Moni Profiti Ilias

Today we woke up and after a quick breakfast at our hotel, we headed up to one of the many monasteries which are dotted all around the island. The climb was more strenuous then I’d expected partly because I’ve been out of shape for the past few months. Yet hiking up the beautiful slopes of Hydra brought back many of the feelings I’d experienced before while hiking through certain parts of the Sierra Foothills and other mountains near home. The beautiful smell of pine was in the air and the sound of the wind rustling through the pine trees reminded me of many of the hikes that I have had in the past. These are all memories and experiences that I’ve carried with me from before. This sort of familiarity with the setting and environment translated itself into my physical body as well and I carried the sort of endurance with me that my body was used to after hiking so many trails in the past. Upon reaching the summit of the hill I finally spotted the monastery and felt the familiar feeling of relief which I’d felt before when finally reaching the summit of a climb. From the top, I could look all around me and in every direction I catch a panoramic view of the sea. The town of hydra which at one point was visible during the hike had now disappeared and the scenery was replaced by the rolling foothills, the many trees, and the view of the great sea. I found a quite spot in the shade and soaked in all of the scenery surrounding me. I was the first one from our group to make it to the top and the others were still making their way up the vertical mountainous path; one switchback at a time. As I sat contemplating the beauty around me, I began to think about God while inspired by my surroundings. In that moment I could feel closer to Him and a moment of intimacy sprung up as I thought about His love for me and everything beautiful that he has created. Mostly I thought about His sustaining power in the natural world around me. I feel that being closer to the wilderness always brings me closer to Him, the creator of the wilderness. As the rest of the group finally makes their way to the summit, I head into the monastery. The monastery is a squared compound and standing in the middle of it is the main church. The outer part of the monastery contains the monks’ residences as well as other smaller rooms. The open space of the compound creates a feeling of peace and tranquility. One particular monk is especially warm to us and invites us to sit down in one of the outer rooms to enjoy some cold water. As we cram into the tiny room we sit to sip cold water, and enjoy Turkish delights while many of us catch our breath from the long climb. The monks themselves live an almost ascetic and spiritual lifestyle that characterizes this place from most of the normal world and the lives of most believers. I’ve always thought that this sort of life creates a certain real attractiveness to the things of God.

Vespers at the Aegean

Friday night is especially memorable. We walk to a spot near the shore, overlooking the Aegean to have Friday night vespers. The final bit of the sun is starting to disappear in the horizon and the bright orange and red rays of the sun light up most of the sky. In the distance, not far from us, the houses and restaurants of the port of Hydra begin to light up. As the sun sets completely, the dotted lights from the shops combine with the bright moonlight to create a beautiful reflection of light on the ocean. As our group beings to sing, small groups of tourists walk up behind us, many of them noticing our singing and then going on their way. One particular tourist, who seems to be alone stops for a second near where we are singing and sits down to listen to our songs. The sea is spread out before us and her gaze is fixed to the ocean while enjoying our songs. She stays for the remainder of our song service before continuing on her way. Many of us feel impressed by her intention to stay and listen. During this time I think about what sort of witness we are as a group to everyone around us during our stay here. We may not know the lives and hearts of others but I realize that inside the heart of every human being is a longing to see spirituality and a longing to find God. What a great witness especially when displayed by a group of young people like ourselves. It’s amazing to know that even as sinful humans God can still use us as young people to be an example to others and to be living witnesses of God’s work in our lives.

The Island of Hydra

The long boatride from Athens, traverses a bumpy and somewhat rough part of the Aegean Sea into the Island of Hydra. After a two hour ride at sea, we finally arrive at the port town on the island of Hydra. After unloading from the boat we make our way through the maze-like streets of Hydra and reach our hotel. After settling in, I walk around the town a bit to see what Hydra has to offer. After a bit of exploring we check back at the hotel for lunch and head to a great Gyro shop overlooking the ocean. After lunch I head back to the hotel. The cool breeze flows in from both of the open windows in our Hotel lobby. The faint sound of the birds in the distance combines with the sound of the wind to produce a pleasant feeling of both peace and tranquility. This is our first day in Hydra and the first weekend of freedom from our intensive classes in Athens. For the past four weeks we have spent 6 out of the 7 days of the week Buried in books, trying to tackle the Hebrew language. For the first time in 4 weeks it feels like we can finally sit back and enjoy complete rest. Hydra is a quaint little island which carries its own unique distinctiveness. The narrow streets away from the main port are calm and peaceful. Walking through them evokes a feeling of peace and serenity. The occasional donkey passes along and is the only real distraction yet even the slow trot of the donkey on the cobblestone street creates a pleasant sound which gives life to the streets of the peaceful town. Some of the local children can be seen walking by on occasion as well as some of the town elders who slowly make their way up the sloped cobblestone streets, occasionally stopping under a shaded tree to take a break from their climb. The town of Hydra with its narrow streets and corridors is incredibly easy and fun to get lost in. There are many local museums which have some incredible displays as well as some beautiful artwork. The buildings themselves offer some fine examples of some amazing architecture. In all, the experience here has been one of the most pleasant ones that I have had in Greece so far.

