As I sit here writing this post entry (Tuesday, 3:00PM) it is 57 degrees and sunny here and I see its -9 degrees in Medina! I guess when your winds come out of Africa and across the Mediterranean instead of down from Canada and across Lake Erie there is a bit of difference. This is Ian's last day of holiday break and he has been running errands all morning with a quick stop at school to be sure his room is ready for tomorrow. Karen and I just came in from grocery shopping which includes stops at a deli for cheese, a fruit stand for oranges, bananas, mandarin oranges and apples, plus a stop at market for milk, etc. in our shirtsleeves. I regret not bringing a pair of shorts. Yesterday was the religious holiday of Epiphany (John baptized Jesus) and is celebrated here by the blessing of the waters (ocean, lake, river) which entails a priest tossing a cross into the water and multiple young men diving into the water to retrieve it. A bit of a polar bear swim with a little religion thrown in for good measure. The event takes place in various bodies of water all over Greece. We all went down to the city harbor to watch. We were not able to get close enough to see the actual event, but it was still nice to be with the crowd and enjoy the outdoors. Artemis behaved all wrapped up in her carrier on Ian's chest. We strolled around a bit, bought some sweets and took a taxi back home.
Shopping for sweets.
Mid-afternoon Karen and I walked back to the center, window shopped and eventually ended up at this little taverna called Myrsini. It was highlighted in our guidebook as their "pick". Their specialty is traditional Cretan dishes. They have moved around the corner since the guidebook was written, but we had little problem finding it. As with most tavernas it was a bit smoky, but the food was as good as the book said. I would like to get back one more time before we head home.
After eating we strolled along the harbor-front with a few hundred of our friends. This is a favorite activity of the locals at all times of the day and night.
The White Tower, the traditional landmark of Thessaloniki and our emergency meeting spot should we get separated:-)
Morning
Night
New mom and dad just chillin'
No introduction needed!
(photo by Eleftheria)
Man, it's cool to watch the progression of your photography! You're really gettin that contraption fig'rd out. You're night shots are so colourful and crisp. I really like the nighttime shot of the seafront and the morning shot of the little ship. It was nice to catch up with you all this morning.
ReplyDeleteLovely pictures. And that one of Artemis is so adorable. It's amazing how quickly she's growing! Keep exploring the city and let us know what kinds of good stuff you find!
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