More wonderful experiences
Before we turned in the rental car, we took one more short trip. There is a fortress on either side of the bay here, and we visited the one on Patras's side, which is called Rion Fortress. It was a surprise when the gate attendant let us in for free. We knew it was an attraction to pay for, but not today for some reason. One of the first things the kids discovered was a hole in the bottom of the wall. They peeked in and saw it went through to something, so of course, they went in. This hole is connected to a tunnel built within the wall. When we first entered the fort, I saw a gated opening as we approached a large room you had to go through to get to the interior. I realized now this was the end of the tunnel we found. It was a great discovery, and we had a wonderful time looking around for a little while. After the tunnel, we walked around the fort's interior and could go up on the corners of the wall to look out over the water. There were rounded turrets we could walk in and around. This made it much more fun since it was now exploration instead of just walking around. The last part of the fortress wall we could walk along looked more original instead of rebuilt. We looked through the crenelations over the moat and thought about all the guards and people who did the same from this spot over the past centuries.
The next day, we planned on attending the final and largest parade of the carnival. It was expected to have around 80k people in it. It started at 2 pm and went until 9 pm. Knowing how crowded and crazy it would be, we decided to join in the last couple of hours. We had our little church service later in the day since we had a late night. The night before, we tried to catch another parade but thought we missed it. Tanya and our youngest stayed out to see what else was going on while the boys and I went back. I was getting over a cold and didn't feel like wandering around. It turned out the parade wasn't over, we just didn't walk far enough. So the boys and I watched a movie and waited for the girls to return. They got back and talked about how much fun it was. Tanya was surprised about how safe she felt. Nothing and nobody gave her reason for concern, so they had some great mother-daughter time.
After dinner, we got ready to leave. We'd seen people walking by our place dressed up for the parade all day. It didn't matter if you were in it; people wore costumes as if it were Halloween. We put on our masks and walked to the city. The street got more crowded and we could see the parade ahead. It had specific groups dressed according to their theme, like the children's parade, but near the end, there were busses built to be floats and packed with people. They were blasting music, and people were dancing around it and following in the street. Anyone watching could join in and be part of the parade at this point. We had a great time watching people go by, seeing all the different costumes and ways people dressed up and danced as the floats went by. Several people gave high-fives to our youngest two as they passed. Even though it was a party atmosphere and the vast majority of the crowd was under thirty years old, we felt completely safe. No one was stumbling around drunk or out of control. I never had a bad feeling, concern, or felt uneasy. Having our children there was celebrated, and we saw other kids with their parents. My biggest problem was when they played songs in English that weren't clean versions. The last two floats were throwing out chocolate bars. Ironically, this was the best chocolate I had on the trip thus far. We've bought several kinds of bars to try that aren't in America, and they were good but could have been better. The chocolate bars from the parade were great and made for a delicious ending.
After the parade ended, we walked down to the pier by St. Nicholas Square to watch the burning of the King George float in the harbor. This is the grand finale of the Patras Carnival. We arrived nearly an hour before the event, and the harbor was already lined with people at the pier's edge. When we found a spot it was about 4-5 people back from the barrier. It wasn't long before the crowd filled in behind us. At the end of the pier was a large stage displaying a laser light show and music blasting from speaker towers erected about every 100 feet away from the stage. People would ignite red flares and wave them around. In any other situation, that would seem ominous or a sign that something bad was about to happen, but not here. It added to the already colorful and energetic atmosphere and didn't feel out of place. Even though we were in a sea of people waiting for the big event, the crowd wasn't pressing against anyone, and we didn't feel anxious. Two people came on stage and started talking in Greek, exciting the crowd. When it got close to the float burning, I picked my youngest two up on my shoulders so they could get a better view. Here is an example of why we felt safe there: I hoisted the kids up earlier because I thought it was about to start. After a while, I put them down. The next time I did, a guy behind me helped steady the kids and told them he was there. The kids are 9 and 12 and look like twins since there's only an inch difference between them and close to 5 feet tall. It was such a nice gesture from this stranger who was there for the celebration yet looking out for my kids.
