A Random Tuesday

What did you do Tuesday?

Well, this is how I spent my day.....

Got up early in the morning.  Rushed out the door before I even had coffee.  Picked up my sister-in-law Katerina (the wife of Christos's brother, Spiros,) and went here:

We joined those already there and still arriving, and all piled way too many people haphazardly into these boats (it is not America...no waivers were signed and nobody gave a thought to safety, liability, or the coast guard.)

 

and went here

                           

We climbed up 160 over-sized stairs, to where the view looked a lot like this

It is a little island with a small church at the top, and they were having a festival.  Lots of people we know were up there.  Once at the top, we attended an outdoor church service.  It was conducted by the priest of Sinarades, the same one who married us.  I did not get any good pictures of the service.  I get a little bit self-conscious when I feel like I look really touristy and foreign, as I am supposed to be a local and all.  But here is a shot of the little outdoor alter they had made (it was under an umbrella.)

 

The little basket had been full of bread.  They had a special communion service just for children.  There were A LOT of children up there, and old people, and I often hoped a doctor as well after seeing the state of some of those old people as they arrived at the top of the stairs.  After the main, outdoor service, they held a small little special service inside the church.  It is 1540 years old.   The pictures from inside are not that great (again, I was snapping a a little sneakily...I don't know why it embarrasses me so much, Christos has no problem.)

 

Once the actual service was over, a big party began.  They were passing out this really sweet, Greek holy bread that makes everything smell so good.  These were also cooking, and that also makes things smell pretty good.

 

And (thank goodness!) they were serving coffee!!!! 

Everyone enjoyed talking and visiting and just taking in the scenery.  

                                 

Our nephews, Nikos and Phillipas (Katerina and Spiros's sons,) along with lots of other young folks had spent the previous night up there.  I did not want to embarrass them with a photo op (they are both college-age, and really nice guys...they also have a sister who is away on an internship) but I did take a picture of some of their supplies.

 

We chatted and laughed, hung around for a while, and then went back down the stairs (always scarier for me,) loaded back on a little boat, and waved goodbye to the island.

Until next time....

Oh, and, on the way back we passed a nude beach.  Of course, because what Greek day on the water would be complete without full-frontal male nudity?  We all just laughed, but I wondered how awkward that was for the father and his early-teenage-age daughter in the front of the boat?  (Sorry y'all, no pictures of that!!  Don't be too disappointed.)

And, while we are on that topic, let me share another small island story.  The first time I went to this festival was two years ago.  My Canadian friend, Ashley, and I were there with our respective Greek men.  We were actually having a picnic/playday at a nearby beach and just came across and climbed up for a sackful of lamb and a bag of beer.  Well, all the men cooking the lamb thought it would be hilarious to try and make the two foreign girls eat the two little round "parts" that come on boy lambs.  Well, they did not know who they were dealing with.  She and I popped those little suckers right in, chewed, and swallowed.  We got some laughs and cheers on that one.  And I will tell ya now, they were not half bad!!!!

So, that was the story of my Tuesday.  Was yours about the same????