Quick Check-In, Leaving Astros

Well, I have just spent 2 hrs trying to download my photos so that I could post more on the blog, but it is very difficult when all the instructions and titles on the computer are in Greek. I just can't figure it out and the few I managed to get up have very bad resolution. So I give up!

Last night I was delighted to find that the local monastery only a few minutes away is just lovely. I went up for Vespers and got there just at the right time. The lady here had told me: "Go up the mountain just as the sun is beginning to set but hasn't yet gone down. I think it will be the right time for Esperinos." And she was sure right. Grandma and the kids stayed here and relaxed, having dinner and a quick dip in the water.

The church up there is constructed similarly to the monastery of Malevi, with a small old church in the center of a large square of buildings. But rather than paving stones and masonry, this monastery has a court filled with little pathways, rose gardens, and many growing things. The whole church is frescoed and has very old paintings, many of them damaged, but still in quite good shape overall. The whole church seemed very old: all the lines were a little cock-eyed and everything seemed to lean a little this way or that. It felt like a place where many, many prayers have been prayed. The nuns were extremely warm and welcoming, delighted that I had found them, coming from so far away.

We went this morning for Liturgy and it was quite packed with local people, I imagine because of the feast day. This afternoon we took it very easy, swimming in the sea, organizing our things for the next leg of our journey, and making it into town for a few hours to have dinner and a look around. We called home late last night -- an adventure in the dark on the side of the road with no way to see all the multitude of numbers we must punch on the correct order to get through. We had to turn on the headlights. But we all felt better afterwards, being able to talk to Grandpa Al before his big marathon on Sunday and Christopher before his departure over to Athens.

We will leave Paralio Astros tomorrow before noon, return our car in Corinth, and take the train into Athens to meet Maria-Meredith and Nikos. From there, we will go to stay at Nikos' family home in Ravenna until we have met up with Christopher and Fr. Nicholas and Gabriel.

All are doing well. Grandma has a cough/cold, but it seems to be improving. I got a mild sunburn.

I need to go now as I just learned that my typing is disturbing the man in the room next door. More later....

Signing off in muggy Astros, with a refreshing breeze at 11:17PM
Macrina