The show finally starts. Fireworks shot from the float in the harbor, and large flames erupted just after. The float burns for a minute, and a fireworks show begins from the breakwaters at the head of the harbor. Talk about a great time! A big fire is on the water while a fireworks show and music play. Once again, everyone is dancing to the beat and soaking it all in. It was a fantastic fireworks show, too. When it ended, the crowd turned and started moving toward the city. The music hadn't stopped, so people would be partying well into the night. We debated on staying put and waiting for the crowd to die down, but surprisingly, moving wasn't difficult. We were able to make it back to the street where we watched the parade without getting separated. It was a breeze walking back from there since the crowd had dispersed into the city. No one was tired when we arrived home, so we made some popcorn on the stovetop and watched a movie. It was a great day, and sleeping it off the next day felt good.
We took it easy the next couple of days. These were regular days when the kids did schoolwork, and Tanya and I worked on things we needed to. Since we've been here for over two weeks, it was time to do a deep cleaning of our apartment. We plan to leave this place better than we found it or leave as little cleaning as possible for the owner. When it comes to a deep clean, we assign different responsibilities to the kids. Since this place is smaller than what we're used to, each kid had a room to clean. One had the kitchen, another the bathroom, and another the dining room. I'm glad there is a vacuum cleaner to do the rugs. All the floors are stone, but most rooms have rugs. One good thing about cleaning a smaller place is that the kids aren't complaining as much since they are used to a larger home. Also, our things tend to spread out when we're at a place for more than a few days, so it was good to gather and organize so we don't lose or leave anything behind.
Having some chill days with nothing planned was nice, but we can't do that every day. Tanya and I do have some places we still want to visit, and there are some errands we need to run. However, if you plan for a trip like this financially, expect to spend a little more, as we are finding out. On the flight over, the oil for my hair clippers leaked and stained my son's shorts. Since it's oil, it won't come out, and it was on a pair of light gray shorts where it's obvious. Our daughter left her rain jacket at Olympia, and we noticed after we returned the rental car the following day. It was a two-hour drive there, so we wouldn't have returned for it anyway. Also, my son's wireless mouse keeps getting dropped, and it finally took its last fall before breaking, so he needs a new one. We also wanted to see the largest church in Greece, which is near us, so we combined that with shopping for the things we need.
I found out two things while checking different stores. Some will be randomly closed despite hours posted, and they are helpful or can be pushy when you shop. The pushy part, I expected. No one was rude, but it can irritate an American used to a different shopping experience. The day before this, the boys and I ran out to check a local electronics store, but it was closed. There was another down the street, and we saw the weekly street market on the way. I quickly checked it for shorts but didn't find any. One pair looked close but was too big. When we were leaving, another vendor was trying to get me to buy them, saying they would be fine. I had no cash on me anyway, so that was my excuse for not buying. On this day, the same electronics store was still closed. We found what looked like a thrift store, but the items weren't used. I don't know if the Asian boy and girl running it were a young couple or siblings, but they weren't pushy. The next one was an athletic store. A lady came out from behind the counter to ask what I wanted. I told her, and she walked me to a rack of shorts. While we were looking at these, she went to get some more. I could tell what she brought back was too big, but I let my son try on some more to prove that to her. The shorts didn't work out, but we did find a rain jacket for my daughter. The same lady was accommodating in finding one that fit. Hopefully, we'll find some shorts somewhere.
