Happy Halloween

Hubby Tony and I live in a controlled access building, so there will be no trick or treaters for us tonight, but this poem reminds me of the many years I handed out treats to cute little ones.

What Do I See?

I see a big ghost

I see a bat

I see a little witch

I see a cat

 

This is such a scary night 

Now who will we meet?

I see trick or treaters

Coming down the street

 

~~Author unknown~~

 

Mary Engelbreit

Good To Hear

A while back I went to see my primary care physician for my yearly appointment, during which I mentioned I was having some off and on tinnitus. The doctor recommended an ENT (Ear, Nose, and Throat) practice in the office building of the hospital she was affiliated with, and suggested I make an appointment and have the issue checked out.

The information sat on my desk for a while, but when I finally got around to calling for an appointment I was surprised to learn that the practice had multiple offices, one of which was much closer to me than the hospital branch. That's where I made the appointment.

This afternoon I went in. There were two parts to the visit-a hearing exam and a consultation with the doctor.

Vecteezy

During the first part I got to sit in a soundproof booth and respond to a series of tones and words. I got my results immediately, and was pleased to find out that except for a tiny bit of high frequency hearing loss my hearing was normal. I was escorted back to the lobby to wait for the doctor.

Five minutes later I was called back again, this time into an examination room. The doctor asked about my tinnitus symptoms and went over my hearing test again. He told me that unfortunately there wasn't a lot that could be done for my symptoms but since it was most annoying at bedtime I could try using a fan or a white noise machine to mask the noises in my ears.

Five years ago today: I'm Always Learning Something

Inspirational!

Today's forecast was for rain and chilly temperatures. There was nothing on our calendar, so Hubby Tony suggested we walk inside at a mall and then take in a movie we've both been wanting to see called Soul on Fire, based on a 2016 memoir by motivational speaker John O'Leary.

When John was nine years old he accidentally set himself on fire while playing with matches, which left him with burns on 100% of his body and a 1% chance of survival. The first part of the movie tells the story of his recovery and later life with the support of his family, community, and Jack Buck-the radio announcer for the St. Louis Cardinals baseball team.

The movie was filmed in St. Louis, and it was fun to pick out locations that we knew. I follow John O'Leary on Facebook, where he's been sharing some of the hidden Easter eggs to look for. The reviews have generally been positive, and for me it was a three-tissue movie (with as many happy tears as sad).

Five years ago today: Chocolate-ish

Miscellany

Thanks to the overly warm weather that overstayed its welcome, this area only had a week of nice fall weather. Rain moved in over the weekend, and the temperatures have been normal for this time of the year.

The weird weather caused me to pretty much miss out on one of my favorite fashion seasons of the year-three quarter length sleeve shirt season. The style is perfect for in-between weather when a tee shirt is too cool and a long-sleeve shirt too warm.

Last week, when I put away the warm weather clothes I hung the in-between ones front and center in the closet. Now, unless the weather turns out of the ordinary warm those shirts will have to get moved to the back of the closet until spring arrives.

Yesterday Hubby Tony and I stopped into Costco. In addition to buying the things on our list we got some good food samples, but the best sample was non edible - a gallon size freezer bag with a roll of toilet paper inside.

Last week we had a new garbage disposal installed. The plumber was punctual and professional. Since then we've used the disposal a couple of times. This afternoon I turned it on, heard something go pop, and the disposal stopped working (along with the light above the sink and dishwasher, which are on the same circuit).

Tony called the plumbing company, who tried to punt the issue off to the disposal manufacturer. He called the manufacturer, who tried to punt the issue off to the plumbing company.  Finally the plumbing company said they would send someone out today to take a look. 

This plumber was also punctual and professional. He did some things under the sink for about twenty minutes, then said the issue should be fixed. We asked him what the issue was. He was noncommittal, and  considerate enough to not trash talk his predecessor or their work. As long as the disposal works I don't care anything about who or why.

Five years ago: Cold, Or Something Else?

Don't Catch It

Tonight I had plans to get together with a group of women for dinner while our husbands got together to play poker. However, after lunch I started feeling under the weather and eventually decided to stay home.

But fortunately my issues weren't as bad as this guy's:

A man was sitting at home one evening when the doorbell rang. When he answered the door a six foot tall cockroach was standing there. The cockroach punched him between the eyes and scampered off.

The next evening, the man was sitting at home when the doorbell rang again. He answered the door and once again the cockroach was there. This time, it punched him, kicked him, and karate chopped him before running away.

