On the lighter side with Tonya and Liberty- The REAL top 10 rules of driving in Greece

1. Stop signs are.... always optional.
2. It IS ok to put a baby on a motorcycle without a helmet and a seat. On your lap holding them with one hand is the preferred way.

3. Dont know how to drive a stick shift? No problem: just rev the engine up higher and dont shift out of first gear.

4. Is there a 500 ft drop 6 inches off the side of the road? That is ok, you can still drive a little faster around those hairpin turns.

5. You can stop anywhere at anytime if you just put your flashers on.

6. Yes, 6 mopeds do fit in one parking spot. In fact, you dont even need a parking spot. Feel free to go ahead and make your own.

7. Speed limit? Make sure to always go over the given number by at least 30km/hr.

8. When driving, always answer your phone by yelling, even if your fellow passengers cant tell that your phone even rang.

9. Your horn can be used for beeping at anything.... literally anything.

10. Is there no room for your Asian friend in the car? He will always fit in the trunk.

Tonya

Welcome to Santorini...

We arrived at Santorini in the middle of the night. When you first pull into port all you can see is blackness with tiny lights that look like they are floating far away high above where you are. I thought to myself that there was no way we were really going that high, were we? All of us fit nicely into a hotel vehicle and headed up the winding drive of the mountain.

It was almost terrifying to do at night because everything is black and you weave back and forth so much you feel like you are going to fall off the side of the world. Every couple of minutes we would weave above our boat and we watched as it got smaller and smaller until we couldn't believe that it was the same boat we arrived in.

Our drive deposited us at our hotel where we got the privilege of carrying our cumbersome suitcases down a decently large flight of stairs. Our rooms are located right next to each other and are lovely to look at. In the morning after a tasty breakfast we ran up and down stairs until we saw it- our first view of the Caldera. I'm quite sure we have the hotel with the best view of Santorini. We are on the side of the cliff overlooking the water and the small islands that are found in the middle of the crescent bay. On either side of us, we can see small villages sitting on the cliff.

We head out to explore later for lunch and we walk a supposed half mile that takes us more like a half an hour-all down hill- to the village of Fira. We have lunch at a Rotarian"s cafe and start the grueling walk back UP the hill to our village of Firostefani. We weave in and out of tourists quickly because our goal is to watch the World Championship of Free Running/ a.k.a. Parkour.

If you are not familiar with this it is an amazing thing to see- 15 world champions from 11 countries will compete. The basic concept is they creatively travel down over houses, fences and other various things to a certain ending pad within 2 minutes. They do this by running, flipping, twisting and moving in all sorts of ways that most people cannot do. Our hotel is a perfect location to watch and we stand outside for over an hour watching the athletes compete.

http://www.redbull.com.gr/cs/Satellite/el_GR/Gallery/RED-BULL-ART-OF-MOTION-%CE%A3%CE%91%CE%9D%CE%A4%CE%9F%CE%A1%CE%99%CE%9D%CE%97%CE%A3-2011---%CE%A3%CE%A4%CE%99%CE%93%CE%9C%CE%95%CE%A3-021243099030140

After watching the competition, we head down to dinner again and this time it is night- and the lights on the side of the mountain are indescrible. The colors are just so pretty that you can't even explain. I truly believe that this is one of the most beautiful places in the whole world.
-Tonya

On Patmos...

Today, we woke in anticipation of the District Gathering. Here on the island of Patmos, some 35 Rotarians gathered to share in one anothers company and to honor the work of the Hellenic Roatay Club, district 2470. Our stay in Patmos was very lovely. The hotel was very modern and had amazing accommodations. We were joined by many familiar faces from the Rotary club in Athens.
During the District Gathering, we had the opportunity to share our presentation and paint a clearer picture of what life is like for us in the states. Were joined by the Bishop from the Monastery of St. John on Patmos Island, the monastery that overviews the cave of the Apocalypse (where John wrote the book of Revelation.) At the end of the gathering, we also had the opportunity to trade one of each of our banners. There was representation from the Caro, Frankenmuth, Saginaw, and Bay City Clubs. Displayed on one wall of the conference room, were many banners that had been exchanged in previous years. Our banners from our local district 6310 soon joined the likes of representation from all over the world.

Our meeting was followed by a fabulous dinner with our excited Rotary hosts! Great food and drink always spur engaging conversation and help to open doors of opportunity for our colliding cultures to learn more about one another.  After dinner, we were presented with an official certificate, complete with your names on them, to represent that we had been a participant in their District Gathering. Once again, the hospitality was overwhelming and appreciated. Our time here in the Greek Island is going by so fast, and we continue to enjoy EVERY moment and EVERY person that we are connected with through Rotary.
-Liberty

A New View – Rhodes

The economic troubles of Greece, thus far, have been somewhat hidden, with the exception of closed buildings in Athens, we as a group have yet to really experience a country in distress. Our time in Rhodes however, did give us a small glimpse into the future of Greece, and their working class citizens. Costas, our Rotarian guide, was gracious enough to educate us on the social, economic, and political environment of Rhodes and Greece. As we toured the Old City of Rhodes, we were met with many closed signs; the public sector was on strike.

