Greek Introduction: Baby in a Backpack - Day 12

Troy and I got up this morning and went for a hike in the neighborhood. There’s a particular trail that my mother-in-law likes to take while walking her dogs, and I wanted to show it to Troy. The sun was shining, but it wasn’t too hot yet. There was a nice cool breeze blowing off the sea. It was perfect hiking weather.

The trail cuts through an open field and winds by a solitary olive tree that someone was kind enough to build a bench under. Troy and I sat on the bench and enjoyed the fresh air and scenic views. The tree was laden with large purplish olives ready for the harvest. My mother-in-law’s dogs like to eat them off the ground. Troy was fascinated with this new thing to learn about.

As we hiked back up the hill to the house, a car stopped and backed up to talk to us. The driver asked if we’d like a ride up the hill. I guess he saw Troy and felt sorry for a man carrying a baby along this busy road. I gratefully declined, but I was still touched by this unexpected kindness.

Later in the day, we went to Sounio, which is a ruined temple of Poseidon on the coast, south of Athens. We got there about twenty minutes before sunset, which we found out is when they close. The place was packed with people. My wife said that Sounio is one of the best places to watch the sunset in Greece. A sentiment apparently shared by dozens of other couples who were scattered among the rocky outcropping all hoping to get the perfect vantage point to watch the sun dip behind a low-hanging cloud and disappear. To make the long journey more worthwhile, we decided to sit at the restaurant at the base of the monument and have a cake and coffee (or chocolate milk in my case). As the area became pitch black, the temple lit up with vibrant white lights that illuminated it against the darkened sky. It sat like a beacon on the cliff, lighting the shoreline around it, as waves crashed against the rocks below.

On a side note, there was a bus load of Indian tourists visiting the monument while we were there. As they passed by Troy strapped in his harness on my back, every one of them smiled and talked to him, greeting him and trying to make him laugh. He can charm anyone!