Off to the “Crypto-Friendliest City in the World”, Loutraki, Greece! (Part 2)
After such a long trip, a huge jet lag and the wall of heat arriving in Greece, a quick shower in a marble bathroom was just as powerful an experience as the sleep that followed!
As soon as I woke up, I couldn’t help it. I jumped out of bed, to see what view was going to be opening before my eyes. I knew the Mediterranean Sea was at my doorstep, some healthy mature palm trees growing across the street, but nothing prepared me for the sight coming up too slowly for my likings at that point. The mechanical blinds were grinding their way up as the sun rays started to pound on my feet, travelling upwardly all the way to my heart till I felt compelled to slide the door open…
A soft breeze floated through the doorway, but almost like a white noise, the sound of cicadas was the main undertone of the experience. Against a desert background and pungent sumac scents simmering in the salty waters of this humid air, the vista was punctuated by a calm and colourful sea. Reflecting its banks, the aquamarine mirror gently shared its pastel revelations. In itself, it was heartbreakingly beautiful.
From this balcony, three story high above the street, early morning joggers of all ages went back and forth, fishermen were busying themselves with their passion if not necessity, and a few swallows attracted my attention well below. Swooping through branches of giant fig trees, they were chasing one another and effortlessly carried my gaze to the cutest little house I have seen in the area. This very humble abode with its terracotta roofing was decorated of its traditional Greek designs and colours, white and blue. One would not forget to add up the national flags as pride if not dignity is characteristically strong in the area.
Straight form the street, the owners had build a little party through the rocks and bushes along which they had carefully placed miniature effigies only hidden them partially so a curious walker would see them appear both on the way up or the way down the dusty path. The arrangement seems to be rather appealing for children of all ages…
Exhilaration mounted quickly and all signs of weariness vanished like fog in the sun. I quickly turned back on my heels, closed the deck door and blinds, allowing for A/C to do its proper job again. I jumped in a pair of shorts and a thin cotton shirt to mosey outside as quickly as I could after slinging on my camera. Time for a bit of a walk in the easily endured early morning warmth. It was only 7 a.m. after all!
The soft briny air and ocean-like smells reminded me of home, but such temperature was anything but Haida Gwaii where temperatures would usually be nearing 13 to 16 degrees on very exceptionally warm morning. Hardly any cars or motorcycles drove by. Actually, there were more joggers and people enjoying their early morning walks than anything else out there on the street. An excited pack of stray dogs, perfectly harmless, roamed the sidewalks while claiming territories and socializing.
I crossed the street and took a first shot. It felt a bit like me at the moment. This small boat pleasantly floated in front of me while seemingly looking ahead, gazing at the horizons opening before itself. Through what looks like a giant gaping mouth far in the distance, the Mediterranean Sea opened onto its vast expanses and, with the subtle pink and golden light of the moment, the shores across from where we stood were humbly glowing. We were in for a seriously hot day I presumed.
Slowly venturing out toward the heart of the city along the building crowded shore, I turned around to face the mountains on my left-hand side. Heralding under the umbrella of “The Sacred” as the theme of the day, a lone monastery had appeared beyond the heights of the nearby hotels and apartment buildings in various states of deterioration, sometimes vacant while sometimes packed and everything in between.
A few kilometres further up the road, a marina as small in stature as its famous boats offered another opportunity for photography. These endearing little vessels were seemingly hanging on a transparent turquoise platform that had the look of a giant blue-green block of plexiglass.
As time went by rather quickly, I knew I had to return to the hotel where a free Mediterranean breakfast was served. I subsequently learned that most hotels served a free breakfast over there and what a breakfast! Fresh local olives and apricots, bananas and oranges, cottage cheese and fresh yogurt, sunny-side-up eggs floating on a thin layer of exquisite olive oil, right-out-of-the-oven baking of delicate pastries as well as the usual accompaniment of toasts, jams, butter and whipped cream for the waffles and fruits, coffee and teas, including freshly squeezed orange juice. I sat on top of the hotel, over looking the sea as the breeze swayed my highly appreciative thoughts of gratitude for life and my hosts, the palm and fig trees down below, and the expanses of water before my soul.
