The Passing of Days...

Tuesday and Wednesday were nice slow days for me. The choirs did a lot of rehearsing, which left me free. I slept in...these late nights were taking their toll, did some needed errands and wandered the town. 

Our hotel had a nice breakfast and I enjoyed a poached egg each morning...(notice the plate is much less full then earlier and here you can see the interesting ribbon handle of the coffee cup--out of luck if you were left handed)

until I didn't. 😕 I didn't know I could get tired of poached eggs. We Americans are so spoiled by the variety of our diet. How I longed for American style bacon with my eggs. The little apple strudels were quite yummy and I had cheese and olives every morning--oops, must have eaten the olives before I took the photo. Olives were everywhere, of course, and I really liked these large green ones with a very free pit. They were called crushed olives...and indeed each one had a spot where it looked like it had been crushed...maybe in the curing process. I ate three each day with my breakfast! 

All of the juices and milk were lukewarm...the milked shelf boxed, not refrigerated. Jeshua found refrigerated milk at the little market we frequented for water, so kept a quart in our fridge. We filled a larger water glass with ice and then filled it with orange juice. Cold and delightful.

So I dropped the eggs (although I put a hard boiled one in my pocket for an afternoon protein snack) and my breakfast looked more like this...

I had taken along some cup of soup packets, but we did not have a coffeemaker or tea kettle in our room, so I reverted to soup for breakfast...(photo missing two already eaten olives) and a half slice of this pound cake, but not as sweet, which was really yummy spread with the ever present nutella, and a phyllo dough square that had chopped olives and I think maybe small chopped bits of eggplant--don't tell Jeshua--and cheese! He really liked it and I thought it was so-so. And, of course I kept eating the cheese! 

Feeling in desperate need of a familiar taste, Jeshua found a (hopefully) true hamburger cafe in a bit of an out of the way place.

Cold water...though no ice in sight...

And a glorious true hamburger!

Of course with French fries, plus a little salad and a sauce that was as close to mayo as I was going to get! Very yummy and look at the cute little paper lined, wooden box it came in!

So appreciated the familiar taste.

We found that the internet at the library worked much better than at our hotel. When I asked a local about the library, she had assured me that it was a BIG (arms spread wide ) library with internet, computers and a places to work. Having been completely spoiled by the downtown Modesto library, I was sure that her "big" and mine had different definitions and I was right. 😀

The library had two floors, with the downstairs being more an archival type library and the actual lending library upstairs. There were two rows of three tables each. On one row were a total of 6 computer stations. On the other row were three typewriters ready and waiting for use! But we appreciated the fast internet and cool place to work.

This was the children's corner.

A nice art project exhibit across the top and low tables with pillow seating. 

As I meandered around town, I kept track of the kitties...

These two were outside of this local sausage making shop.

And I eventually saw someone feeding them in an out of the way spot in an alley.

We kept trying out the various flavors of gelato...Jeshua trying the more exotic...I liked the variations of salted caramel.

...although this 2 scoop of a chocolate and a cherry was quite yummy.

As in other parts of Europe, I found the flavors of potato chips to be interesting. I skipped the ketchup ones and the pizza ones in favor of these, which turned out to be really good.

On Tuesday night, the combined choirs sang the Stabat Mater again and then Wednesday night, we attended a concert of a Schubert Mass No. 2 in G Major by the Presbyterian folks, a variety of pieces by the French children's choir and Vivaldi's Gloria by the Arizona High School kids. I sat by an couple from London who have been coming to the Festival in Syros for 4 or 5 summers. They love the hominess of the island and enjoy all the music. Some of the concerts require tickets and some are free. I did notice that the free ones are in churches. 

Since VOT did not sing that evening, Jeshua suggested they go down to the square and sing, which they did. They sang in two different locations. Emily held out a hat and they made 50 euros!! Cool! Gelato all around!!

 
We mostly found our own lunches and suppers choosing from all the cafes. Twice I had a slice of a Greek "pizza" type offering...a dough bottom and then finely chopped veggies, olives and feta...really good for 3,20 euros. I found that the little cafe just across the street from us had great gyros for 2,20 if you got them for take away--2,60 if you stayed at a table. I took the ever present French fries out to eat on the side, and it made a great inexpensive lunch--pork, tomatoes, red onions, and a very good tzatziki sauce. All on a nice fresh pita. Delicious!

I have never really had this kind of vacation before...where you just are somewhere with no agenda...or toddlers to take of or children to keep busy. I've been knitting one of the "knit for kids" sweaters. I have the front done and am now working on the back. I can imagine I'm in someone's vacation photos sitting on the bench along the square in the evening, with the black cat stretched out underneath, knitting away.

Monday--Beach Day!

Monday was pretty much a free day and, while some folks went by ferry to another island--the tourist popular Mykonos--we went to the beach across the island. Jeshua had scoped out several choices and chatted with some local folks. We ended up directly across the island at Kini. You can see Hermoupolis on the east side and Kini on the west--note the curvy road in between! Less than five miles, but over and around the mountains. We took the local island bus which took us 20 minutes. I totally admire the skills of those bus drivers!

