7 July - 14 July 2011

Town of Hermoupoulis on island of Syros

On the 7th, We took a long bus ride to town, and on the way there we meet some singers from Oklahoma on tour. When we got there in a town called Hermoupoulis we walked around and found a place on the waterfront that sold pizza.  Tutu said," We could eat pizza here after we buy Bebe some earrings and a couple charms." 

Hermoupoulis town

After we bought Bebe some charms and earrings, we walked back to the waterfront and ate pizza and some spaghetti.  Then we walked and ate some ice cream.  Then we went home, ate dinner and went to bed.

Lunch on the waterfront--BIG FERRY!!

On the 8th, 9th, and 10th we took walks.  We saw Marvin and Bob (who were the biggest fish in the Marina waters).  I quacked "Aflac" to the ducks at the Marina.  On the 10th I quacked "Aflac" to a duck and the duck started quacking back at me and we all laughed.

Playing computer games

In all of our spare time on these days we played DS or computers since we were at a dock and had electricity.  We also watched movies.

Waterfront at Hermoupoulis

In the big town of Hermoupoulis I noticed that there were a lot of motorcycles.  I think this is because gasoline is so expensive here in Greece.  It costs about 4 times as much as it does back home in Texas.  So lots of people ride motorcycles instead of driving cars that use more gasoline.

Near Ano Syros village 

On the 11th we rented a car for a day and went to the town to find two churches named ST. Michel's and ST. George's. ST. George's was in a mountain village named Ano Syros.  It was a long way up on the mountain.  This village was settled by people who fled the big town by the sea when Arab pirates attacked them hundreds of years ago.  They could not defend themselves against so many well-armed pirates, so they moved way up in the mountains and built a village with a very thick wall all around it.  

Narrow streets at Ano Syros

Thousands of stone steps

There were 7 huge arched doorways in the wall around the village.  There were heavy doors in these doorways.  They locked the doors at night for security.  Today there are 2 of those doorways left.  We couldn't find either one.   Later, Tutu found one when we stopped to buy some water to drink.  One of those doorways was right next to the store where we stopped.  We saved ourselves a lot of step-climbing because we didn't see this doorway at first.  And we took the car farther up the mountain and entered the village higher up.  

Inside St. George's Cathedral

The village does not have regular streets.  There are no cars or motorcycles here.  There are very narrow alleys all through the village.  And thousands of stone steps to climb up and down.  The church was located on the very top of the mountain.  It is the only Roman Catholic church here.  All the other churches are Greek Orthodox.   I don't really know the difference and don't really care.

Praying in St. George's

Lighting candle

While at ST.George's Catholic church Papa lit a candle.




I pretended to pray.  The inside of the church was pretty. 

Water spigot in St. George's courtyard

Outside there was a water drinking spigot.  The view way down over the town was pretty.

View from St. George's courtyard

On the way back Tutu and Elisabeth went a different way.  Eventually we all met up again at the entrance near where our car was parked.  

Tiny ST. Michel's

Grape arbor at restaurant

While at ST. Michel's settlement we visited the little church and then we went a restaurant.  We waited in a grape arbor while we waiting for the restaurant to open.   There were lots of loud crickets all around us.  Tutu and Papa had traditional Greek  pork dishes and those tasted really good.  My pork chops were all bones and overcooked and dry.  But we all had enough to eat.

walking through San Michalis settlement

 Then we went shopping and went back to the boat, ate dinner, watched a movie, read our books and went to bed.

On our long walk

On the 12th Papa and I went to the top of a tall mountain, and saw a huge building being built. On the way down I picked up what looked like a good rock that could skip on the water. When I saw a good place, I threw the rock. When I threw the rock it hit a metal part of a dingy and brook to pieces.


After awhile we ate dinner and went to bed.  I read each night before we go so sleep.


On the 13th we took a walk and saw Marvin and Bob and the Aflac ducks.  We had a good lunch, ate a dinner; and then went to go get ice cream. After that we read and went to bed.


On  the 14th we bought a float that we could ride on while Papa was driving the dingy. We named the float Rider. We cannot play with Rider until we go somewhere else.

Pull-ups

About a week after I arrived I started doing a pull-up (or trying to do a pull-up) every time I went up or down the companionway.  At first I could not do one full pull-up correctly.  My dad tried to do a pull-up and the whole boat creaked.  My cousin tried to do a pull-up and she can't budge herself upward.  But then she is just a girl and not strong like me.  She does a "hang-up" rather than a pull-up.  


Papa said that if I tried to do one pull-up every time I went down the companionway then I should be able to do 5 pull-up by the time I go home.  


Already I can do 2 pull-ups correctly.


Making progress!