8/11: Last day on Paros

Lefkes

I have so much loved my time here on Paros. It is hard to believe that two weeks went by so quickly. (It is hard to believe that one year has gone by so quickly!) I decided to take the motorbike into the hills to Lefkes one more time. A few people had mentioned the church in lefkes, which I had failed to visit.

But when I got there, I was drawn to the back streets, the little alley ways which I hadn't walked on before. And in those little lanes everything seemed to slow down for me (even more than usual, if you can believe that), and I was immediately attracted to the details around me.

Even close-ups of laundry were calling me.

I eventually made it to the church, which I must say was not as nice as the pomegranate I saw earlier (in the mood I was in). From lefkes I headed down to the coast, to the half-moon beach I saw from the hill top of Ayios Antonios Church a few days ago.

The beach was lovely, but once again I was surprised by what was pulling at me - not the beach, not the water, but this church, looking forelorn and seemingly in the middle of nowhere.

Leaving is a strange thing. I am thinking about endings. Which also means arriving - new beginnings, new possibilities.

Kiki and Karina

When I got back to the Karina's Taverna, Karina was sitting with Kiki, who was her waitress last season. Kiki, who is now a nursery school teacher in Athens, came back to say hello. From my two weeks here I have witnessed so many reunions - everyone comes back to Karina's Taverna. She has customers that have been coming back every year for years. It is not just the excellent food (though I am sure that is a big part of it), but it is also the atmosphere that Karina has created, an atmosphere that reflects her heart.

It has been quite my good fortune to have met Karina and Georgios on the island of Flores in Indonesia 5 months ago half way around the world. Once again, I rest my heart in appreciation and in blessing.

8/10: Looking Back

Karina with Louisa (16 month old French girl) at the Taverna

I have been in a very reflective mood these last few days, I suppose with my sabbatical year coming to an end. My time on this lovely, relaxing island is also coming to an end. Just past midnight tonight I catch a ferry for the port of Pireaus, then tomorrow morning a bus to the Athens airport and on to Paris (life is rough). So I have been thinking about what I have learned, and in what ways I have grown. To tell you the truth, it has been very difficult to pin point progress. It is sort of like when you see someone after a long time and they mention how your children have grown, or your hair has turned grey, but you don't notice for you see them (your children) or your hair every day, and the change is gradual. Maybe it will not be until I return to a familiar environment and interact with it that I will notice a difference. Or maybe it will depend on people who have known me, telling me what they see and feel that is different. One thing I do know - the feeling of gratitude and appreciation are more in my awareness. I am sure there is much I still take for granted, but I am more aware of the blessings of my life.

8/9: Sunken Boat, Beached Boat

Fiona - Karina's sweet neighbor, who lives above the taverna. I see her most days walking to or from work. I thought she matched the bougainvillea behind her.

Naoussa at sunset from across the bay, near the lighthouse

I have found my favorite walk - every day I walk east along the shore towards the lighthouse (two hours there and back). I pass this spot every time, and almost every time try to capture an image of it. This is the best I can do with my crappy, little camera.

I woke up this morning at 5AM, and headed to the taverna. Since I now have a key, it gives me access to the computer before the restaurant opens. I have been working the last few days creating a spreadsheet for Karina's Taverna (Karina still does all her finances in little notebooks). I have put hours into it these last few days - ironing out the kinks in all the formulas, and inputing data from the last two years, so Karina can do some economic analyses. It has been very satisfying giving something back to Karina and Georgios after all their generosity (also, I really love spread sheets). After a couple hours of Excel formula writing this morning, I needed a break and went for a long snorkel. While swimming I saw a little sunken boat resting on the sea floor. Then during my walk this evening, at the place where I turn around, I noticed how attractive this beached boat was in the sunset light. Sunken boat and beached boat - the beginning and end of my day - could be metaphors for something, but I don't know. I am just happy and appreciative to still be "afloat."