The next place was the quintessential pushy guy. His store was quite small, and he wanted any possible sale. Thankfully, he was a nice person but spoke barely any English. I could still communicate what I wanted. It's funny how well people understand when money is involved. He took us upstairs, where his shorts were. We went through a few pairs before finding an adult-size small that may fit. I hesitated about them because the waist was bigger than I liked, but he assured me they would shrink some and fit better. My son tried them on, and they fit pretty well despite the roomy waist. We only needed one pair, but the owner pulled out more, hoping for a larger sale. After I declined these, he moved his attention to my son. I was impressed by how my boy respectfully declined with a smile. We went downstairs, and the owner pulled out several t-shirts to go with the shorts. The old guy was really trying. He focused on my son, hoping he would see something he liked. My son knew how tightly we had packed for the trip and that we were here for just one thing. He politely declined with the same respect as before, and I didn't need to say anything. I hope this little experience helps him feel confident with pushy people in the future.
We found a large store next, which was more like shopping back in America. You just looked around for what you wanted. However, I could tell the employees were ready to help if you asked. It was an electronics store on the first two levels but had books and school supplies on the other two. I've found it interesting how stores combine things to sell out here. What looks like a clothing store will have an electronics section and a hardware area on another level. Lots of stores here have multiple floors since they can't spread out. Anyway, this larger store had a better selection of computer mice, and we found what we needed. We stopped at three other computer stores before this, but they were small and didn't have a good selection. Always keeping things lively, my kids remind me why I can't let them wander for too long in a store. Tanya is upstairs, and I'm paying for the computer mouse while the kids check out the various cell phones. While I'm paying, an alarm sounds, and I think it's the one behind me for the door. I finish paying and look over to see an associate, my wife, and the kids gathered at one of the phone displays. My middle child disconnected one of the phones from the cable clearly marked 'alarm,' and the whole store found out. The associate was very gracious and had an understanding smile regarding what happened. OK, kids, time to go.
Our next stop is the Cathedral of Saint Andrew, the largest church in Greece. It can accommodate nearly 7,000 worshipers. The Byzantine architecture is gorgeous, with all the arches outside and within. We've been in several churches since we arrived in Greece, and I can see why this is the biggest. It had a massive wooden chandelier in the center. Most of these churches do, but this one was much larger since the church was as well. The paintings on the ceiling and walls followed a similar pattern as the other churches. There were significant events and miracles from Jesus' life, the twelve apostles, the Virgin Mary, and what I think were different patron saints. On the dome above was an enormous mural of Jesus Christ. A huge mural of Mary with Christ as a child was painted in the partial dome over the central speaking area. I don't know when these paintings were done, but they are all vibrant without soot darkening the colors. Their music style is referred to as Byzantine music or chant. A recording of this played softly throughout the church as we walked around. Tanya and I love experiencing these churches while discovering their beauty.
There is another older church next door to this, and these churches are supposed to be built on the very spot where the apostle Andrew was crucified on an X-shaped cross. The skull and a finger from Andrew are held in a silver-looking box constructed to look like a church. His remains were once held in a marble tomb that is now in the older church. However, Andrew's remains were taken from Patras to Constantinople in the 4th century AD. In 1964, the Pope returned the skull and finger as an ecumenical gesture of goodwill. What is left of the cross is also held in the larger church. It's in an enclosure to keep it from further deterioration. Next to this church is an ancient spring in a shallow cave. It's said that Andrew lived and preached from there. We walked down to where a faucet was contructed for the spring water. The water here is considered holy and drinking from it is supposed to bring luck and blessings. Being so close to something of such major historical significance was incredible. This is why we travel.
To cap off our day, we walked to a little eatery that sells Greek donuts. The Greek version is dough balls, called loukoumades, sprinkled with cinnamon and dipped in honey. These were so incredibly delicious! They were simple and sweet but SO good. Along with the traditional version, there was a variety. We got some that were chocolate-filled and others covered in white chocolate. Both were phenomenal and surprisingly filling. They were served hot and weren't as fluffy and light as expected. The dough was relatively hardy for such a treat, adding to the overall satisfaction. We will probably get this dessert again before we leave, and I want to learn how to make them at home.
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