Florida Update

I told Wendy the other night that when I get home I'm going to have to go to Back-to-School Boot Camp.

We are staying up too late (it didn't take me too long to get over my inability to stay up past 11pm), eating dessert too frequently, and have had too many run-ins with plumbers for one summer vacation; we are having fun, in other words. (Okay, except for the plumbers' visits...that wasn't much fun at all.)

It's hard to believe we're leaving next week, and as Christian said sadly today when I reminded him of that,"Well, time sure flies when you're having fun..." 

My brain is done for the evening and there are still a couple of chores to take care of...so tomorrow I'll get back to our trip. 

Athens

Our first stop in Athens was Mars Hill, where Paul gave his speech about the "unknown god." What a special place! The speech is written out on the tablet in the side of the rock. 

Just to the left of that tablet is a space in the rocks, a stairway of sorts, to climb to the top. Mike chose to go this route. 

I went up the stairs that have been added, because they were less dangerous. 

From the top of the hill, we could see the Temple of Hephaestus off to the left,

with the Agora (all the ruins among the trees), 

and the Stoa to the right (which has been reconstructed and is now a museum). 

When we turned around, we could see the Acropolis.

From this side, the Temple of Athena Nike was prominent.

We made our way down Mars Hill and walked over to the Acropolis, and then through the stone pillared entry, which is called the Propylaea.

There was a walkway which led to the Parthenon

and the Erechtheion.

On part of the Erechtheion, ladies are support beams in dramatic disguise. This is the "Porch of the Maidens," and each maiden is carved differently, from facial features to the intricate and massive hairstyles which create the strong support that their slender necks would have otherwise lacked. 

The original sculptures are in a museum and are being cleaned. 

Even the replicas are breathtaking! 

And speaking of breathtaking, we turned to find the Parthenon, which is receiving major treatment. 

Even hidden by scaffolding, it is magnificent. 

Looking at the pictures leaves me speechless. 

It stands today (along with some modern help) to remind visitors of an Athens which strived for perfection. It also stands as a reminder that perfection is most difficult to attain, much less sustain, this side of Heaven.

As we walked around the far side of the Parthenon, we came upon the theatre on the hill just below,

and then in the distance, the Temple of Olympian Zeus.

After taking in all these ancient sites, we were also able to wander a bit in the Plaka, a quaint shopping and eating area. We did stop for a bite to eat, and also discovered a lovely little artist named Rita. We bought one of her paintings, and she told us to come back and see her another time. 

With a personal invitation, how could we not?! 

Into the Aegean

We headed from Patmos to Athens and in between the two cities, off the coast where the ruins of the Temple of Poseidon lie, we dropped anchor and if we wanted to swim in the sea, we could!

Mike did want to! 

I did not! I took pictures instead. 

From what I heard, it was cold, but wonderful and refreshing. 

And apparently very salty.

One of the ship's smaller tender boats motored out with a rope attached; also attached to the rope were many floating mats. They also threw a couple of noodles out into the water. 

It was pretty cool to watch everyone floating practically on top of the water. Mike actually sat in it! 

The swim didn't last too long, and soon we were on our way to Athens and Mars Hill! 

Patmos

After sailing overnight (or going by engine...we were not sailing the whole time), we arrived at the harbor of Patmos in Greece. 

Greece looked just like I would have pictured it. White houses with flat roofs and colorful doors covered the hillsides of this small island. 

Patmos is the place of John's exile. 

And we toured a church that has been built upon or around the cave in which John supposedly received his vision from the Lord. I hesitate to use the word tour because it was actually Sunday morning and there was a service going on at the time, so we quietly took a peek in the back of the sanctuary (no pictures there during worship) and then went back up the many stairs to the top of the rock. 

Our next stop was a monastery atop what seems to be the highest point of Patmos. 

It is formidable! 

Outside of the chapel areas, and the parts of the monastery which the monks use today and which we were not able to visit, was a courtyard with walls covered in frescoes. There were both scenes of Bible stories as well as stories from the centuries following biblical times. 

Lovely flowers and plants also decorated the walkways and that courtyard. 

We wound our way through a museum with old Bibles and an amazing manuscript of Mark from the sixth century, and many other works of art from medieval times.

Not too long after that we were on our boat again, headed for Athens! 

Aren't the houses on Patmos pretty? 

I've Been Upon a Sailing Ship

I've been upon a sailing ship,

A sailing ship upon the sea.

The high masts, they touch the sky;

Miles of Aegean blue go by.

The paint gleams, the wood shines;

The captain calls for sails to fly.

The climbing crew the sails unfurl

As below ropes coil and curl

The mates on deck, they pull and swirl

Masters of the billowing pearl

 

Have you been upon a sailing ship,

A sailing ship upon the sea?