The third evening, the man was once again sitting at home when the doorbell rang. When he answered the door, the cockroach was there yet again. It leapt at him and stabbed him several times before running off. 

The gravely injured man managed to crawl to the telephone and summon an ambulance. He was rushed to intensive care, where they saved his life. The next morning, the doctor was doing his rounds. He asked the man what happened, and the man explained about the six foot cockroach's attacks, culminating in the near fatal stabbing.

The doctor thought for a moment and said, "Yes, there's a nasty bug going around".

Five years ago today: What A Good Idea!

Fond Memories And Food

Today was one of those beautiful fall days that demanded an outside adventure. Hubby Tony and I decided to combine a walk somewhere different and lunch out. But where?

An internet search for "good lunch restaurants" offered a list of many places I had been before. They were good, but I wanted something different. As Tony and I were throwing out ideas he mentioned one which was close to where he grew up, and were we lived after we first got married. He suggested we could walk around the area and past the old house. 

All of a sudden our plans were set. Tony fed the cat while I gathered my things and we were out the door in fifteen minutes. Our trip took us north on the interstate and east on Page Avenue, a large arterial street. When we arrived at our destination I parked in the lot of the church Tony attended as a young person, we attended as newlyweds, and where Son Tony was baptized. I locked my purse in the car and we started walking. 

The first thing we passed was a city park on the location that used to be the original church, school, and rectory. 

We continued walking, came to a main street (Midland), and turned right to head back. This area was Tony's old stomping grounds. As we passed different houses Tony would reminisce about people he knew and things he did. It was fun to listen to his memories

When we reached the house we lived in together, there was a tall wooden fence blocking the back yard. I was nosy and peeked through a gap in the fence to see that the gazebo were we hung out in the warm weather was still there. 

We crossed the street and walked around the strip mall on the corner, and Tony told me what was in every storefront back in the day. After a couple more blocks we realized we were both hungry. It was time for lunch.

Descriptions

Our destination was FUFU n' Sauce, a restaurant which features Togolese and West African cuisine. Adjo Honsou, the chef, started with a food truck in 2023. She was the winner of Season 3 of the Great American Recipe show on PBS. Earlier this year she opened a brick and mortar location.  

Since this was the first time for Tony and me to try West African food we asked the person at the counter for suggestions. He was extremely friendly and helpful, offering samples of several items. 

Each entree came with a serving of fufu (similar to mashed potatoes, except made with plantain and yam flour) or jallof rice (cooked in a tomato-based sauce with west African curry). 

Even after my samples everything was so good it was hard for me to make a decision but in the end I ordered egusi, a tomato-based stew cooked with roasted pumpkin seeds and spinach in palm nut oil with rice. Tony chose oxtail in palm nut stew, (the winning “Great American Recipe”dish) with fufu. We added an order of fried plantains to share, and we each got mixed hibiscus and ginger tea to drink. 

While the food was being prepared I took in the ambiance of the restaurant, which was decorated with West African art. The restaurant was takeout only, which we hadn't counted on, but there were comfortable places to sit while we were waiting. There was music playing that I assumed was West African and I couldn't help but sway along to its beat. 

We took our food to the park from the beginning of our adventure. The carefully-plated entrees got a little sloppy looking from the walk, but the appearance didn't detract from the taste. As we do, we shared our meals with each other. Tony's oxtail was fall off the bone tender, and the large piece was covered in a savory sauce. It was perfect mixed with the fufu. My stew had ground pumpkin seeds, large pieces of colored peppers, and nice amount of chopped spinach. I enjoyed the rice, but if I ever get back to the restaurant I will choose the fufu. The fried plantains were the best I've ever had. Cut into bite-sized chunks, they were caramelized on the outside and soft on the inside.

plantains, egusi, oxtail stew

 I'm not used to having such a large lunch. Hours later I was still full, so dinner was more of a snack than a meal.

Five years ago: In Search Of...

