Sojourn in Greece: Week 5

After work, Dean Travlos and Vasiliki, a staff member who studied Archaeology, took me on an outing. We drove down the coast road south to the tip of Attica. Each hairpin turn of the road brought into view another beach, sometimes also a small town (with new suburban houses spreading at a rapid pace up the empty hillsides). It was a warm afternoon and we regretted not bringing along our bathing suits.

After about 45 minutes, we reached the Sounio's Poseidon temple ruins that overlook the sea. There were quite a number of tourists, including a huge bus of young Germans, all waiting for sunset. It was a peaceful place; the expanse of deep indigo waters out to the horizon drew the spirit outwards and gave it breath. We watched as the temple ruins changed from marble-white in daylight to gold in the low and disappearing sun, then darkening against the dusk. When the last rays faded, they turned on the floodlights, creating the illusion of an ancient temple floating high above the waters.

The Dean bought me a Greek Syrtaki folk dance CD, and we played it on the drive back, he singing along happily.

Friday was ALBA's deadline for next year's student applications. The dean kept calling back to the office for the latest count. Each time it was more exciting, as the numbers in every program were surpassing all previous years' applications. It was like listening to election night returns (only better).

We picked up the lone staff member left holding the fort, and the Dean treated us all to dinner at his favorite roast lamb specialty restaurant. It is on the main road to the airport, a commercial strip with rows of semi-open air restaurants lined with bright lightbulbs, and much coming and going of cars and people. The kitchen walls are all glass, so the diners can see the lambs and goats roasting whole on long sticks. (Sorry veggie buddies; at least my closeup didn't turn out.)

Quite a change from quiet Vouliagmeni. Without a car, it takes a lot longer to get a sense of the territory, and I find with each excursion that I have been missing huge chunks of basic information.

Co-worker Christina kindly took me to the opening ceremonies of the local folk dance classes. They gathered in the municipal community center, and the kids danced for a half hour or so. It was hard to watch and not jump up and join! The teacher was *fantastic* with kids. You didn't need to understand a word of Greek to know what he was saying, and he had them alternately quiet, noisy, leaping, laughing, stepping, and in this picture, shouting "O" with gusto.

The priest arrived to conduct a blessing for the dance year that lasted about 15 minutes, lighting the incense, singing from his book, blessing the water, and scattering it with branches of basil. It was remarkably similar to Shinto rituals at similar events, though it's a sakaki branch, and the robes are white. Each person who wanted to kissed the priest's small cross and got a touch of basil water.

After a bit, Christina's mother and aunt came over and took me shopping in Voula for a few more business clothes, and an umbrella. Thank goodness for buying the latter; it hasn't been cloudy a single day since!

They were veteran shoppers and enjoyed giving me advice and negotiating discounts. Everyone bought shoes and we posed with our bags afterward. Christina's mother graciously served a flavorful vegetable casserole lunch in the their elegant apartment.