Summertime

 

Parrot Outside on our Balcony

It is holiday time in Greece.  It is so quiet in our neighborhood.   It is the Dormition of the Mother of God/ Virgin Mary.  Greeks make a pilgrimage to the islands and with family to celebrate.  The islands have their own unique kinds of celebrations around food, drink and dance.  The stores close and it seems most of our neighbors have left for the week.  I am a little concerned about the parrot in the picture because one of our neighboring apartment buildings has parakeets and parrots.  I can hear them as I hang my clothes on the line because they keep them in caged areas behind the apartment.  

Our Relief Society organized a bus trip to Nafplio for the holiday.   

Waiting for the bus 

We stopped at Tolo beach, a small resort town near Nafplio and swam for several hours.   

The water was warm and it was a perfect day to be swimming. 

We got back on the bus to Nafplio where we took a short boat ride out to Bourtzi Castle.

Bourtzi was built to protect the harbor from pirates and invaders.  Then in 1473, it became a house for the executioners of the Palamidi castle prisoners.  Palamidi fortress was built by the Venetians in 1714. There are 913 steps leading from town to the fortress. 

Palamidi Castle up on the Hill

 Bourtzi became the residence of 2 governments in 1824 and 1827 and then a luxury hotel from 1930 to 1970.  Now it is a tourist attraction after renovations.  We got there the week of the opening after 5 years of being closed. 

 As we were coming back to Nafplio on the boat, I was watching a young family on the parking area with a little boy and a baby in a stroller.  The stroller had it's bonnet pulled up over the stroller and it caught wind.  The parents were focused on the little boy and didn't noticed the stroller quickly being carried backwards to the edge of the cement. 

 I screamed as the stroller dropped off platform and landed in the water with the baby.   The father turned, ran to the water and jumped in as the stroller started to sink.  It startled everyone on the boat as I assume no one else had seen what was happening from the boat.  As soon as the boat docked, people rushed to help.  It was so heart warming to see so many to the rescue.  The only thing lost appeared to be the diaper bag.  The baby was alright. 

The drive from Athens was about 2 hours through orange, lemon, peach, apricot, olives, almonds and grape orchards.  I was fascinated at all the agriculture and groves of trees and grapes.  It was a great opportunity to get to know the sisters in our branch better.  It was also a reminder of how beautiful Greece can be when you get out into the country side.  

We ended the tour seeing the Corinth Canal that connects the Gulf of Corinth in the Ionian Sea with the Saronic Gulf in the Aegean Sea.  

Corinth Canal 

It was a great day to be with our RS sisters and their non member friends.  The young missionaries had 2 contacts to follow up on while walking through the town.  That's a pretty good day in the life of missionaries!  

We continue to learn about new Non Profit organizations helping the refugees.  We went to see a mobile laundry van that parks in the same square each week to do laundry for the displaced.  They bring their clothes, and come back later to get the clean clothes. 

Ithaca Laundry
Other organizations have piggy backed onto this one with food and legal help at the square.  There was an 8 year old boy that brought his family's laundry in a cart.  He has done it all summer while out of school.  

I have had a hard time dealing with the humid heat.  Sweat drips down my back and face when we are outside.  We have found it a challenge to be productive but we are getting the work done and preparing for a Partner Appreciation evening.  I am grateful we have only one summer in Greece.  I am also grateful to be a missionary and to keep trying to do things outside of my comfort zone.  Kim has been  diligent with studying the language each day.  I am trying to be diligent in smiling.  There are perks to having a great companion.