Siesta time in Greece

These little goats where getting some water at a roadside spring

Kalavrita, Greece

We arrived at Kalavrita about 4 pm yesterday. Our hotel looks like an alpine chalet. The little town is very high in the mountains and is the local ski hill. The streets are very narrow and it looks like a mix of Swiss country and renissance Greece. We where going to try and get a pastry or something when we arrived but everything is closed right now. Yorgos says this is the siesta time and nothing will open again until about 6-7 pm. I took my drawing pad out on our balcany and spent the afternoon drawing and just listening to the quiet. We Americans have a lot we could learn about life from the Greeks. Everything is quiet, no dogs barking, no children playing in the streets, no scooters buzzing around. The air is still and dark like a storm coming in. The only sound you hear is the breeze in the trees. Tamra and Helen are reading and trying to nap. There is a peace that everyone takes in. As the clock gets close to 6 pm I can hear a bit activity. A child calling for mama, a dog barking, someone sweeping... slowly all the noise comes back and the people begin to open for business. I hear a scooter going down the street and a distant sound of thunder. Siesta time... Yorgos says it's the custom everywhere to cope with the heat. Many people don't have air conditioning, people have a late snack and prepare for the evening. The retaurants are full of locals sitting and enjoying a drink or coffee.

Yorgos meets us about 7:30 to fill us in on our rest day tomorrow. Even though we are suppose to be resting from riding he has several places for us to see. Tonight we walk around the town square and he tells us the tragic story of this town. During WWII the mountains around Kalavrita where a stronghold for the resistance. The Germans took the region and wanted to teach the people a lesson so in Kalavrita on Dec. 13, 1943 they gathered up all the males over age 13, and led them out of town to a ravine and shot them all. They then gathered all the women and children locked them into school and set it on fire. They where able to break the windows and doors and many escaped. The Germans let them go without shooting at those escaping. We visited the memorial this evening.

Very somber, the sculpture below the memorial picture is of a grieving woman. Such horror. One of the inscriptions is a prayer for an end to war.

Kalavrita Place of Sacrifice Memorial

This is a beautiful area. Friday morning is cool and foggy so we all decide to go visit the caves in the area and a beautiful grove of trees called Planno trees (spelling?). We lunch on another wonderful Greek salad... we all love the fetta cheese and olive oil now. After our strength training via Helen.. Helen has always been so fit and into training. I finally give in and join the group.. we're all growning but very ready for lunch. Now Tamra and I head off for our mini bike ride to the local monastary. of Agia Lavra tucked away in the hills. This little chapel is where the Greek revolution against the Ottoman Empire was launched in 1821.

Monastary at Agia Lavra

Grotto shrine at Monastary of Agia Lavra

Tamra and Helen both want me to say hello to all. We are all having a wonderful time. Ah soo. (by by) The town is full of activity right now.. about 9 pm. Helen is enjoying a note from Bill and Tamra is off exploring the gypsey bazaar in the streets.. she's found some plastic bowls etc. for our now daily shopping for bread and greek salad and baklava feasts!! I'm going off to find that local gelatto shop.