Pilgrimage

 First ray of rays thrown into convents
Speaking of pilgrimage, I think of Muslims on the Mecca, Tibetans in Lhasa or kowtowing to the Sacred Lands. Tibetans religious faith is really impressive, I Last October the Yunnan-Tibet trip, they also witnessed a number of Tibetans kowtowed all the way to step forward, even in the snow-capped high-altitude wind roar Pass, this often made me choked. very sigh that The belief is so strong to sustain them ah.
Greeks also have their own pilgrimage, in certain religious festivals, some of the Greeks to take a long walk to a church, convent, August 15 when the Assumption There are many saints to the Church of Our Lady of Tinos to worship on, some of them even after getting off the line from the dock to the church to kneel down, but fortunately, not too far, about 500 meters. when small families, or about 10-year-old child, he had with my grandfathers and grandmothers pushing baby sister or walk 10 km to his home village of the island Agiasos church.
Division last year in his hometown Lai Siwo small island (Lesvos) over the summer, I went to the island is very famous, okay.
Thus, 12 August 2008, one month a dark and stormy night (phrase was bluffing), five of us hit the road carrying a backpack. small Division I, the sister of the small families, Solon, cousin, friend Effie. Why should the evening go? very simple, Greece in August as magma, like sprinkling sunlight the earth, the sun to walk 22 kilometers to find it not tired of living death? (a child, every time I What to do dangerous things, such as the river under a tree, I shouted my parents: You are not tired of living? we go I always know how to answer.)
started running account below, do not want to see running account of the people can out of the way.
reverse side of the road town of Caron (Kalloni) map
of a thousand miles begins with one step, less than 22:00, we began a pilgrimage.
the way the island is not wide, many places there is no sidewalk, we walked close to the edge of lining. a passing car speed very quickly, we also tried to find before departure reflective, who backpack to remind drivers that can be posted, but unfortunately did not. had got a few flashlight, dark car on the section of the event, we shake flashlight to attract the drivers attention. Fortunately, the main road and turned the corner in one piece through the support on the road after the traffic flow is greatly diminished, occasionally to a car. we do not have line is gone, swaggering walk in the way, I heard again the sound of flash to the side.
through an olive grove
more than an hour away, to place on the map, there are several trees, as well as water. Shumenshulu small families, said her sister and Effie in the rest meal. Only five people is the first time I go, others are walking've been Taxiarhis monastery, small families this is the second time, the other three have gone through many times.
only an hour away, T shirt has been wet more than half, beating, detoxification of the. with spring water washed her face, and opened eating. We did not how to eat before dinner, so fill belly bear. bread, cheese, ham, adding the next spring, when it was good to eat. also brought a pot of coffee drinking on the road again.
we chatted along the way, it would not feel tired. see what we hear of? hedgehog cross the road.
longer follow a half-hour to the town of St. Friday (Agia Paraskevi). fast midnight, sitting in restaurants, people eat and drink the open seat or not less it, look at our great interest. We quickly through the densely populated district, sitting outside at a school for a while, drink some water.
In fact, I read, have to recall the scene at that time. Fortunately, At that time I took some pictures for your records. take digital photos there is a big advantage is that you can check the time taken. Otherwise, how can I remember the day before the 5 months to go, and some starting points where ah? but I do not take the watch.
once again feel, what we should immediately write to write, or have a lot of feelings at the time slip, the details are forgotten. However, perhaps the rest of the memory is the essence? not OK. But the topic to write too much, and written without diligent we supposed to do? who invented a time brain control, the head of Evans are connected by reading the brain to a computer, directly generated text. that be nice ah, so I updated at least two logs per day.
pilgrims through the town of Santa Friday
a few of them know that I am blogging, and asked if I can make the trip also included in blog ah. I that course, you who are good to me, I'll put in a word more, or else ... hum, wait and see. they suddenly were up to me respectfully.
four of them are Orthodox Christians, to I am an agnostic. Others include fear of hard work better friend, no participation, see, they are not my followers of non-believers to endure hardship. They asked me why I want to attend. I said I have to exercise to lose weight. They asked : Where is your fat? (Where are you fat?) I replied Everywhere except chest.
