Down time and Discoveries
- Posted by on June 6th, 2017 filed in Uncategorized
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The past few days have been lighter in travel and tour time, allowing us to rest and recoup after a few days of a more intense schedule . We spent a few leisurely days on the shores of Kavala and made our way to Thessaloniki. Bus travel has been instrumental in just how much we have seen of Greece. The terrain is ever changing and brilliantly beautiful and I have personally spent the hours on the bus reflecting, writing, and thinking while enjoying the scenery through the window.
**Aerial of Thes
Lindos, Rhodes during sunrise
saloniki
Thessaloniki is the second largest city in Greece- Athens being the largest. While is is located right on the water, there are not beaches as easily accessible as they were in Kavala and Rhodes, so options are somewhat limited in what to do in the free time we have had after two half day tours. There are many shops and cafes to enjoy but today the Christians celebrated the Holy Spirit ( also known as Pentecost) so many businesses were closed. We got a small glimpse of how religion is expressed when we went to St. Demetrius’ Church as they were holding their Sunday mass. It felt strange entering a church as a spectator rather than a participant and many of us exited quickly and stayed outside out of reverence and respect to the church community. Our tour guide did not think much of it, but many of us questioned whether or not that was the most culturally sensitive approach to seeing the church… my opinion is that it was not. Many people were dressed well and took the time to visit the icons scattered around the outskirts of the main assembly so a group of 30 american, backpack wielding college students was hardly inconspicuous. Through this experience, many of us have acknowledged the importance of cultural awareness and would forego a similar experience in the future.
** St. Demetrius’ Church
In our unguided time, we have been free to explore and have individual experiences which have made this incredible trip even more meaningful. Whether running seaside paths (any and every opportunity) or chasing sunsets, we have all used our downtime enjoy this country, making memories that will last a lifetime. 
**secluded beach in Kavala
I like to think that finding beauty in our journeys is worth going through unknown, unexpected, and trying times. Going off of this realization, there came a moment during this trip where I felt fear and anxiety, however, the outcome proved to be more than I could have ever hoped for. It was 4am and a couple of us had awaken to take an hour trip to Lindos via taxi to capture the sunrise. We were feeling entirely exhausted and excited, however, worry set in as the taxi never showed to pick us up. Still holding onto our desire to be in Lindos for the sunrise, we thought it would be best to wave down a taxi around 5:15am. Before we were given a chance to lose our patience, a taxi pulled up and drove us to the end of the island of Rhodes, known as Lindos. Unexpectedly, getting there proved to be an hour of pure fear and anxiety. It turned out the taxi driver was used to driving 140 mph on the roads going towards Lindos and here we were, holding on for our dear lives. We thought we may not make it and that maybe this was a mistake, but we soon realized this experience would be remembered for a lifetime. By the grace of God, we made it to Lindos and there the sunrise was waiting for us. As I quickly got out of what I acknowledge as the terrifying taxi, I suddenly felt as though the world was at a stand still. There I was, God’s important, yet small creation, looking out into the vastness of the Aegean Sea He beautifully constructed. I remember taking a moment to reflect upon God’s love for us and the world as a whole. I would have never imagined I would be standing here in this beautiful place, but here I was taking in the sunrise in Lindos, Greece. I believe that even though we were not all able to capture this sunrise, there is something so impactful and crucial we can take away from this. Going through treacherous journeys is not always something we should see as negative. In fact, there are many times we should be placing ourselves outside our comfort zones. If we place time in our lives to accomplish this, we will find beauty and joy in our outcomes whether the experience was good or not.
**Lindos, Rhodes during sunrise
As we have all undergone unguided time to explore the scenic views and cultural pastimes of Greece, we have placed ourselves in unfamiliar, yet beautiful, territories where we were able to reflect upon our own day-to-day lives. Needless to say, beauty was commonly found in our explorations, whether these explorations were filled with unknown, unexpected, and trying times.
Ta-ta for now!
Tamara & Taylor
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