Drive to Delphi.
Thursday 12 Sept 2019

Ready to move on, sad to leave magical Meteora. The safety and stories of the stones ..

We get packed up and picked up in a luxury van holding 16 of us. An extra luggage container,the driver is prepared and efficient and loads us with out complaint. We drive for hours through Greek countryside of the mainland safely, with our driver Yargos (George).

I am reminded that how I spend my money is my politics. Where will I buy and what will I buy, will I tip and how much? How I make the choice to travel and the places I go. The driver seems optimistic about these new times, new days for Greece. We talk about both being at Montreal for Olympics in 1976. Small world … so many opportunities in life. With pride and gratitude we talk.

Many conversations and deep talks already on this trip. So special. How is it for women. Notice … support … listen …

Greece is 77 times smaller than Canada. Only 11.2 million population in Greece. Another 15-17 million Greeks living around the world. Third largest concentration of Greeks is in Melbourne Australia!

For quality of life, we all agree Canada is one of top three places in the world. I look off to see herons and cranes in the fields, hear small bells chimes in churches, see bee hives along the roads, little places of worship. Some 88-90 some percent of Greece is practicing Greek Orthodox religion.

We stopped at the museum of the battle of thermopolye. (300 Spartans). We hear stories, consult maps, watch a well done film. It’s a nice stop and many of the tour buddies love being on this site.

The olive trees, silver and green blowing gently and showing their leaves … strong large windy trunks and branches holding space for the fruit and delicate leaves, holding the stories of their time, as far as the eye can see. With tall stately Cyprus trees, dark green holding their own, on their own. So many groves of olive trees, a million olive trees,as far as we can see. Some times can be spotted red terra cotta tile roofs. We climb, the road winds end ever we press onward, gawking out the window and wondering about the olives in this area. Groves and groves, miles and miles, trees upon trees, it looks like carpet. Each tree it’s an ancient story. What is it saying? That one and that one… I try to capture the vastness on my iPad, another corner, another turn, more trees, climbing higher. We talked bout the harvesting of the olives, the season and uses of these delightful fruits.

Cyprus trees are symbolic of the soul. Olive trees of knowledge. Holding knowledge. More switchbacks, more views

We arrive , the acropole hotel guest house. Lunch standard local version of Greek salad. A Greek man, waiter seemed to think I was particularly beautiful and commented several times. .

More to follow another day …

Pamela