8/8: Morning walk on the Byzantine Road, Lefkes

Delicious breakfast of rich Greek yogurt with fresh figs and cactus fruit

Lefkes in the morning light

I drove this morning on Georgios' motorbike to Lefkes to walk the Byzantine road. The motorbike, being very old with a very small engine, moves at "island pace." Though there are a few roads with a maximum speed of 50 kph (30 mph), most of the roads have a maximum speed limit of 30 kph (18 mph), and some with a speed limit of 20 kph (12 mph). These speeds are fine for me on this old motor bike. In fact, I go up some of the hills at a little faster than a jogger's pace, and some times the bike needs a little help , Flinstones style.

Lefkes is my favorite village on the island. During the Middle Ages, Lefkes was the capital of the island of Paros. It has churches dating back to the 15th century CE. With a population of only 500, and no beach so no teenage tourists, it has maintained its charm even during the high tourist season.

Lefkes laundry

Red shutters are nice too

The Byzantine Road

The Byzantine road goes from Lefkes to the village of Prodromos, about 4 kilometers to the east, and then continues to the sea. Originally it went from the port of Paroikia on the west coast, to the port of Piso Livadhi on the east. I went to 6 or 7 internet sites to find the age of the road, but couldn't find a date.

Stone house and wind mill

Byzantine road and Lefkes - The road meanders through the country side of olive trees and wind mills

lefkes in the back ground

End of the road for me - the village of Prodromos, with the hill of Ayios Antonios Church

There is something very provocative about seeing the two roads (the old Byzantine road and the new, paved one) in the same photo.

8/7: Parikia

Early this morning I drove the motor bike to Parikia

The small harbor at Parikia

The northern edge of Parikia

Ekatontapyliani (really, not a mispelling) Church

I came to Parikia this morning to see this church (highly recommended by my friend Karina), which translates to "Church of 100 Doors" (I don't know why the name). It was built in the 6th century CE during the Byzantine Period, during the reign of Emperor Justinian. The church was designed by the architect Ignatius, a student of Isidore, the designer of Hagia Sophia in Istanbul. According to legend, when Isidore saw Exatontapyliani Church, in a fit of jealous rage, Isidore tried to push Ignatius from the roof, and they both fell to their deaths.

Also in the town of Parikia is a cemetery, which was in use for over 1000 years, from the 8th century BCE until the 3rd century CE. (Those numbers blow me away!)

Before I left Parikia, I bought a kilo of fresh figs (called sika in Greek, and now on my list of favorite fruits - though nothing compares to the mangosteen) and a kilo of that cactus fruit (a picture in my blog on August 6th) called sabra in Israel and ragosika in Greek. Life has been good here on Paros - really good people (Karina, Georgios, and their friends I have been introduced to), and lots of walking, swimming, motor biking, and, of course, eating.

8/7: Totally out of place photos of Malaysian sea life

In the beginning of April I spent a week of snorkeling on the island of Pulau Perhentian in the northeast corner of Malaysia. My friend Jessica, who rented the bungalow next door to me, had an underwater camera, which she lent to me when I went snorkeling alone. She just sent me these photos. And though snorkeling in Greece in no way compares to Southeast Asia (mostly I see rocks underwater here, though there are a few little fish), this seems like an okay place to squeeze these photos in.

"Big lipped" clams (I called them) - they were huge, and such a variety of colors!

Sea slug - also huge, some of them grew as long as my forearm

Finding Nemo just about everywhere

8/6: Ayios Antonios

Quote (from Carla's friend):
"The most important thing is to renew the relationship with yourself every day."

In the morning I took the motor bike to Marmara (about 10 kilometers south of Naoussa), parked the bike and walked up the hill (which you can see from just about everywhere on the island) to Ayios Antonios Church on the top.

View of Ayios Antonios Church from the south

Marmara village from part way up the hill

In Israel they call this cactus fruit "sabra." I don't know the name in Greek.

