THREE MONTHS IN EUROPE

It's the end of January and our three months in Europe are coming to an end. This visit has been unusual for us in many ways: 

--It was longer than most of our trips.

--We were traveling to Europe during the winter.

-- I happily spent more time at playgrounds than sightseeing.

--Finally, we were following an itinerary that was planned by someone else.

Our daughter, Anna, and her family are spending a year in Europe and staying about a month in various locations. So I think you could say that we just piggy-backed on to their well-planned itinerary, choosing a time when we could be together over the holidays.

Here's a summary of our travels:

--Athens, Greece, and Crete Greece – November 2023

--Valencia, Spain – December 2023

--Belem, Lisbon, Spain – January 2024

LISBON

We rented an apartment in each location that was often within a few blocks of where Anna, John, and our three granddaughters were staying. I frequently joined them at the playgrounds in the afternoon where they could play and often meet other children. Anna and John are homeschooling and running their business while traveling. Anna is promising to write a book on their European travels—I will let you know how that progresses.

I enjoy the slow travel and getting to know each place well. I often return to interesting sights and can always find something new to discover. It's nice to have time to find your favorite cafes and restaurants. It could have been warmer at times, however, for the most part, it was in the 60s and warm enough for pleasant walks. We were in places where we could pretty much walk to wherever we wanted to go and take a bus or train as needed.

Life is different in Europe, however, if I were to pick just one thing that gives me the most pleasure it would be the ancient surroundings—sometimes dating back to 4,000 BC. Our favorite location was Crete—a place we hope to return to someday. A very special memory was the day we spent at the Acropolis in Athens with our granddaughters.

We are departing with unforgettable memories of time with our family and we are already missing them...…. However, we find solace in the fact that they are still experiencing new and interesting places in the world and in many ways, their lives will never be the same.

For now, Ron and I are in Mission Viejo, California visiting my brother, Fred. We look forward to returning home to La Crosse, Wisconsin in March and being near our son, Ben, and his wife, Erica. 

HERAKLION, CRETE

CHAIA, CRETE

BELEM TOWER, PORTUGAL

LISBON

MINIATURE CHURCHES IN CHANIA, CRETE

 

  As I was walking along the shoreline of an old fishing village in Chania, Crete, I happened to notice a small dollhouse-like church sitting on a post at the end of one of the wooden docks. I then walked out to take a closer look at this intriguing little white structure with a red-tiled roof and narrow-arched windows.

I soon began to notice these little models of Greek Orthodox churches all around Chania and decided to find out more about them.

It turns out that the tiny intricately designed models of Greek Orthodox churches are called kandylakia which means little candle in Greek. The history of making kandylakia dates back to the Byzantine era when portable religious icons were used for private worship. Over time, they evolved into miniature churches, crafted by skilled artisans, and used as offerings or gifts.

   Today they are considered a symbol of faith and devotion in the Greek Orthodox religion and are often used to commemorate special occasions like weddings and baptisms and are believed to bring blessings and protection to the house where they are displayed. The Greek Orthodox Church is the “prevailing religion” in Greece's constitution. Its members comprise about 95% of the population.

Chania (pop. 60,000) is the second largest city in Crete. We found November to be a great time to be here – the weather was mild with lots of sunshine and there were very few tourists around. I'm still missing the lovely walks along the sea and my favorite restaurant, Pallas, where I enjoyed Greek Yogurt bowls and morning coffee.