With Apologies To Jimmy Buffett

Margaritaville (Cat Version)

Sniffin' some catnip, watchin' the sun dip

My silly human is mixin' a drink

Playin' with some string, on the front porch swing

This 'nip is so good I can't even think

 

Picryl

 

Sleepin' all day again in Margaritaville

Playin' with an old shaker of salt

Don't really care, I knocked it under a chair

He left it out...it's my human's fault  

 

Adobe Stock

 

Don't know the reason

This catnip's so pleasin'

Helps pass the time when there's not much to do

I see a broke mug

Some barf on the front rug

What happened there I haven't a clue

 

Wikimedia

 

Sleepin' all day again in Margaritaville

Playin' with an old shaker of salt

Don't really care, I knocked it under a chair

He left it out...it's my human's fault

 

Adobe Stock

 

  I slept on a flip flop

Batted a pop top

Rather have wet food, but ain't gonna beg

But there's 'nip in this cat toy

And soon I will feel joy

Then maybe go scratch up that old sofa leg

Wikimedia

 Sleepin' all day again in Margaritaville

Playin' with an old shaker of salt

Don't really care, I knocked it under a chair

He left it out...it's my human's fault

 

~~Author unknown~~

Five years ago: Wanna Follow?

Adventureful

This afternoon Hubby Tony was doing some volunteer work. While he was gone I took a walk, part of which involved swinging by the grocery store to pick up a couple of things Tony needed to cook dinner. As I left the house with my day pack I didn't know that my walk would turn into quite the adventure.  

The adventure started in the subdivision next to mine. In the middle of a block I saw a colorful cardboard box on top of a pole. On the side of the box was a hand written sign that advertised free comics.

Even though I was on the other side of the street I crossed over to see what was going on. Inside the box was another sign, and two stacks of copied, hand-drawn, hand-stapled comic 'books' weighed down with plastic shoe box lids.

Each stack had a different title. If I had to guess, by the quality of the plot, writing, and illustrations the author was a boy and around 8 years old.

I like to encourage young creativity. When my boys were that age they would have been excited if someone picked up something they put out, so I chose a copy of Banana Man vs Mr. Pancake, slid it into my back pack, and kept walking. I'd only gone a couple of blocks when it occurred to me that the author might enjoy a thank you note. I didn't have anything to write on or with, but figured I could probably find what I needed at the grocery store.

Ten minutes later I passed the house of the person who sometimes puts out free flowers. I crossed the road again to see what was there. The other times I've found blooms there the table was unattended. Today the homeowner and a couple of friends were hanging out there. I was going to take one bunch of pink mums, but a bunch of dark pink mini mums also wanted to come home with me. The long. wet flowers wouldn't fit into my day pack without getting the comic book wet, so I carried the two bunches in my hand and continued toward the store.

Shortly before entering I realized the flower packaging had SKUs on them, which might cause the cashier to think I was stealing when I checked out. I stopped by the self-serve stand and explained the issue, but the associate didn't seem to be at all concerned. 

I only needed four things so I didn't bother to get a cart. It was a little difficult to carry everything, but I managed. After making my purchase I walked over to cafe area and reorganized my things-purchased items in the day pack and the flowers in the grocery bag. Because the flowers still wouldn't fit in the day pack I had to cradle them in the crook of my arm like a beauty pageant bouquet.

The cafe tables had napkin dispensers. I borrowed a pen from someone sitting at one of the tables and write out a couple of words.

On the way back home I stopped by the comics box again and slid my note underneath the plastic lids so it wouldn't blow away. I wish I could be there to see what happened when the author (or his parents) brought everything in for the day.

Five years ago: He's Deciding To Hang It Up

A Big Change Is Coming. I Can't Wait!

This screen shot from Weather Undergroundtells the story of my area in the month of October.

Temperatures have been running about ten degrees higher average, and precipitation has been nonexistent. Normally by this time of year we're having pleasant, mild days and evenings cool enough to add an extra layer, but it's been warm enough that we've turned on the air conditioner.

For the past week I've heard that a change will be coming, and it's supposed to show up tomorrow. After a day of heavy rain (HALLELUJAH!) I will be digging in the closet for some long sleeved shirts and jeans to wear during the day, and pulling the blanket over my shoulders at night.

Five years ago today: A Dallas Debut

From Ruins To Revelations-Going Home

It would have been fascinating to spend more time in Greece and Turkey, but after ten days of pilgrimage it was time to go home. The tour company had made all of the flight arrangements, and because of time zone changes (factoring in Daylight Savings Time Athens, Greece was 8 hours ahead of St. Louis, MO) we had to get a very early start. We left the hotel at 3 AM, which allowed us to get to the airport for a 6 AM flight to Munich, Germany.