I was told the night before that our friend 
First, the Mass! Time pressed us on as the ceremony was just about to start. The sinuous road up to the church brought us up higher and higher along the sides of the same mountain I had peered at earlier where a monastery hung in the middle of the slope, apparently alone in the area…
This specific location and its surroundings has been over the centuries a centre for devout, for saints and spiritually endowed pious pilgrims, from all over the world. A very special gift was coming to light for me. Our friends were unofficially giving us a tour of the sacred lands and pilgrimage sites around their stomping grounds!
Our first stop would be the “Monastery of Agios Gerasimos”, the Monastery of Saint Erasmus, a traditional Greek Orthodox church hanging on the flanks of the Geraneia Mountain that rises straight from behind the hotel where I am going to be staying for the next four nights. The narrow windy road to get up here could hardly allow two cars to pass each other on the side of the precipice. apparently though, the drive was well known to our special driver of the day and
(As one walks inside Saint Erasmus Church, near Loutraki, a strong sense of sacredness emanates from the place. the thick walls prevents the pilgrims and pious churchgoers from feeling the brunt of the heat outside, during the summer, or the frigid humid air of winter.)
Deferring to our hosts as to how one has to go about in the process of the ceremony, I religiously followed the instructions. With a heart as wide as my eyes, I contemplated on my surroundings. Meanwhile, the liturgy unravelled ceaselessly. Familiar singing resembling the Ottoman inspired style from Sufi classical music toned out of a small choir and soloing man sang the praise. The orthodox priest went about his religious affair back and forth while prayerful people of all ages went about the icons of the holy images making the triple signs of the cross over their forehead, heart, and shoulders, sometimes bending in a procession of movements crowned by a kiss or the semblance of one.
(A close-up painting pf Saint Erasmus, only a few steps inside the church, on the left-hand side of the entrance.)
We were but another group of people among this highly reverential pastoral gathering. Yet, a strong sense of community reign in the space. I was feeling blessed, graced by an unknown I had only sensed a few times in some special churches, cathedrals and sacred places. In my entrails, I couldn’t have known that it was only the beginning of a long and holy day, but I could feel its imprinting and texture permitting my spirit.
The multiple buildings around the main compound have a lot in common and their architecture is quite typical of the area. After the ceremony, we congregated outside or inside a small chamber to share in discussions and tea while munching on small cookies. After a few minutes,
(I am describing in French what I ave described to you up above.)
After reconvening with the main crowd and while everyone were socializing, I took a few minutes to wander around photographing my favourite vistas around the location. I was particularly taken by a set of three bells. I have always loved bells! Maybe it comes from my grandfather, on my mom side who used to hang me off of the ropes he used to pull to make them ring in the church where he used to be the verger. As i was about 6 years old, maybe a bit before and certainly a while after, he’d tell me to hold on tight to the rope after a few of his strong pulls and I’d be holding on for my life as I would be pulled up at least solid four feet up and down in the air from his secure and loving embrace, always ready to catch me if I were to let go…
The temperatures under the sun were already reaching over thirty degrees and we still had a quite a few more stops to go to. So, we all happily walked back to the car under the command of our F1 driver,
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I hope this start to our trip in Loutraki, Greece, is enough to make your mouth water for some more as there is a lot more coming our way in the near future. Next time, we are going to visit with the body of Saint Patapius of Thebes, a.k.a. Saint Patapius of Egypt, whose incorruptible body can still defers miraculous phenomenon, we are going to visit Hera’s Temple, wife and sister of Zeus daughter of Rhea and Cronos, a marriage goddess, go for divine Greek food - including the most amazing tzatziki I have ever came across (Who would think a tzatziki could steal the show!?!), an excellent coffee with 
Stay tuned and, till next time, keep your smiles and taking good care, thrive on and namaste :)