The economic problems that Greek labor force faces are not new. The public sector is overpaid, the private sector is overtaxed. Rhodes however, still has a booming tourism industry that supports and sustains a large percentage of their GDP. Anna Moody, an inspiring entrepreneur, provided us with a visual metaphor for the economic problems of Greece:  "There was a bag of sweets. And there was a group of kids."

Anna went on to explain that 16 or so years ago there were very few mortgages in Greece; if a family built a house, they did so one floor at a time as money was saved. Very few regular people had a real concept of credit and suddenly from everywhere it was available with no need to pay off in sight. So people bought, and built and lived, but the due date was just around a bend and suddenly, for many at least, money was due for things that were no longer worth the money owed on them. The available cash to spend had temporarily increased, but the actual income of the average person had not.

With these issues in mind, we pushed through the picturesque Old City, trying to find something that was open to the public. Marios, our second Rotarian guide, suggested that we visit The Monastery of Filerimos, which turned out to be one of the most amazing experiences and sights of Rhodes.

“The Monastery of Filerimos in Rhodes Greece: The Monastery of Panagia Filerimos is located on a hill above Ialyssos, about 10 km from Rhodes Town. The monastery is dedicated to Virgin Mary the Life-Giving Source (Zoodochos Pighi) and its architecture is much different than the usual monasteries in Greece. It was constructed of stone in a Gothic style, on the site of an older Byzantine monastery.

The monastery was built in the 15th century by the Knights of Saint John, who had conquered the island that time. Inside, there was the holy icon of the Virgin Mary that the Knights had probably brought to Rhodes from Jerusalem. When the Ottomans conquered the island in 1523, the Knights left and took the icon with them. After floating in Italy, Malta, France and Russia, this icon is today hosted in the National Museum of Montenegro.

In the region around the monastery, there are the ruins of a baptistery in the shape of a cross, the remains of Ancient Ialysos and an underground church of Saint George that dates from the 14th century AD. From Filerimos Monastery also starts the path to Golgothas. On top of this path, up on a hill with amazing view, there is a huge cross, while on the one side of the path, there are engravings that represent the Passion of the Christ.”
-TJ

http://www.greeka.com/dodecanese/rhodes/rhodes-churches/filerimos-monastery.htm

To view the pictures please visit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/51050433@N07/

Rhodes Monastery of Filerimos: Information about the Monastery of Filerimos in Rhodes Greece, Dodeca

www.greeka.com

Rhodes Filerimos Monastery, Greece by Greeka.com. Information about the Monastery of Filerimos in Rhodes - Dodecanese - Greek islands with also travel information: History, museums, festivals, maps, pictures and Rhodes hotels.

 

Excursion to Lindos

We were picked up at a nice relaxed time of 11am by Costas and Stalios to take a tour of the west part of the island of Rhodes. We stopped at a few photo ops along the drive and each of them were breathtaking. The bright teal color of the water, long beaches and ruins scattered throughout were great.

We visited the Temple of Apollo, the staduim and theater in Rhodes and then drove to Lithos, one of the ancient cities on the island. When we got to the base of the Acropolis in Lindos we noticed that there were a TON of stairs to climb and it was a hot day.....then we saw the donkeys!!

We took the donkeys to the top of the mountain, through a small village, then right on the edge of the cliff before making it safely to the top. It was an awesome experience that we were all hoping we would have the chance to do!

The Acropolis is on a cliff 410 feet above the village. We saw the ruins of the Temple of Athena from the 4th century BC among many other ruins and excavations. After walking back down to give the donkeys a break we went to lunch at Abanthe, a seafood restaurant  near Lindos, right on the beach.

We started by walking to the cooler and picking out which fish we wanted them to prepare for us. Costas picked three of the best ones and they came to the table still looking like a fish. It was interesting and a little queasy for me to look at but it tasted so incredible! It just melted in our mouths.

TJ and Steven even had the luxury of eating a fish eyeball. Next thing we know a great selection of liquor bottles came out for us to sample from. My favorite was the Mastika which is only made on the island of Ios here in Greece. Unfortunately we can't get it in the States. I just might have to get a bottle at the duty free shop so my friends at home can share the pleasure of it's flavor!

Before heading back we took a quick swim in the Mediterranean. It was so clear they could even see the bottom at 15 feet deep! (I don't go out that far!) We had some free time before dinner and walked through Old Town which is a fortified part of the city. The cultural places/arheological sites were closed because it was after hours but there were tons of tourist shops up and down many of the pedestrian roads. After a quick stop on a boat store (an actual boat that you walked onto to shop) we were picked up by our buddy Zack for dinner.