When Hubby Tony and I arrived in the hotel lobby we found the luggage that had been brought down by a porter, then picked up a boxed breakfast (scones, a granola bar, a fruit drink juice box, a pear, and an apple). The bus driver put all the luggage on the bus, everyone boarded, and we were on the way.

Not surprisingly, there was no traffic on the way to the airport. Check in went smoothly, and we had plenty of time to get a cup of coffee and one last piece of cheese pie before the flight boarded.

On our way!

The flight to Munich took approximately 2 1/2 hours. In Munich the passport process was easy, thanks to a cool automated scanner/live attendant system, and we had time to get a German pretzel before heading to the gate. (Some of the group also got a German beer, but at 9 AM that did not sound good to me.)

The flight to Chicago was approximately 9 1/2 hours. After the plane got up to cruising altitude the attendants served drinks and lunch. Conventional wisdom says that the best thing to do was to try and stay awake so my body would quickly get used to my home time zone. I couldn't pull that off but closed my eyes for a couple of quick cat naps. Otherwise I passed the time by reading a complete e-book and playing iPad mah jong. Shortly before the flight arrived the attendants served breakfast.

In Chicago there were no custom declaration forms to fill out, but we had to pick up our luggage and go through Customs checkpoints for a biometric face scan before having our passport checked. Our flight was in a different terminal, so everyone hustled to get on a transit train, then hustle to get to the correct gate and turn our luggage back in. We arrived five minutes before boarding started.

The last flight was a little less than 1 1/2 hours, just enough time for a beverage service before the plane started its descent. When the wheels touched down I was so happy! The waiting for luggage seemed to last forever; I just wanted to be home.