The coast line to the northeast of Ayios Antonios

The coast line to the southeast of Ayios Antonios

Laundry photo in Marmara

In the late afternoon I went north of Santa Maria beach to this almost deserted beach (not easy to find during tourist season in Greece) for a little snorkel.

8/5: Baggage

I rode the motorbike around the entire island today.

Some coastal town - for much of the trip today I didn't know where I was, but the island is a circle, so I knew if I kept heading in the same direction I'd eventually come back to where I started (sort of).

Another coastal town

A nice place to sit

My favorite part of the trip - I passed this fig tree and stole a few fresh figs. There are not many things better than fresh figs ("And they are even sweeter when you steal them right off a tree," said Georgios.)

It's time to let go of the past

and step into the mystery of the present.

And here lies the challenge:

how to experience the "mystery" without dragging the baggage I carry around.

And I might even carry less baggage than most,

for I am a seasoned traveller

and have spent a lot of time and energy lightening my load.

But I feel the burden of the load nonetheless.

And no matter how light the load,

the reality is I never learned how to get naked.

Some of the baggage is habitual,

while other baggage serves as protection of some sort.

It has some survival function,

of it would be easy to rid myself of it.

I guess the question is:

What protection do I think I need?

What am I being protected from?

What are my fears?

(Uups, three questions, not one)

8/4: On Irreversibility

Morning Reflection:

I take a step forward

Then a step back

And though it seems I am in the exact same spot as two steps ago

I am not

There was motion, decision, maybe evaluation, reconsideration, adjustment

Or maybe no conscious thought at all, only random actions

But time has passed

It was all part of the two steps that bought me right back to where I was,

To where I am

Now, a different place in time

I am different - changed, grown

Due to the actions and thoughts involved in moving forward

And then back

Nothing repeats itself

It is always new

Irreversible

We are always only moving forward

The only tragedy is not learning

And falling into similar patterns

There is no point in time, isolated from other points

That I can point to and say,

This is where I made the choice to go in this direction

For every place I am is based on the almost infinite places

And times

And thoughts

That led to this moment

What this means for me

Is that every moment is new

Full of potentialities

Inherent in Newness

Quote

The reflection above reminded me of one of my favorite passages from Don Miguel Ruiz: "Imagine you have the ability to see the world with different eyes, whenever you chose. Each time you open your eyes, you see the world around you in a different way . . . Imagine living your life without fear of expressing your dreams . . . Imagine living your life without fear of being judged by others . . . Imagine living your life without judging others . . . Imagine living your life without fear of loving and being loved . . . Imagine living your life without being afraid to take a risk and to explore life. You are not afraid to lose anything . . . Imagine that you love yourself just the way you are."

8/2 through 8/4: Birthdays

8/2: Happy Birthday Georgios!

Georgios's birthday dinner

Menu:
split pea dip with camelized onions
Tzatziki
grilled veggies with cous cous
Darkos (or paximadi) salad
Arugula salad with sundried tomatoes and sour goat cheese
saganaki - fried cheese
lakano dolmades - stuffed cabbage leaves
muosakka
lamb uvetzi - lamb with orzo pasta
chocolate and strawberry mousse birthday cake

Intan and Fara (on top)

Georgios cutting his birthday cake

8/3: Happy Birthday Christy!

Sunrise walk to the lighthouse again

View walking back from the lighthouse

Georgios lent me his motorbike, so I rode to the town of Kostos in the hills south of Naoussa

And then a little further south to the village of Lefkes

One of the few not-white houses I've seen

Lefkes also has an labyrinth (I think all Greek villages do)

A truly amazing labyrinth

Lefkes laundry

Back at Karina's Taverna - stuffed zucchini and stuffed cabbage for dinner

Loukoumades - donut-like balls, covered with honey or chocolate - this guy always has a long line outside his shop

8/4: Motorbike ride to the main town of Parikia

Parikia

A couple times now Greeks have made fun of Americans who think when they come to Greece they will still see old men with their donkeys going to market

I love this old door (sorry, I don't have any good photos of the town of Parikia)