The Rotaract President, Mika, met up with us and we had a great traditional meal at a very small, quaint restaurant that seemed to be in a residential area. We had some new food items like beets, spicy garbanzo beans, mini-shrimp that are only available on one island here in the world (Symi) and cannot be forzen to be eaten elsewhere, and zucchini blossoms stuffed with feta and fried, and pumpkin balls (like a round fritter). It was all so good! Then to top the night off we stopped for gelato at what we were told was the best gelato place in Greece. Yum!
-Jeanna

Lindos, Rhodes, Greece

"The experience of this sweet life..."
Dante's Divine Comedy

The day started in ruins. Well, adjacent to ruins: The ruins of the ancient acropolis of Rhodes and the nearby stadium that has been partially restored for continued use by the community. ( I never quite realized how massive such stadiums were until we walked this one which we were told was not actually that large.)

We were to drive the area with Costas and Stelios to see a few of the interesting points of Rhodes. ( Insert fact that the latter has a Jack Russel terrier and his name went by so quickly that we were either going to be calling him Stale Toast or Russel. He chose Russel.)

We wound through the island hearing history and lore and stopped briefly to take a moment with a view of a tiny, tiny church on a steep, steep hill seemingly in the middle of nowhere...but isn't it always seemingly in the middle of nowhere that one generally finds God because there is less competition? This church is a site of pilgrimage that is walked by women experiencing difficulties in pregnancy.

They come here to pray to the Worthy Mother that they have a child or that they have a healthy child or that they experience fewer difficulties in their pregnancies. It is sometimes comforting just to know one is heard, but it is said that every woman who makes the pilgrimage has her prayers not only heard, but answered; this makes the long, difficult climb worth the effort.

After more bends and hills we topped a rise in the land that gave us a view straight out of a story book: The acropolis of Lindos rises like a jewel held in place by the close-gathered white houses at its base and the whole arrangement is set in rocky, rolling hills that give way to the blue sea.

This was about the time that Liberty announced she was not climbing another endless set of stairs to see a ruin.Period. When Russel suggested we could be carried up by donkeys, Lib relented and - accompanied by the strange sounds the donkey herds made harassing us up the acropolis - we were free to watch the landscape unfold below us until we reached the top of the acropolis to explore the ruins and only be able to grin at the beauty below us.

The walk down from he acropolis took us through narrow, winding, sometimes-covered streets lined with houses and shops and paved in elaborate patterns of smooth pebbles standing on end.

After the fashion of every wonderful thing in Greece, a meal awaited us:

Abanthe is a fish tavern near Lindos with a crisp, sleek white-and-blue design (the blue and red fish indicating the mens' and womens' rooms caused a chuckle) and a reputation for excellent fish.

We were allowed to the cooler to choose our lunch which was so fresh their eyes were still plump and clear and they were still slick from the sea. We had a fish called Rofos that lives among rocks and must be shot to be killed making it scarce. The flesh of the Rofos was tender, mildly flavored and bright white with a network of delicate black veins. The fish was prepared by bringing a stock of greens and vegetables to a boil, dropping the fish in to steam and taking the water off boil letting the heat slowly cook the fish for an hour.

As we waited for our fish, we had chick-pea fritters, hot freshly grated garlic on green beans, grilled sun-dried octopus with a balsamic reduction, a large salt-cured fish grilled and wonderful with ouzo, fired potatoes, dolmades (different here in being cooked with dill and lemon and stuffed with rice and mincemeat) and a salad of peppery roquette, cured peppers and olives unique to this village.

When the fish for the main course arrived we were all quite mellow with food and drink (Costas did say, "Here in Greece you are a little dizzy all day.") and Costas and Russel decided that TJ and I should have the delicacy of the fish eyes. It was not just like chicken and had a bit of a crunchy collar from the socket, but the taste was interesting enough and the Rofos was incredible.

A swim in the sea after lunch guaranteed that we didn't sink into a nap (Lib and I having a bonding moment in the changing hut). On the drive home - with Tonya, Liberty and Russel in that order in the middle seat of the vehicle - Liberty suddenly perked up looked sharply at Russel and asked (regarding a smell):

"Is that your gum?!"

Russel: (Looking frightened and rapidly spitting out the open window) "No!"

Amid roars of laughter we were pulled over by a policeman proving a point: One in one million speeding drivers in Greece does, indeed, get a reprimand.

All in all, a very memorable day.
(Steven Magstadt)

Syros Photography Club

Jeanna, TJ and I got to attend a meeting of the Syros Photography Club. They are a hobby club that meets once a week and learns from professional photographers, completes picture assignments and shares ideas.

We were only there a short time, but being the photo buff that I am, I was pretty excited. One of the members put together a slide show of Syros photos that she had taken of key places around the island. They were very pretty pictures capturing clouds and sunsets that I wish that I would be here long enough to see. We then took a group photo (hello, we were at a photography club) and bid them goodbye. It was a short and sweet vocational visit that I am glad we could make time to do.
Tonya

The Shelter

The "Shelter" is a Non-Profit Institution of social support of young people and teenagers and was founded in 1996 with the initiative of the Probation Officers of the Court of Minors on Syros at the suggestion of the probation officer Maria Kydonieos Fosteri. Watch here: http://youtu.be/j99rx_iHKow

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j99rx_iHKow&feature=youtube_gdata_player

25 years ago Maria was still working as a social worker/probation officer dealing with youth coming through the courts system in Syros and realized a need for these youth in being rehabilitated back into society instead of them simply becoming accustomed to living in and out of legal action at the hands of the courts.