I am always very interested in such things, you can understand how the Greeks like a pilgrimage in the end, and there a life experience, but also training the body to enjoy the night. Several have it in one fell swoop. Its' fun!
crossing signs
encountered two cars on the road to stop the initiative to provide ride services. We answer the walk to the monastery, they will understand and waved goodbye. very grateful to these people.
sheep, ah fat-free night is not Grass.
ground we walk the road there, there are hills, slopes, in addition to towns, roads some people are separated from the edge of an emerge. a place where people generally have a dog and a long way away from the good to hear the dog barks. dogs are worthy of very serious ah the night shift in recognition of praise! also heard Pig hum of voices, in fact, smell is also already advertised the location of the pen. there is the grass always have Xixisuosuo voice, one will be calling the cows moo, while bleating of sheep is called. this large flock of sheep grazing the hillside Shang Hao, flash to play up, like the ghost's eyes. In fact, I have not seen a ghost, but I heard an American friend said he and his brother had witnessed the old house with his family a ghost. seems beside the point today, more serious ...
00:40, we went to this little village, called Napi. feeling bored mouth, above the restaurant we bought soda, sit on the sidelines to drink. was There are several guests in the drink. see what they are watching us. We put that together these people appear to be strange trip at midnight. They shouted over to us: what are you Where are you going ah? us to answer the. They say: Come, will you Chigua. We refused. they repeatedly ela ela (Come, come), that we in the past. So we had respectful than from life. the boss from the freezer and pulled out a melon to peeled seeds, a piece submitted to our hands. handed me, saying, hey? which Gada you come to play it? I said: Kina. He said: Huh? your Beijing Olympic Games is not being opened up, You do not see how to run the Olympics here? boss looks to drink high, especially funny speech, at the time rolling on a piece.
odyssey enjoy eating fruit snacks too. Last in Yunnan is also moved and some similar experience, but I do not know when the Yunnan-Tibet trip in the mood to write.
boss also gave us 5 euros, so we went to the monastery donated to help him. eat melon, and we thank them continue to embark on the journey.
After this small village, see the road 11 kilometers left to reach our destination, but be mountain road after a, more ups and downs.
after the way we have in the village after a former vain chapel of rest vain shop for over an hour. because they said that if too early to the convent, the doors have not opened yet. go this time, feeling tired, sweat out a lot. break up when the chill, early morning temperature low, but fortunately, with a jacket to keep warm. once again got up, found bad, two legs aching stiffness, activities continue to go.
the mountain there was ups and downs, in the uphill time, do not have to rise, can enjoy a large number of meteors. In fact, also saw a lot before, but in less convenient to walk on the ground look, but also gaining ground. I saw an East, West one, left one, right one, sometimes several stars fall together. Some very bright, and some darker, some trace length, some short. trajectory looks like a long fall from the sky like a torch. meteors so gorgeous but silent, I think This is very special. I feel like a big guy is as dumb. Once I saw a . I also try to come to the number of meteors, while on a few hundred more, and then not bother to count them, I really can not count Come. I never knew so many stars at night fall, the rough estimate can There are thousands of satellites it. That evening, enjoy so many meteors can be considered a big gain. what? wish? I already do not wish to see a meteor, and still making a fuss two years ago promised a wish, but the meteor is too easy see, do not care. Moreover, no use wishing, I wish the world, no war, no animal suffering, let me become a millionaire, not an implementation.
end of it is pulled away on two legs in the , and then trapped and tired. Finally, the signs tell me the village to the destination Madamatos! bandit it! quiet, fire a gun's not.
pottery shop in the village, so on the jar to the outside, visible security how good.
Guess What is this place? Bank. small local banks so approachable.
in Greece, I've been to many times the bank, only once a bank in downtown Athens to see the counter tops the glass, and in our neighborhoods, banks are not high counter, no glass blocked off, when you first saw the surprise a good while. There is not no one rob a bank, but it seems not much.
This seems to be a museum.
into the village or go a way to get to the monastery.
4:44, the sky began to turn red. I feel like I have not seen the sunrise for several years, read a day back.
4:50, pilgrims into the Taxiarhis monastery, the monastery sent a few small dogs come to our warm welcome.
monastery is still sleeping, the door did not open. We sat in the open coffee shop, nap, or something I'm going to die. Sahuan small dog around us, very loved dog .6 o'clock, the monastery open the door. Let us rise up, which under the worse, and legs soreness very, legs can not bend, and walking very difficult. We like a stiff one robot, Kaka went into the convent. everywhere pay tribute to a lot. I felt the itch in the icon, I still No pictures.
of course, no longer walk back to back, so will the dead friends.'ll pick our two friends, go back to sleep for four hours. each stand, covered all pain I Ziyaliezui. I walk long distances many times before also, but not the same as feeling tired, at least not so rigid. do not know because they were the early morning chill chilled relations. In the afternoon, another group of people we have the sea to swim in a circle . Life is movement!