A stab at this new adventure + blog unlock

Thankfully I was finally able to log back into my blogger account after almost three years of inactivity! So for anyone interested in following me through my adventures in Greece, i will be posting regular blog entries as well as photos/videos as time allows! I'm going to be taking on a pretty heavy load of coursework in the Biblical Hebrew Language while there but hope to separate some time off to travel around Greece to keep things exciting! More to come so stay posted...

More photos

New photos of the Tiger Leaping Gorge Trek =)

Airplanes on Runways

As the plane descends below the noble, white clouds, I peer out the window and spot a grey runway sliced in between two fields. Below me lies a country unknown. My heart skips a beat and I think to myself, “I must be the craziest person alive.” Suddenly fear, excitement, and my adventurous determination sink in all at once. I peek out the window again. The plane is just about to touch the ground when I spot something. On the runway parallel to ours is a man mounted on the strangest contraption. He’s riding a bicycle. In the middle of a runway in the Kunming International Airport in China there’s a man on a bicycle. I had heard the notorious stories of China’s wide embrace of bicycling to every destination, but of all places this was the last I’d imagine to find a bicycle.
As I step out of the plane, I immediately notice the difference between China and all the other Asian countries I’ve visited in my travels. China has an almost intimidating welcome and as one goes deeper into China; its vastness seems in no way comprehendible. After spending the night in Kunming, I board the 9am bus headed towards Lijiang (my final and permanent destination in China.) The ride is incredibly scenic. During the 9 hour bus ride I notice the various changes in the landscape and geography. Rice fields are dotted throughout the hillsides and the campesinos wearing their straw hats can be seen everywhere. We pass tiny villages, larger cities, tiny villages, larger cities. It can become monotonous. Yet, I’m filled with intrigue during the whole 9 hours and my eyes never stop scanning the landscape. As we arrive closer to Lijiang, I spot Jade Dragon Snow Mountain in the distance. This majestic 16,500 ft. glacier is simply astounding. I’ve never seen a mountain this big before and simply watching it stimulates inside of me a feeling of extreme inferiority. I snap a few photographs and remind myself to make it a priority to visit the mountain next week.

Lijiang is a city full of amazing and unexplainable beauty. I’m boarding in a cozy guesthouse in the southern part of the old town. Last night I had the best sleep I’ve had in weeks. It felt like home. The city itself has some amazing views and the narrow walkways in the town offer an almost spiritual experience of peace, calmness and aesthetic. As I walked through the cobblestone streets this morning, my heart felt like it was growing inside of me. In every direction there was something worth noting. The Naxi, (an indigenous minority) make up most of the population of Lijiang. In the morning you can see them walking down the narrow streets, some walk alone and others with their families. The Naxi are some of the most interesting people to observe. Music is an integral part of their culture and while walking I hear sounds coming from every direction; a man playing the bamboo flute, another strumming the Naxi guitar. These are all common yet beautiful sights to observe.

Above the old town is the Black Dragon Pool. Tagging along with the hoards of avid photographers I make my way towards the park entrance. The park offers a relaxed and laid back atmosphere. One can find themselves strolling through the various gardens and passageways without being aware of the passing time. In the middle of the pool are many small pavilions, most of them have been left in their original state since they were built (some are over 300 years old.) The pool serves as the main water source for the gushing waterways found in Lijiang’s canals. Towering over the pool, in the distance is Jade Dragon Snow Mountain (a massive mountain that’s over 16,500 ft. tall.)
I sit down on a bench and marvel at the beauty surrounding me. I never imagined that places this beautiful even existed. My mind turns towards God and I think about how he loves each of us so much that he created all of this beauty for our delight.