In the beginning it was Maria's own salery that funded the new center; a good part of her income today even as a pensioner/retiree goes to fund this work. The difference is that now she is retired and has more time to work with the children.

Also today, not working directly for the courts, she can go to the courthouse and say, "What children do you have for me today?" and take them without haveing to also take advice from the judges and other officials. Maria takes what others do not want because she sees what these young people can be one day.

When asked what inspired Maria to start her work we were told she is a sociaologist and, as such, she believes that all children are born good; that is is our failures which make them turn bad. She believes that if you give children and young people love and a boost - if you give them something good - they will make something good. She believes children can only make what they are given to work with.

Today Maria is known in her community for her work on behalf of these young people and the center's scope of work has expanded to include children and young adults who may not yet have come in contact with the courts but whose families have discarded them. (It is interesting to note that even as adults those who passed through Maria's love and attention call the center home.)

Maria and the center are known in the community for their work and when Maria calls individuals and tells them a case of pasta, tomatoes, meat paper and pens - whatever - is needed, then the individuals within the community show up with what is needed. Sometimes with more.

Dennis explained to us that monetary funding is very, very tight in this crisis and that centers such as Maria's - already so close to the edge - feel this pinch first. He explained that while it is almost impossible to give money, the people who know Maria and her center give whatever they have.

We were blessed to be able to see this place with our new friends in Syros and witness yet another example of how the people of Greece will make room for those in need. Here as in Margarita (Athens) and Spinalonga (Crete) we have seen in Greece that while there might be great need in some places, there is also great creativity, great love and a great sense of community. With such things not even the most dire economic crisis can permenantly alter a country.

(Videos and mission statement by TJ, post my Steven)

Venturing out from Vari

We started off our day with a tour of some of the highlights of theErmoupolis on the Island of Syros. We visited City Hall which is the largest one in Greece, the Archeological Museum, the Theater and St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church (patron saint of Greek sailors and different from the saint of the same name elsewhere).

Many other landmarks were pointed out to us along the way. Then we went back to the hotel for lunch and a little down time to relax on the beach and get ready for our evening of walking through the market of Syros, between the Port and Town Center. There was a little bit of everything in this area. It's where the locals come to get just about everything they could need for day to day living.

The shops were just open from 6-9pm tonight, they all keep very odd business hours here! The store that stuck out the most to me had many cheeses, oils, olives, soaps, spices, etc. As  you can see in the photo, some of the most common herbs were sold by the kilogram from large containers with a huge scoop! It was really cool to see such fresh herbs in bulk. We then came back to the hotel, had dinner and ended the night with a Euchre game next to the beach and watching the local guys catch fish with a small net for tomorrow's meals. It was a sight to see!
-Jeanna

Ano Syros

After taking the overnight ferry to from Crete to Athens, we quickly boarded a ferry to take us to another adventure on the island of Syros. When we arrive to the port, we were greeted by yet another welcoming group of Rotarians. Complected with a beautiful rose for each of the girls on the trip! We are staying at a place called "Kamelo" and were surprised to find out that the hotel is partly owned by a former GSE, Sophia, that traveled to New York and New Jersey. Sophia also runs the kitchen and we quickly found out how great her cooking was. The location is also home to the local Rotary meetings.
As we arrived to the hotel rooms, waiting for each of us, was a basket filled with confections that are native to the island of Syros. These were all items foregin to our taste and exciting to taste!  A large theme running through all of the people we have met in Greece is their continuous thoughtful hospitality.

After we had settled into our new "home" the group took a trip up the mountain to Ano Syros. Here we drove to the top of the mountain and experienced a spectacular view of the city and port at night. Something that is different about the island of Syros is that approx 40% of the population is Catholic, and the remaining 60% is Greek Orthodox. In other areas of Greece, 98% of these populations are Greek Orthodox.

The reasoning behind visiting Ano Syros was not only for the view but for us to have the chance to visit both a Catholic Monistary and a Greek Orthodox Church. Each location is placed on either side of a very windy mountain. The wind made this amazing howling sound whipping through the churches and in the streets. The streets are only walking streets, made up of many many marble steps. If needed, larger building materials are transported by donkeys.

We can tell from our very first impression of the Island of Syros we are looking forward to the rest of our stay while we are here.
-Liberty

Palace of Knossos

                                            
Knossos day...

We started the morning as we had every day in Crete, eating breakfast atop the roof at Kalimera Village (in Piscopiano). The thing that made this morning special was the fact that it was our last here, and I looked out over the view with the knowledge that I would never see the morning sun over the mountains again. Giving Anna our thank you gift was first on the agenda, and after that we headed for Knossos. (Irene), a local Rotarian, was our knowledgeable guide and related a lot of interesting facts as we walked around the ancient ruins. The air was a nice temperature, but the sun was potent as usual and the top of my scalp was burned for the first time.

We proceeded to the nearby musuem and took time to watch the progression of an island civilization through a collection of vases, jewelery, art and everyday items.