My long day in one photo

We picked up our luggage, and there boarded one more tour bus, which took us back to the church parking lot to pick up our car. Back at home, Pimento the Foster Cat was initially standoffish, but after he sniffed everything seemed to warm up to the idea of us being around.

~~~Finis ~~~

From Ruins To Revelations-Corinth

Our pilgrimage trip was winding down, but it ended with one last hurrah. After one last cruise ship breakfast buffet Hubby Tony and I went to the lounge that had been our group's staging area for each excursion. The group was dismissed according to the color of the luggage tag given to us by the cruise line. As I disembarked from the ship I had my cruise card scanned by a crew member, walked over to the luggage holding area to find my bags, then proceeded to our pilgrimage's tour bus and loaded the bags underneath.

In real time the disembarkation happened on a Friday. Our flight home wasn't until Saturday, so there would be one more night in the Athens hotel. Before we checked in there was one more excursion planned, to the site of ancient Corinth. This turned out to be my most spiritual experience in the entire trip.

Ancient Corinth was established around 900 B.C.; it was destroyed by the Romans in 146 B.C. The city was rebuilt by Julius Caesar in 44 B.C, and became a major port. In 1858 an earthquake destroyed the area and a modern city was rebuilt nearby.

Corinth is another archeological site with Christian connections. Saint Paul lived in the city, as documented in Chapter 18 of Acts of the Apostles. After Paul left he wrote several letters to the church there, two of which are recorded in the New Testament of the Bible (1 Corinthians and 2 Corinthians)

Temple of Apollo at Corinth

After the excursion guide led us through the ruins, she directed the group to a site with benches and rocks to sit on. There, the priest with our group spread a cloth on a large rock and used it as an altar to celebrate Mass.

Consecration

Both on the way to the archeological site and on the way back we passed over the Corinth Canal, which connects the Gulf of Corinth in the Ionian Sea with the Saronic Gulf in the Aegean Sea.

Canal

The bus stopped at a restaurant along the canal for lunch. I was so hungry I forgot to take a photo of my gyro plate before digging in, but  the sandwich was full of wonderfully seasoned, thin, slices of pork and a tzatziki sauce loaded with shredded cucumber and garlic.

Back in Athens, our group checked into the hotel, then had a couple of hours before dinner. Tony and I walked with a friend to a nearby grocery store to get snacks for the next day's flights. After dinner we put our suitcases outside the door for a porter to pick up the next morning.

From Ruins To Revelations-Crete And Santorini

This pilgrimage day also had multiple ports. When Hubby Tony and I woke up, the ship was docked at the Port of Heraklion in Crete.

Crete has some Christian history; Saint Paul made several visits there. The first is a mention in Acts 27, when Paul's ship stopped on the southern coast of the island. On a later visit Paul left Titus on the island to organize the church, appointed him the first bishop of Crete, and later wrote the Epistle of Titus. 

The ship offered excursions that showcased historical places, but Tony and I chose not to do one this time. Instead, we joined with our friends for a 15-minute walk along the waterfront to the shopping area. Some people from our pilgrimage got directions to the basilica that holds St. Titus relics. We passed on that, but when our group stumbled across a simple Catholic church we stopped in.

Saint John the Baptist church

The main activity for us this day was shopping. Tony and I bought souvenirs, an ornament for the Christmas tree, and a tote bag to carry everything in. When we reached the Lions Square we turned around and headed back to the boat for lunch. 

Wikipedia

 Back at the cabin I found a cute towel animal from our room steward 

This was the last day of the cruise, and after lunch Tony and I spent our time packing our suitcases so we could put them out to be picked up overnight. Afterwards, Tony took a nap, but I went out and walked around the boat. When he woke up we got coffee and got ready to join our excursion group for the evening's adventure.

The last stop on the cruise was Santorini. The island is a caldera (the remains of a volcanic eruption). We had chosen an excursion to Oia Village, the famous city built on the rim of the caldera, where the white-painted houses are carved into the cliffs, many of them topped by blue domes.

Beginning of sunset over the area

At this port, tender boats shuttled passengers between the ship and the shore. The excursion busses were waiting just past the boat dock. Ours went up a steep, switchback hill and eventually arrived at a parking lot. From there, we had several additional flights of stairs to the village. The tour guide mentioned that it would be getting dark when we came back, and she suggested we might want to use our cell phone flashlights for extra light.

Unfortunately, the village was very crowded due to multiple cruise ships in the port. When our tour guide gave us time to explore I had to fight to get good views of the scenery.  Eventually our group found a restaurant on the roof of a building and ordered some small plates to share. 

But the evening wasn't without adventure. I didn't realize I needed to use the bathroom until I had left the restaurant, and the public one on the way back to the bus had a one Euro fee. T(his was the first, and only, time I had to pay to pee on this trip.) All I had was dollars, but the exchange rate was close enough that although technically I shorted the attendant about 15 cents, she still let me in.

The ride back to the ship was in the dark. The tour guide pointed out things that would have been visible during the day, but I chose to close my eyes and rest. Back at the dock, we had a short wait for the tender. Because of so many negatives, this was my least favorite of all of the places I visited. 

Dinner was once again in the buffet restaurant. Back at our room we followed the directions and put our big suitcases outside the door for pickup, saving everything we needed for the morning in our carry on bags.

From Ruins To Revelations-Rhodes

