Parthenon and Acropolis |
a cracked windshield on arrival in Philly, and they were delayed two days. So instead of touring Athens with the group, we met her in the lobby of her hotel at about 4 am. It was very disappointing, but we enjoyed even an hour with her, another teacher, and some of her students.
Palm Sunday service was at a neighborhood Orthodox
Church. Until this trip, we had never
been in one. The church was decorated
ornately with many icons throughout.
Instead of palms as we have at home, they distribute small olive
branches.
After Athens, we visited the island of Mykonos, which was
very beautiful. Our hotel was great and
we enjoyed the view of the Aegean Sea from our balcony. Mykonos was an island of white-washed houses and shops, windmills, and expensive yachts.
Scenes from Mykonos
Tom on rented ATV |
Tom at Paradise Beach |
Scenes from Mykonos
Notice the "Eye of God" below the crucifix
Kamari, Santorini |
Santorini
We arrived in Santorini on Holy Thursday evening. Our hotel was in Kamari, a beach town, with black volcanic sand. Since it was still off-season, it was quiet and uncrowded. Good Friday morning we awoke to the tolling of a deep church bell. It rang every 30 seconds for the whole day. Also, boys were setting off firecrackers most of the day.
Santorini from the sea |
We attended the Good Friday service at the Orthodox Cathedral
in Fira. This church was beautiful, with
wonderful icons everywhere. As the
priests stripped the altar, many people wept.
It was very moving.
Easter service in Kamari began at 12:01 am! The desk clerk at our hotel had said it would
be at 7 in the morning, so we missed it.
The tradition is that after midnight, the priest says, “Jesus Christ is
risen” and the people respond, “He is risen indeed” (in Greek, of course). Then people take the colored egg they have
brought with them, and knock it into someone else’s egg. Whoever’s egg Most of the Easter eggs were a
very dark red. We were disappointed to
have missed this. Also, many
firecrackers and fireworks were set off at church. (we slept through it all)
doesn’t crack will get their wish.
doesn’t crack will get their wish.
Inside St John the Baptist Cathedral before Mass |
After Mass the priest invited the congregation to visit with
the nuns at the Dominican Monastery nearby.
Almost everyone processed over to the chapel to sing and pray with the
sisters, who were behind a grill at the front of the church. Again, we thought of Maria’s wedding in “The
Sound of Music”. It was a wonderful
experience for us.
Back in Kamari, the rest of the day was filled with the sound of firecrackers, music with traditional Greek dancing, and lambs cooking on spits over charcoal fires on the sidewalks.
We were happy to have the opportunity to visit Greece, but
were glad to return to Tanzania.
Unfortunately, our plan to avoid rainy season did not work. It has rained for the last eight days with
only one hour of sunshine. Our house is
filled with wet and damp laundry. We
know, though, that sooner or later it will stop.