Lunch was an outdoor cafe on the water next to an ancient castle left by the Venecians. I learned an important thing today: Fruit Salad in Greece can consist solely of things that come from the sea.I needed a moment to fortify myself before trying food that still had eyes and seemed to be looking back at me. I can't say I enjoyed it all, but it was a good experience to try the various seafood that Greece can offer.

A nap, and a quick pack of our things, and it was time for dinner. Our meal was a lovely affair with homemade Spaghetti (Bolognese) served on the rooftop garden overlooking the city lights, with violin music played softly in the background by Steven.

We all agreed that Crete was a special island, not only beautiful in nature, but with kind, content people that we are happy to have met. Several people took time to surpise us by meeting us as we boarded our ferry to Athens. Parents, grandparents and friends all kissed us goodbye and told us to return at any time. We boarded that boat with thoughtful smiles, knowing that we had truly been blessed to have had the opportunity to come to this island.
-Tonya

Throne room with restored frescoes and Original throne.
The Minoan Griffins flanking the throne are painted misnus the
traditional wings: They cannot fly away and leave the
king defenseless.

Our group with Irene to the far left and the the Herakleon
Rotary club president to the far right...

The Greeks are Great!

The Greeks are great! The local Rotary clubs have put together such a great program for us here so
far. They are showing us the way of life in Greece and it's awesome! We have been busy pretty much
every day all day so I apologize for not posting more often. I've never been able to function on this
little sleep before, thank goodness am keeping up!

We visited Athens for the first six days and it was a very large city with a lot of traffic and a lot
of people. There were so many attractions in just that city alone! We visited the Acropolis and
Parthenon, the Temple of Zues, the Temple of Poseiden, the Olympic Stadium, the Athens Golf Course
(they only have one), the Presidential Mansion, the Parliament Building, the largest honey factory in
Greece (Attiki), many cathedrals and museums. We also had our first swim in the Mediterranean while
there with the Temple of Poseidon in the background!

We are now on the first of six islands, Crete. Here we have seen many olive groves, vineyards,
beaches, and visited museums, Spinalonga, Agios Nikolaos, Elounta, a music school, artist studio, the
aquarium and tomorrow we are going to thePalace of Knossos and the archeological museum. We are staying in beautiful apartments in a movie-like setting, owned by a Heraklion Rotary member.

In addition to all of this sightseeing, we have also been on some Rotary functions and vocational
visits. I've been to a graphic design and printing company, two event planning companies and tonight a
wedding. It's very interesting to see the similarities and differences in these vocations here
compared to home. The others have also been to businesses that relate to their profession.

The Rotary clubs of these two cities have been so wonderful in hosting and making sure we get taken
care of.

I've found that the Greeks love us Americans and want to spend time with us, entertain us and have
us try every food that exists here. It's all so good and so much food for every meal! (Good thing we
are on the go all the time or it would not be helpful to my waist line!) And of course a shot of Raki
is necessary to settle the stomach after such big meals. I'm not sure I can get used to that taste but
I'll do my best!

We leave Crete tomorrow on an overnight ferry, heading to the island of Syros for five days. We will
all be posting more often now so be sure to check back soon!
-Jeanna

Vocational Visit

Vocational visit with Liberty Starkweather. Since 1983, the primary objective of ARCHELON, the Sea Turtle Protection Society of Greece has been to protect the sea turtles and their habitats in Greece through monitoring and research, developing and implementing management plans, habitat restoration, raising public awareness and rehabilitating sick and injured turtles. http://www.archelon.gr/index_eng.php
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rshA_OtRVwE

TJ

The Warmth of a Smile and a Fountain Full of Lions

We were met at the port in Heraklion at 7 in the morning by Anna, whose ready laugh and humor set the tone for our stay in Crete: This was to be an incredibly different experience from Athens in that Anna was determined we were to slow down, laugh, see what there was to see but – above all – never hurry.

We were settled into suites provided at Anna’s Kalimerna Village Hotel in Piscopiano just outside Heraklion to rest until a late lunch.

TJ and I unpacked in what turned out to be our little house with a living room, bathroom, kitchen and two bedrooms and I had the chance to open my violin case and play a bit to relax; this last resulted in Anna’s directive to bring the violin to the evening’s Rotary club meeting.

The meeting was to take place at a hotel in Heraklion owned by the very chic Maria, but before the hotel we stopped by a salon owned by the club president, Giannis, where we were given gifts and the girls were left to have their hair done. (This is also where we met another gorgeous soul: Fo-fo.)

While the girls were being pampered, Anna took Tj and I for a walk in the center of Heraklion. My first impression of the city was one of magic, laughter and soft lights off of incredible window displays, music drifting from full cafes, the saffron-and-purple  lit lion fountain in the central square and, as ever in Crete, the laughter and enthusiasm of Anna.

Once we had collected the girls we went to the Rotary meeting in the rooftop restaurant of Maria’s hotel. There was more Greek than English available in the room, but we never for a moment felt out of place or anything but very welcome.