Finally, our pilgrimage had a day that wasn't so jam-packed. When I woke up the ship was docked at Rhodes, Greece, the only stop of the day. After breakfast Hubby Tony and I got on the bus and left for our Religious and Medieval tour excursion.

Before we got off the bus at our first stop, the Monastery of Panagia, we received Wbispers.Again, it was really helpful because I could explore the area and still hear the guide's explanations.

Monastery

The Monastery was at the top of the hill, and accessed by a walk and set of stone steps lined with Cypress trees. It was built in the 15 Century by the Knights of St John, is Gothic style, and dedicated to the Virgin Mary the Life-Giving Source.

There were quite a few peacocks roaming the grounds. Although the males were going through the molting process and had lost their beautiful tail feathers they were still impressive to see. The guide handed out dried corn for anyone who wanted to feed the birds.

Peacock

We took the bus back to the second stop of the day, the Kastello (Palace of the Grandmaster). The Gothic-style complex was built in the 14th century by the Knights of Saint John on the foundations of the Temple of the Sun God (Helios). In 1856, an explosion destroyed much of the Palace, and at the beginning of the 20th century it was restored by the Italians. It served as a holiday residence for the King of Italy and Benito Mussolini. In 1947, a peace treaty transferred the area to Greece.

The palace rooms have antique furniture from the 16th and 17th centuries, marble sculptures, and mosaics.

Palace courtyard

We returned to the bus via the Street of the Knights, which was once lined with inns for knights from different European countries. The street still has cobblestones.

Be careful walking in the street!

After returning to the ship the rest of the day was free. (Whoo hoo!) In the afternoon Tony and I went to a souvenir shop at the port and bought refrigerator magnets for the grand kids. We also attended a pilgrimage group Mass in a conference room next to the ship's auditorium. Tony bought me a fancy watermelon and lime slushie drink.

It was very good

That evening the pilgrimage group attended dinner together in the main dining room. It was nice to have a waiter take my order and bring my food instead of walking through the buffet line. After dinner we attended a show in the ship's auditorium, then hit the hay to get ready for another day of fun.

From Ruins To Revelations-Kusadasi, Ephesus, And Patmos

All of the days on the Greece and Turkey pilgrimage were packed. Some of them were jam-packed!

When we woke up the ship was docked in Kusadasi, Turkey (which I learned was properly spelled Türkiye, the official name and the spelling adopted by the United Nations and the U.S. Department of State).

Kusadasi

After finding the tour bus the group headed toward our first stop- Mt. Koressos, a small village with a stone chapel where, according to tradition, St. John brought Mary after Jesus's crucifixion and where she lived the rest of her life.

House of the Virgin Mary, Wikipedia

After passing through the restored stone house (believed to be built on the original site) our group moved to a large room and joined with another tour group from the ship for a Mass. Afterwards, on the way to the bathrooms we passed a fountain with holy water and a wishing wall, which was full of tied on strips of paper with personal intentions.

We stopped for a bathroom break, then got back on the bus for the short drive to the Ephesis archeological site. The city was first built in the 10th Century B.C. and came under Roman control in 129 B.C. It's a UNESCO World Heritage Center and is still an active archeological site; less than 20 percent has been excavated.

That alone would have been enough to make a visit worthwhile, but the site also has several Christian connections. Saint Paul used the area as the headquarters for his missionary journeys and preached in the Great Theater. The city is one of the seven churches mentioned in the Book of Revelation. Later, when he was in prison St. Paul wrote the Letter to the Ephesians to the church he had established in Ephesus.

Library of Celsus

On the way out of the archeological site there was a row of souvenir shops and places to buy snacks. The tour guide had told us that it was acceptable to bargain there, so I negotiated a very inexpensive price for a bag of "Turkish saffron" (more than likely Safflower instead of the real thing). I promised our friends that when we got together to reminisce about the trip I would use my find in some type of food.

The last stop on this excursion was at a rug-making shop, where we got to see a weaver in action and someone making silk fibers from cocoons.

Back at the ship, it was time for lunch and a short nap. The ship set sail for several hours, then docked at Skala Harbor in Patmos. Time for another excursion!

View of the Patmos port from the tour bus

Patmos also has many Christian connections. It holds the Cave of the Apocalypse of John the Evangelist (aka John the Theologian) where he lived and wrote the Book of Revelation after he was exiled by the Romans, and the Monastery of St. John, which is a Greek Orthodox monastery founded in 1088

There were multiple cruise boats visiting the area, and lines to get into every place. When we reached the Cave the tour guide pointed out rock that St. John used as a desk, and the three-pronged crack in the ceiling where Saint John is said to have received visions for the Book of Revelation. According to tradition, the voice of God came through these cracks, which symbolize the Holy Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit).

The next stop was St. John’s monastery. The interior had beautiful frescoes. Unfortunately, there were too many people for me to get pictures.

No way could I have gotten this photo!

By the time our group finished the tour and made it back to the boat I was starving! It was time for another quick buffet dinner and then to bed.

From Ruins To Revelations-Mykonos

Of course there is more to Greece than one city, so after three days in and around Athens it was time for our pilgrimage to move from a land-based to a floating hotel. Our four day cruise on the Celestyal Discovery would take us through the Greek Isles, making stops in six ports.

Wikipedia

Before breakfast Hubby Tony and I put the packed suitcases outside our hotel room door for a porter to pick up. After breakfast our group gathered in the lobby, grabbed our luggage, and carried it out to the bus. The drive to the cruise port was approximately one hour.

