Grandma Princess Ponderings: 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"! 😃