The club secretary, Sophia, translated our presentation for us and after a wonderful dinner (which was made a lot of fun by Voula’s conversation) we heard wonderful young musicians from the school of Ms. Marianne play flute and classical guitar and I played a piece improvised for that evening on my violin. After many, many, manymanymanymanymany photographs and much laughter we went home – in one afternoon of Anna’s hospitality it began to feel like home – to Piscopiano for a night’s sleep.

-Steven

(photo of fountain square at night)

Honey, Love and Faith

In the morning we visited Attiki Honey to find out how the company not only packages honey, but also creates three distinct blends of honey as well as coaching the apiaries from which they buy honey in the best techniques to produce the best product.

We then visited a place called Margarita:

Margarita was founded in 1978 by a mother whose daughter was challenged by Downs Syndrome. Only hall the school’s funding is subsidized by the state; the rest of the funding must be raised through private donations and grants.

The school’s purpose is to assist mentally challenged individuals in finding jobs in the open market and learning basic life skills such as hygiene and simple meal preparation so that they can make the best possible lives for themselves with the most dignity possible.

Students enter at age 14 or 15 and though many only stay 5 or 6 years, some stay into their 40’s.

We met a good number of the students in our visit learning to weave, make copies, jewelry, cook, etc. One thing stood out to me: Wherever we went people who do not know how to lie lit up with appreciation for the people guiding us through this remarkable facility.

Meeting Katy, who has decided to learn Greek after growing up in Britain and only coming to Athens after losing her father and Murto whose day was complete in the simple action of giving some one else a hug and telling a portion of her day…these were incredible experiences illuminating the incalculable importance of providing a place in our world for people who do not know what it means to be bitter of grow old.

One of the original students of the school graduates this year at the age of 50.

The government funding for the school has been frozen because of the financial crisis currently shredding the economy of Greece and the staff has not been able to be paid since February of this year, but – yet – they are still here.

Upon leaving Margarita, we went to the mountain where much of the marble that graced the Acropolis and other monuments in ancient Greece was taken from. On the top of this revered mountain is a monastery of great age noted for its focus upon education – even when education of common people was forbidden. There is a secret school underground and under the “modern” church. The tiny chapel of St. Stephen, also underground, was the site of many generations of marriages and christenings.

We board a night boat to Crete after dinner…

-Steven

Sweets and Smalti

We had separate vocational visits today and my first was immediately after coffee with Dora. We left the house and she drove me to a bakery (Top Bakery, to be specific) near home in Kiffisia where I was to put in my morning. While waiting for Dimitri, the owner, to arrive I had the chance to look about the shop and counted over 130 different baked products including varieties of breads, cakes, tarts, cookies, rusks, sandwiches, sweet and savory pies as well as gelato and espresso.

Dimitri arrived and we had coffee as he explained to me that they make and sell something like 500 loaves each day aside from other goods. The bakery makes gelato in house and we discussed specific types including one called Kaimaki made with Sheep’s milk and masteka/mastike (special substance whose production is unique to one Greek island in all the world), thickened with salepi, frozen and topped with a “spoon sweet” of sour cherries. I am thinking this one might just show up at the Magic Bean when I get home.

Aside from learning to make phyllo dough and about 8 other things, I had a very interesting discussion with Dimitri about the economy in Greece and how it impacted his business; the intriguing thing was how similar the economic challenges to service businesses in Michigan and Greece seemed to be.

I was picked up from the bakery by a Rotarian contact and spirited to meet Maria and her daughter, Angie/Aggie, in another part of Athens where I was allowed to visit the studio of a mosaic artist working in the Byzantine style on a piece of the Madonna for a church commission. 

It was incalculably useful to be able to see, smell, touch the various natural adhesives, stone and glass smalti and backing materials that were strange to me; the artist was enthusiastic to share what she knew and her book of pieces was very impressive.

Having a chocolate and a sandwich with Maria and her girls at a French-themed café next to a large church afterward was an amazing way to chat and end the schedule part of the day before returning to Kiffisia to rest and get ready for dinner.

-Steven

This chocolate was better than many more, um "adult" pleasures.

The Layers of an Ancient Society

The morning started with the finding of a parking space near the city center so that we could visit the Presidential gardens, walk around the surrounding district of mansions and consulates and go to the Byzantine museum. The museum was interesting to me in particular for its collection of icons and wall paintings.

{photo of mosaic Madonna of Tenderness]

We filed out of the museum to make it to Constitution Square for the changing of the guard at Parliament and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The skirts of the guards contain 400 pleats: One for each year of Turkish occupation.

Next came a walk to end all walks: We went past temples, Hadrians’s gate and the stadium where the first modern Olympic Games were held on our way to the New Acropolis Museum to meet our guide – the inimitable Dora with her wide grin, floppy hat and perfect English.

The museum was an incredible architectural experience: The glass floors and open spaces of the structure give the impression that floats above the architectural dig that gave the museum many of its objects.

The place of honor in the museum is reserved for what much of the world knows as the Elgin Marbles in the British Museum. These pieces were looted irrespective of structural damage to ancient temples and monuments and taken to England in the late 19^th century/early 20^th century where they remain today. Greek officials and academics have tried unsuccessfully through diplomatic means to engineer the return of these objects to where they belong: In Athens.