At the port, those who had large suitcases were able to put them on a trolly to be delivered to their room. For some reason, people like Tony and me that had carry on sized cases had to hang on to them. That proved to be annoying, especially after the check in process when we learned that our rooms weren't ready yet.

Our group gathered in one of the lounges, where we met our tour guide for this portion of the pilgrimage. She explained some of the details, and when an announcement was made about rooms everyone headed towards theirs...and then lunch in the buffet restaurant.

This ship was older (originally built in 2003 for a German line), and smaller (with a capacity of about 1,200 passengers) than some I've been on. It didn't have all the new ship fancy bells and whistles, but the itinerary was so full I wouldn't have had much time to explore them anyway.

We sailed at 1 pm, and because of the short distance between ports docked at Mykonos at 6 pm. Hubby Tony and I had scheduled a shore excursion, and knowing that dinner wouldn't be until after that I got a pre-dinner snack at the grab and go restaurant.

Port of Mykonos

Our walking tour excursion left from the port parking lot. Before it started, the guide handed out Whisper devices and then led us towards the city. She did an excellent job of telling us about the history and culture of the area, including the famous windmills that were built in the 16th century to mill flour.

Windmills

There were a lot of people enjoying dinner at the outdoor cafes, and it was hard to get through some of the crowds. After navigating past all of it the guide reached what she called her "perfect spot" to see the sunset, and gave us time to take it all in.

Sunset over the Aegean

 

Our tour ended at 9 pm, but the ship didn't set sail again until 11. The tour guide said that anyone who wanted to stay on shore longer could, and a few people did, but Tony and I agreed it would be a good idea to go back to the boat for dinner and then make an early night of it, because we had an excursion that left early the next morning.

Five years ago today: A Ram Sang (AKA Anagrams)

From Ruins to Revelations-Free Day In Athens

After several non-stop days of touring, the Sunday of our Greek and Turkey pilgrimage allowed for some free time. However, Hubby Tony and I still fit a lot in.

After breakfast we joined with our friends to visit the Church of Saint George of Lycabettus, a Greek Orthodox church at the top of Lycabettus Hill, the highest spot in Athens. The church dates back to 1870, but like many places in the city was built on the site of an ancient temple.

St George

To get to the area there are two options. You can take the Metro, then walk 20 minutes, or take a taxi. We chose a taxi. Once there there are two ways to get to the top. You can hike up or take a cable car. We chose the latter.

When we arrived a liturgy was taking place, but afterwards they allowed people to enter and walk around the narthex and nave areas. The scenery from the viewing deck outside the church was amazing.

Athens from on high

When we were finished we took the cable car back down, then descended several flights of stairs and several streets to get to the main level. 

One of our friends wanted to go to the National Gardens. The city was hosting their Race for the Cure and many of the major streets were blocked off, but we managed to navigate our way there. After walking through the park we were hungry and decided to head toward an area where we knew there would be restaurants.

Many of the race participants seemed to have the same idea we did about getting a meal. However, we found a place that offered yummy "urban Greek cuisine". Thanks to a liberal use of olive oil my lunch of braised chickpeas managed to feel healthy and decadent at the same time.

It tasted as good as it looks

Back at the hotel, we had a couple of hours until the group got on the bus for the next event-a public Mass at St. Dionysius (one of only a few Catholic churches, and the same place we went on the first day). Our tour guide made sure we got there early to get seats, which turned out to be an excellent idea. By the time the mass started the church was standing room only. 

Afterwards we got back on the bus for a drive to a Greek restaurant near the Monastiraki Flea Market area. Our group sat at communal tables for a family-style multi-course meal (appetizers, salad, grilled meat plate, and dessert). There was a duo in the corner playing traditional Greek music, but it was too loud for our table to hold a conversation. The place felt very touristy, and unfortunately this was my least-favorite meal.

From Ruins to Revelations-Delphi

Day Four of our Greek and Turkey pilgrimage found us leaving the hotel after breakfast for a drive to ancient Delphi, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

On the drive, our guide told us about the area. The Oracle of Delphi was a priestess of the god Apollo and gave prophecies at the sanctuary of Delphi. The site was first settled during somewhere between 1600–1100 B.C., but reconstructed several times due to natural disasters. What we would see today dated from approximately 330 B.C.

Before we arrived at Delphi the bus passed through the village of Arachova, a town nestled at the foot of Mt. Parnassos. From my seat in the bus I had a limited view of the narrow streets lined with traditional stone buildings, but I noticed that in a few places that if the bus windows were open I could have reached out and touched those buildings!

Wikimedia

Not long after that we arrived at the Archaeological Museum of Delphi, which houses the relics that have been discovered at the site.

Museum

Once inside the museums, our guide did a good job of giving details about the relics, but the building was very crowded. We were on a schedule, so she cut the inside portion short and led us outside to follow the see the monuments, including the Athenian Treasury and Temple of Apollo.

Athenian Treasury

All too soon it was time to return to the bus. On the way back to the hotel we stopped at a restaurant for lunch. My moussaka, a Greek and eggplant layered casserole, wasn't particularly photo-worthy but tasted great (which is really all that matters, right?).

 Five years ago: Organized Outside Movement