthly plane of existence and the shrines are never removed. Even after all loved ones have passed, the shrines remain and are allowed to deteriorate.

Last night we stayed at Hotel Neda in Olympia, Greece, the site of the first Olympic games. The hotel, called a 3-star, was exceptional. Very comfortable, very helpful, and delicious buffets for dinner and breakfast.

The next morning we did the tour of the archaeological site. What I found most exciting was that the torch we see being carried to start a modern Olympic game has it’s start in Olympia at the original site of the games. Runners carry the torch in a relay to Athens where it is put on a plane and passes over five continents before landing at the city where the games will take place that year.

I was not as happy here as I appear. LOL The “short walk” described by the tour guide was NOT short and I had an interesting / frightening experience the night before which was no one’s fault but my own. I can laugh now, but I assure you I wasn’t laughing at the time.

The room at Hotel Neda was very nice and I was delighted when I saw that the bathroom had a tub. I had not been able to soak in warm water since I’ve been in Greece as other places just have showers. When I got in the tub I realized that I might have a problem, but the water was so inviting that I relaxed for a good long soak.

When I went to get out of the tub — I couldn’t! Now you who know me know that my back side is my most “outstanding” feature. LOL The problem was that the bottom of the tub was narrower than the top. I wasn’t literally stuck, but there was no way to get leverage to lift myself out.

At home, I have no problem lifting myself with my arms. Couldn’t here. When I’m sick at home, I roll over to my knees. Couldn’t here. I had my phone in the bathroom, but it was on a counter and out of reach — and even if I could have reached it, I had no numbers to call.

Having a vision of spending the night in the tub, I prayed. At that point I was led to put my left knee over the edge of the tub, lift my right side using a metal bar, and I extricated myself.

Remember, the left knee was what I bruised when I fell previously. Though I am not in serious pain, walking around the Olympic site had my knee letting me know that it had been injured, plus my back was joining in the complaints. (I have a chiropractor appoint soon after my return to the states!)

As I write this, we are in Delphi early and I am calling it a night early with Tylenol and Benadryl. Planning to immerse myself in the energy of Delphi that I have been most looking forward to, second only to Meteora.

And with that I bid all of you adieu for the evening.

Sharon

Love all of you!

APRIL 20/21: I am slow in posting due to a combination of exhaustion and internet connections. But the visits to Delphi and Meteora marked the highlights of the trip — a magical sense of being in a different world. And I don’t just mean Greece.

At Delphi I stood where the priest stood to deliver messages that the Oracle of Delphia (Pythia) received.

Though we believe that anyplace we stand is Holy Ground, Delphi (the “i” is pronounced as an “e”) wasn’t like the glamorized version in movies I’ve seen. The story is that each Pythia, a woman chosen every five years, would have been a woman of about 50 years of age (95 to us), who was known to be a woman of wisdom and purity.

The life that she willingly chose (a high priestess type honor) was one of seclusion worse than that of nuns. Living in a small, dark room, she dedicated herself to receiving messages from the God of the ancient Greek people. Most of the messages were not the seemingly trivial questions that you and I might ask. They were usually questions from rulers about the best course of action to take for the territory they governed.

The same day we drove to Kalambaka and spent the night in the shadows of the gigantic Meteora sandstone rocks. The monasteries built in the rocks are not visible from the town. The following photo was taken from the bus the next day. You can see the town in the background.

This is not the monastery or nunnery that we visited. This one is visited only by people who are making a holy pilgrimage due to the difficulty of reaching it — but it is possible.

The two places that we visited were actually more easily accessed than Olympia and Dephi; though I feel a sense of accomplishment at having made it through all of the destinations. In spite of not being in the best physical condition, I decided that the high altitudes were my biggest challenge.

Monasteries began as cave dwellings in holes in the cliffs. A hermit-like monk, who would have been a young man at the time, would make one trip to a cave and live there the rest of his life. Methods such as pulleys were devised, still in use to some extent today, and were used to deliver supplies to him.

Each new “generation” of monks added onto what existed until, over about a 400 year period of time, the magnificent monasteries and nunneries that we visit today came into existence.

Thursday evening we returned to Athens — where I collapsed. LOL It had been a tiring trip, but very fulfilling. It is easy to see why Greece is such a spiritual place to live. Everything these people do is based on years of faith that began with their ancestors who believed that the Gods blessed the faithful and cursed those who were disobedient.

Today’s faith, as I see it, is not much different; even though scientific explanations present alternatives to the Gods. Yet there is still a sense in most of the people that it is better to live a life that is pleasing to the Gods!

When you’re standing in a monastery that is so high that it feels like you’re in the clouds, it’s easy to envision Zeus, Apollo, their goddess wives, and their offspring smiling down upon you.

As I publish this article, it is Friday the 22nd, Easter Friday for Greece. Nothing will open until afternoon in recognition of the Holy day. Tomorrow night at midnight there will be a magnificent firework display and Maria has invited me to view it with her from the rooftop of the apartments. She said, “Bring your camera!”

Sunday (Easter Sunday here) I leave on a train for Volos, Greece, spend two nights in a hotel near the ocean, meet the man on Monday who is on contract with U.W.M. to teach classes, then return to Athens on Tuesday.

Blessings and hugs from this mortal goddess. (GRIN)

Sharon