Initially, the British Museum and government claimed reluctance to return the pieces because the city of Athens had not a safe or suitable home prepared for such historically significant works of art. The current museum certainly resolves that issue without dispute. I sincerely hope one day to return to Athens to see the alarming number of plaster casts scattered through the phenomenal facility replaced with the originals pirated by a British collector about a century ago; it is time for the marbles to come home, regardless of the possible chaos it may cause in the world’s most famous museums. It is time to call theft what it is and make restitution.

The climb to the Acropolis itself was a bit tiring in the heat, but standing on the summit amid structures I had only read of and never thought I would see in person was a very moving experience and well worth the climb.

My favorite building was never the Parthenon; It was always the temple that belonged to both Poseidon and Athena, though it is said that Athena got the lion’s share of space because she gave the perfect gift to the ancient Athenians: An olive tree that once stood in the angle where the two sanctuaries met.

The olive tree was significant because it symbolized life, light  and wealth through its oil and fruit. An olive tree was replanted in the same spot some years ago…I left the Acropolis to head to dinner and then to walk folk dances from all over Greece, but in my pocket were two dried olives and several leaves gathered from under the tree re-planted to commemorate Athena’s perfect gift.

-Steven

Art, Golf and and Sunset

After a chatty breakfast with Dora we went to the studio of {insert name}, noted painter and sculptor. The light in the studio came mostly from one wall and fell on a forty-year accumulation of canvases, plaster busts and medals, mosaics and stained glass panels.

I loved that the abstract canvases – some very large – all had very harmonious colors but a strong sense of movement as if the swirling fragments might converge into something new if one only looked long enough. All of the artist’s human compositions in either plaster (later to become bronze) or in paint had a warmth I have not seen in portraiture in some time.

My favorite piece, though, was a small composition on paper – again a rapidly but quietly moving abstract – in an incredibly beautiful frame of leaves and cherubs ornately wrought in bronze. The artist rightly commented that the piece combined with its very contrasting frame became a separate work that neither could have achieved alone.

I create works in a variety of materials and it has often worried me that this was not sustainable; this studio and this artist have shown that not only is such variety sustainable, but that it can also help produce better works through interchange of disciplines.

[insert pic of studio, artist, busts, stained glass and piece in bronze frame)

  After leaving the studio we were taken to the Athens Golf Club in Glyfada where we leatned that gold was a costly sport to maintain in Greece due to the water requirements involved in maintinaing a course. So far we have only heard of three courses in Greece. We learned to hit balls, strokes for long and short game as well as putting…though golf was never a favorite of mine, our coached made thigns simple and I had a good time.

Instead of a more formal meeting of the younger Rotary club of Athens, we had a lunch meeting at the gold clubhouse chatting  sociably with those we had tootled around the course with earlier.

After lunch we bundled into a couple cars for an excursion to the Cape of Sounion (Maria had to return to work, Sevy joined us and I rode with Jimmy).

After sweeping around curves over hills and through valleys we drove up Cape Sounion to explore the ruins of the Temple of Poseidon at the top. It was an incredible fitting site for such a temple so that it’s god could accept his offerings and keep an eye on his watery kingdom at the same time. The site was also one of ancient tradgedy, we were told, when an ancient Greek king threw himself from the cliffs mistakenly thinking his son had gone to battle and been killed when in fact he had conquered and merely forgotten to change the color of his sail as agreed upon before leaving home.

 The massive standing columns and seemingly random piles of colossal pieces of marble combined with the sunshine, wind and sparkle of the sea to make one of the most romantic sites of our trip so far.

[Photos of Temple]

On our way up to the temple we had driven past a group of abandoned buildings and I requested a stop on our way to the bay to explore a bit. The church was the most interesting to me because it was unlocked and most of the bits of paper and prayer cards left behind dated from 1969. It almost seemed as if the last prayers were offered and then the church was left to the howl of the wind and the sand swirling restlessly across the floor.

[photos of abandoned village and church]

The day’s activities closed with swimming in the bay below Sounion as the sun set. Had dinner at a lovely Taverne with Dora before crashing for the night.

-Steven

[sunset at sounion photos)

Walking Glyfada

Waking up at the Glyfada Hotel  there was just time for an espresso and a three-block walk to the beach (the color of the seas is this incredible blue-green) before meeting Olga and Kosmas for a walking tour of the shopping district of Glyfada. The pavements we walked on in a very short time had captured my attention (not hard to do): There were sections of white marble (most of the curbstones were also marble), red marble, granite cobble, polished granite interspersed with tile, pebbles and all were tied together with the crosshatched 16” colored and cast pavers.

We stopped for coffee (which is a typical mid-morning in Greece).  In passing, Cappuccino Freddo  is wonderful and will become a favorite of the team. After meeting our hosting District Governor and after deciding where we were to eat and were waiting for our meals we settled in for some chat on what we would be doing and where we would be going during our stay in Athens.

