Spent the morning doing Greek class & reading my book. Maria informed me that we were leaving at about 3pm to visit the thermal springs following a walk through an ancient olive grove. I ducked down to the bakery, via Nickos’ where he forked dolmades into my mouth 😵💫 & bought a real Greek Spanakopita for lunch.
New find of the day goes to the Frappe Espresso I got from Kantina. The English woman there told me what it was after I mentioned that everywhere I’ve been people are walking around with cups in their hands. It’s basically a shot of espresso with as much or as little sugar as you choose, frothed up with ice in an old fashioned milk shake maker. Absolutely delicious & I kid you not when I say it lasted me until dinner time!
At three we hopped into the car & headed off to the olive grove, Aris dropped us at one end & picked us up at the other, kind chap. The walking track we followed took us past the Roman Aqueduct of Moria & is one of the first big technical accomplishments in Roman architecture. With the objective of providing water to Mytilene from Lake Megali Limni, at the Olympus mount.
Fed by other incoming springs it‘s carrying capacity is calculated as 127,000 cubic meters a day, spanning a distance of 22km & it was entirely supported by gravity… amazing. The arches you can still see in situ are predominantly constructed of large blocks of local grey marble using a technique called emplketon in which two parallel walls of stone are built between which rubble is placed. Damn those Roman’s were clever.
As we walked through the ancient olive grove Maria told me the mythology of the olive tree.
Zeus, the God of hospitality, wanted to see whether or not people on earth were still offering good hospitality to strangers & so donning the garb of a traveller he returned to earth. The first door he knocked on he got no answer & the same for the second home.
Upon knocking on the third door he came to, it was answered by a woman & her husband. History tells us that if there was a knock at the door it was always a traveler & it was your duty as a hospitable Greek to take them in, give them water, food & a wash before you ask any questions of them.
The couple who let Zeus enter, thinking he was just a traveller, gave up their bed for the night so that he could rest well. The following morning Zeus revealed himself & said they could have a wish granted. Without even conferring the husband & wife both saId that when it came time for them to leave the earth they wanted to go together. Zeus agrees, thanks them for their hospitality & leaves.
The couple live a long & happy life together & when they are ready to leave Zeus grants them their wish. As they embrace each other for the final time, he turns them both into an olive tree so that they are forever entwined in a loving embrace.
This is why olive trees grow in a twist. Unlike most other trees which show growth rings as circular the olive has twisted growth rings. I love this story 💚 & it’s true that these ancient trees do grow in a twisted fashion, often splitting into two & twining into a loving embrace.
Some of these trees have been here for a couple of thousand years…the stories they could tell! There are beautiful spring flowers growing everywhere under the tress, cyclamen, cow parsley, orchids, cistus & wild asparagus.
From here we headed to Therma hot springs for a soak in the outdoor pool. The water comes to the surface from 2,500 metres deep at 39.5’. On its way up the water passes through various rocks which enrich it with minerals, beneficial for health. Aris & I stayed in the outside pool whilst Maria went to the indoor one, where she was easily able to get to the sea for a cool down.
It was absolutely gorgeous in the water, the perfect temperature. The day spa is rather fancy & I plan on going back for a massage as well as a dip next time. I ordered a Mastic sparkling water & lay back to relax & unwind, after all being on holiday I very stressful…not!
This is how I felt after an hour in the healing waters, contemplating which character to write about next whilst taking in the view over the Bay of Gera.
We ducked into Mitilene for the requisite souvlaki by the port before making our way to the house at Λάμπρου Μύλοι for the night. This is the house where Aris & Maria live when they are not is residence at ‘Paradise’ over the tourist season. Her parents live downstairs & I will be meeting them tomorrow. So now, after another unexpected day, I head early to bed, for a change, & hope after my bath to sleep like a baby.
