Baking ruins, sweet cold water
Sunday morning and up early and off to the local Greek Orthodox church. A devout earthiness. People, from the elderly to little babies, kissing the icons fervently. The church potent with incense and rather warm. Glen had been there several times and says that he can take it for half an hour or so. Eleni's father there again with grandchildren, who he lifted up to kiss the icons on the way in. I liked looking at the amazing pictures upon the walls, as well as hearing the singing of the ministers in the orthodox ceremony. Rather arrested by the paintings of six winged seraphim.
Then home to a large breakfast of scrambled eggs made with green peppers and tomatoes from Eleni's father's garden. I stood on the balcony taking in their magnificent view and noticed Giannis outside waiting for us down on the street. Glen drove us all to Phillipi, not far from Kavala but out onto the vast flat alluvial plain. Lorraine and I, like mad dogs and English, then walked around the large ruins in the powerful heat, while the others sat drinking coffee and cold drinks in the shade.
Lots to see, plus a small museum. The site is AD, but fascinating. Lorraine also discovered a large tortoise lumbering about in the ruins. After a good hour and a half we found Glen, Eleni and Giannis again, who drove us to a nearby wooded area which seemed to be a confluence of streams. Sat by a cold water stream, full of trout and a little fenced off area containing some large sturgeon. As we peered down into the water I saw a snake on the river bed snaking along under water hunting fish. I'd never seen this before. Then we had an absolutely delicious meal with the best trout I had ever tasted in my life, plus a glass of exquisite wine all chosen and paid for by Giannis.
From here to another stream not too far away, where Lydia, the first woman to be baptised a Christian was supposedly baptised. A little shrine on an island in the stream, and nearby a breathtaking baptistry. Glen is talking about perhaps being baptised there.
Then home for a bit of a sleep, before walking down the road to have a meal outside with Eleni's lovely parents Rita and Sakis, Giannis there too. Sat outside snacking and drinking a little beer, and eating some of the vegetables grown in Sakis town house garden, which was densely planted, and burgeoning with vegetables. Really pleasant night, and the Greeks laughing at Glen because he was talking so much to Lorraine and I.
And so back to the apartment and to bed, after another splendid day.
Below some shots at Phillipi, sturgeon in the river next to the Taverna, Greg and Eleni by the shrine to St Lydia, inside the nearby baptistry, the view from Eleni's apartment, and Glen, Giannis, Sakis, Rita, me and Eleni.
Then home to a large breakfast of scrambled eggs made with green peppers and tomatoes from Eleni's father's garden. I stood on the balcony taking in their magnificent view and noticed Giannis outside waiting for us down on the street. Glen drove us all to Phillipi, not far from Kavala but out onto the vast flat alluvial plain. Lorraine and I, like mad dogs and English, then walked around the large ruins in the powerful heat, while the others sat drinking coffee and cold drinks in the shade.
Lots to see, plus a small museum. The site is AD, but fascinating. Lorraine also discovered a large tortoise lumbering about in the ruins. After a good hour and a half we found Glen, Eleni and Giannis again, who drove us to a nearby wooded area which seemed to be a confluence of streams. Sat by a cold water stream, full of trout and a little fenced off area containing some large sturgeon. As we peered down into the water I saw a snake on the river bed snaking along under water hunting fish. I'd never seen this before. Then we had an absolutely delicious meal with the best trout I had ever tasted in my life, plus a glass of exquisite wine all chosen and paid for by Giannis.
From here to another stream not too far away, where Lydia, the first woman to be baptised a Christian was supposedly baptised. A little shrine on an island in the stream, and nearby a breathtaking baptistry. Glen is talking about perhaps being baptised there.
Then home for a bit of a sleep, before walking down the road to have a meal outside with Eleni's lovely parents Rita and Sakis, Giannis there too. Sat outside snacking and drinking a little beer, and eating some of the vegetables grown in Sakis town house garden, which was densely planted, and burgeoning with vegetables. Really pleasant night, and the Greeks laughing at Glen because he was talking so much to Lorraine and I.
And so back to the apartment and to bed, after another splendid day.
Below some shots at Phillipi, sturgeon in the river next to the Taverna, Greg and Eleni by the shrine to St Lydia, inside the nearby baptistry, the view from Eleni's apartment, and Glen, Giannis, Sakis, Rita, me and Eleni.
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