We had several dishes, but the lamb fricassee with a warm salad of chicory on top. A woman in black carrying a cardboard sign walked up to the café wanting money  before shuffling off. Despite very slight translation issues we had an enlightening afternoon before being taken to our host families to rest and settled before heading to dinner at an Aesop-inspired cafe.

-Steven

                             

First Dinner in Athens

TJ, Olga and myself left the hotel with Olga driving to go to a taverne in our area (the Greek cross between a bar and a hearty restaraunt all over the country; every neighborhood has at least one) for our first Greek meal and the drive to the tavern was different from a typical drive in the USA: All around us as we surged forward cars were lunging, swerving, forcing themselves into spaces in traffic barely large enough for their headlamps and – somehow – the entire vehicle would fit, traffic would reconfigure and the entire process would begin again. Add to this the fact that motorbikes and scooters of all makes weave in and out of traffic where cars do not fir and one is given a lot to watch as a passenger let alone a driver. Olga mad an observation to caption the journey: “The Greeks, we don’t drive by law.” She seemed correct.

We met Olga’s girlfriend, Demi, as we parked and walked to the Taverne where Kosmas and the girls were awaiting us with Ouzo and smiles.

The taverne was, we were told, a typical Greek place where people didn’t just eat; they Socialized. For hours. As Kosmas explained this, the food began to come: Fried breaded cheese (Saginaki, which is not served in Greece flaming as it is in the U.S.), Fingers of cheese wrapped in ham, lightly breaded, fried and topped with slivers of grilled red sweet pepper, a pate made of mashed feta cheese, olive oil, spicy green peppers and (I think) a touch of lemon juice, bread, two salads (one traditional Greek with tomatoes, green peppers, onions, cucumbers, and a slab of feta topped with basil and drizzled with olive oil, and the other a bed of shredded cabbage topped with shredded greens, tomatoes, green onions and a large number of other vegetables topped with a sesame oil-based dressing) along with a few other dishes. As we ate and thoroughly enjoyed the food and Ouzo, Kosmas informed us that these were just the mezzedes – appetizers – and the main dishes were still coming.

This was already more food than we were accustomed to in one meal and we still somehow found room to enjoy all of the following: Beef meatballs in a savory gravy, a cheese-stuffed meat ball the size of an Amazon’s fist (Served with French-fried potatoes) and a platter heaped with grilled chicken, lamb and beef as well a couple other dishes that flew by with the time as we laughed and joked with our new-found friends.

TJ commented  to me as we walked back to the car that the meal had been the best dining experience of his life…The magical combonation of good company and good food has me so excited for our coming evenings in Athens.

-Steven

Pate made of feta, peppers, Olive oil = Heaven on Toast.



Cheese wrapped in ham & topped with roasted sweet red pepper, Cheese pies, etc.



Traditional Greek Salad. Note: No beets. No lettuce or other leafy vegetable. (The tomatoes in Greece, btw, are incredible.)

Salad with Sesame Oil Dressing

Flight to Greece

(My name is Steven and I will be posting many of the pieces within this blog, but as the other team members will also be writing and posting photographs we will sign our various entries to help avoid confusion)

We boarded a plane at MBS bound fro Chicago after the weighing of bags and much debate over whether everyone had everything he or she should have to be equipped for a country none of us had ever visited.

The layover in Chicago seemed long, but the chance to stretch our legs before the longer portion of our journey would prove precious later and the airport was an enjoyable one to explore.

The Lufthansa flight to Munich was novel for a group that had become used to domestic American flying conditions in post the 9/11 United States: We were greeted by copies of international papers to read in flight, hot towels, lap blankets, cocktails ranging from Dewar's and Capari & soda to beer and meals that were actual meals were all included as a part of our fare.

We settled each in our respective ways to read, journal or watch television (the latter chosen from a wide variety of programs available to us) as the the flight took us into the night and across the Atlantic Ocean to Munich before boarding a connecting flight into our first Greek home - Athens.

Met upon arrival by three of our new Greek Rotarian friends, we were taken to the Glyfada Hotel to rest before dinner and unpack. Our new friends and dinner itself were wonderful, so I will write of the separately as soon as time permits.

Hotel lobby from restraunt

-Steven

Painting behind bar.

Painting in Lobby.

Detail of Lobby floor.

Hotel pool.

Looking right down the street outside to the sea.

Looking Forward to Greece

We, as a team, are incredibly excited to represent our respective communities (Bay City, Caro, Frankenmuth, Midland and Saginaw, Michigan) as we leave the United States on a series of flights that will bring us to our hosting Rotarians in Greece.

Our meetings thus far have been preparing us through discussion and research to experience the culture of Greece as we exchange ideas and experiences with professionals in each of our fields of employ as well as meet Rotarians in another country who are united through a common interest of social service and personal investment to make a better world one community at a time.

Please log in often to as we will be posting pictures and personal reflections on our experiences in Greece as we prepare to leave on September 14^th, 2011 and as our collective journey unfolds.

Back from left: Liberty Starweather, Steven Magstadt, Tonya Tracy;
Front: TJ Scheid & Jeanna Zehnder