To start our day we walked the complete "u" of the harbor...our hotel was almost to the point of one side and the bus stop was almost to the point of the opposite side. We passed this gas station:

Of course the cost is in Euros ($1.20 to one euro) and the measurement is in liters.

I went into the gas station to get a diet coke (missing my DP) and saw actual chocolate candy bars!!! They just don't exist at all the little shops...too hot, I guess! They only had a few kinds, but oh the joy of Bounty--chocolate dipped coconut, when you haven't had any for a while!

The expanse of water across the harbor.

Once we arrived at Kini, the bus stopped right at the beach. Kini is a sleepy little town with a population of about 500. There were rows and rows of beach chairs under umbrellas and they were in sections by colors...turned out that each little cafe was in charge of a section and you could either rent the chair/umbrella for 3-7 euros or buy a drink/snack and use one for free. Jeshua and I promptly ordered frappes off the menu...which turned out to be an iced coffee with a sweet cream layer on top. Not what we had expected, but good! 

The view from my chair!

Looking to the left...

...and to the right.

It was a perfect day. The water was just right...saltier than the Pacific Ocean, so you bobbed right up if you laid back! (Phil said the bobbing was actually caused by all the gelato we had been eating, but I'm pretty sure it was the salinity😎)

Feet in the Aegean!

Jeshua and I split a pizza for our late lunch. Pizza was very different there, but the same basic ingredients--but, sadly, no pepperoni!

And the local kitty wandered by.

The 16 of us came over as a group, but could go back whenever...the buses ran about every hour and 15 min. Some of them went straight back across and some went on to other places first. By the time Jeshua and I were ready to leave, there were 7 of us left. Three went in for a last swim and came out of the water just in time for the bus only to discover that if you are wet, you can't ride the bus! So they ended up with another hour+ at the beach drying off!

This monument of the mermaid with the man is in memory of all those who have lost their lives at sea. Nice.

It was a great day, made perfect by having an air conditioned room and shower to go back to! And a bus to take up there, even if I did have to walk the whole waterfront to get back to it!

Sunday: Worship, Lunch and Rossini's "Stabat Mater"

We started the day on Sunday with morning worship by the sea. Part of the Lectionary readings for this day included Psalm 24 which was amazing to hear as we sat by the sea...knowing that the ascending of hills to various little chapels lay ahead. 

Hear the Word of the Lord: Psalm 24

The earth is the Lord's and all its fullness,

The world and those who dwell therein.

For He has founded it upon the seas,

And established it up the waters.

Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord?

Or who may stand in His holy place?

He who has clean hands and a pure heart,

Who has not lifted up his soul to an idol, 

Nor sworn deceitfully.

He shall receive blessing from the Lord,

And righteousness from the God of his salvation.

This is Jacob, the generation of those who seek Him,

who seek Your face. Selah

Lift up your heads, O you gates!

And be lifted up, you everlasting doors!

And the King of glory shall come in.

Who is this King of glory?

The Lord strong and might,

The Lord mighty in battle.

Lift up your heads, O you gates!

Lift up, you everlasting doors!

And the King of glory shall come in.

Who is this King of glory?

The Lord of hosts,

He is the King of glory! Selah

It was good to pray together...to sing a hymn together, not as a choir, but as a body of believers set down together in this spot in the world. So blessed!

A wonderful group of young adults...five of whom graduated this year, so will not be returning in the fall.

That afternoon we gathered again at a little cafe Jeshua had scoped out for a group dinner together.

A great waiter who spoke enough English to be helpful!

They had prepared for our group by pulling tables together, providing us with shade and greeted us with bottles of ice cold water and breads. 

Desperate for a taste of beef, I ordered the beef steak stuffed with bacon and covered in cheese. It turned out to be kind of a coarsely ground beef, with a ham type meet in the center, but quite yummy. Funny that it came with both French fries (which seem to be included with almost anything you order) and rice!

Dining out with a group of musicians is always an adventure...here Joel was checking out the pitch of various items on the table, I think. 😎

I also ordered a Greek salad after asking what the difference was between the cucumber and tomato salad (which are the ingredients in a Greek salad) for 5 euros and the Greek Salad for 6 eros. The difference?? Feta cheese! Of course I ordered the Greek salad! When it came, I quickly discovered that I could take a substantial helping on my bread plate and still pass it on for others to share. I don't think I've seen that much feta in one place before!! It was a 3 by 4 inch slab about a half in thick laid on the top of the cucumbers and tomatoes (and sweet red onions!) which had a vinaigrette on them. Oh my, was it ever good!

When everyone had finished eating, still sitting at the table, the kids sang a cafe appropriate song called Chili Con Carne --a song that explains how to make it--"don't forget the Mexican spices!" Much appreciated by the cafe staff and the other folks eating. (When I have since wandered through that are, one of the staff sang a few words of it, smiled and waved.)

The waiter came out and announced that they would be serving dessert on the house!

They brought out these plates for two people to share that had a slice of a traditional "loaf" of date/cocoa/almond (denser-than-a-tea-bread), ice cream with a caramel sauce drizzle and, my personal favorite, an orange cake with a shredded zest glaze. Oh my--so yummy!

We had the rest of the afternoon off, and then the singers reported for warm ups. The concert in the Apollo Theater and began at 8:30 p.m.

It was choirs/orchestra for the first hour with Rossini's Stabat Mater which means "sorrowful mother" or "grieving mother" and is the story of Mary at the cross watching the crucifixion of Jesus. Here is an English rhyming version of the first line I especially liked when I researched the piece: "Mother bowed with grief appalling, must thou watch, with tears slow falling, on the cross thy dying Son?"

The music is not my favorite, though it had its moments, but I appreciated the translated word, in spite of the veneration of Mary. We protestants might have tossed the the "mother" out with the bathwater", so to speak.

(If we know about Rossini at all, it's his operas we know--the most "common" being The Barber of Seville.)

The Apollo is not a very auspicious building, but was originally built in 1864.

That's us!!

The ceiling has three Greek poets around the center and then five classic Italian composers plus Mozart--a German, called by some: "the greatest of the Italian composers"! 😃

The stage: with the orchestra and most of the singers...

...and the others are in the boxes...mostly the sopranos, I think. A very different, but cool, arrangement of the chorus.

Turning to my left...I was seated in the fourth row, second seat from the boxes.

Three of our girls...

A grainy close up of Jeshua on stage in the chorus.

Singing...the First Concert.

So, you ask, if you're at a choral festival, where's the singing? A logical question. 😎

So the festival has a resident director, Peter Taboris, who lives on the island, at least part time, along with his wife, a soprano soloist. Each July, he and MidAm International, organize choirs to come and participate. This year there are six groups: 
1-Bethel College-Voices of Triumph-an acapella group directed by Jeshua...14 students.
2-A Presbyterian Church choir from Indianapolis--with 48 singers...young adults to older adults.
3-A small group of a dozen singers from Monroe, Louisiana
4-A small group of singers high school and up from Winston Salem, NC
5-Fifty or so high school students' concert choir from Tucson, AZ They close their individual acapella program with their school song, "Let There Be Peace on Earth." Very nice and much appreciated by the audience (and me).
6-Choeur d' Enfants d'Ile-de-France...a French Children's Choir of about 40 school children.

All together(minus the children) this makes up the huge chorus for the classical work they did, Rosinni's Stabat Mater and, adding the children back in, for the Opera Gala, selections from favorite operas. Accompanying them is the Pan-European Philahmonia of Warsaw, a mostly young adult orchestra. In addition, the orchestra has done several concerts of their own-Beethoven & Tchaikovsky. The venues are small, but stuffed for every performance.

So the first thing the Bethel kids participated in was an outdoor performance at St. Mary the Virgin Greek Orthodox Church in the mountain village of Xroussa. We went in large buses along the narrow roads and around the curves, climbing up into the center of the island.

Once we got off the bus we climbed up onto the level church grounds.

A small, but beautiful church, with a nice children's play area to the one nicely shaded side.

Not very old...😎

The Bell Tower

The children's play area along the side of the church.

The view from the corner of the road...notice the big round mirror on the left. Lots of them at curves and corners here. Also notice the terraced land...maybe a row of grapes or olive trees within the terrace.

The inside taken from the door under the dated arch. There is a door on each side. The space was empty of its chairs as they were outside for the guests.

The Last Supper painting - you can see it up high in the previous photo, but can't tell what it is.

A little closer look at the front.

The groups each had a sound check...the concert didn't start until 9 p.m. which seemed really late to me then, but now I see that the late evenings here are full of activity--the cooler time of day!

Jeshua and VOT (Voices of Triumph)

The Presbyterians

It started to get dark...and people arrived. A nice crowd--all mixed ages who seemed to appreciate all the music.  Jeshua and I both have some sound recordings, but I'll have to do a final post when I get home--can't seem to get them to upload from here. The local priest gave the introduction and welcome, both in Greek and in English. 

The lights and stone wall/gates made a really nice backdrop. They ended with Stand By Me--the hymn...When the storms of life are raging, stand by me...beautiful!

After the concert, the church ladies had prepared a reception for all of us--no small undertaking! They had nice little round ham & cheese sandwiches plus a swirled slice of a nice bread with little bites of bacon inside. Very yummy! Also nice cold water and orange soda. Folks were very friendly, even though we couldn't speak together. They were genuinely appreciative of our being there.

The reception was up yet again on another level of the hill. This looks down over the concert area.

And then we loaded up and took the buses through the darkness back to Hermopolis. A really nice evening.