Tuesday and Wednesday

So it is indeed just the five of us, with one more lady to join us next week. I am the tallest one of the whole bunch. Sometimes by many inches. Actually, usually by many inches which is a little odd and somewhat entertaining. The work has been hot so far, and mostly testing/cleaning up. We're working in a Helladic site at the moment. I am still holding out hope for making it into a conservation lab!

The region here is rather interesting. It was described in the second century AD by Pausanius in his massive Description of Greece. He traveled around the whole country and recorded everything he saw in extensive detail. Including the region around Helike. In 373 there was a massive earthquake and the whole delta here sunk, flooding the early sights and a Helladic town in the process. This cafe even commemorates that date.

So that is what we're looking into here. A range of settlements dating back to the Bronze Age and extending into the Roman period.

The village itself is lovely, as is the sunset.

 

In the evenings we head down to the shore for dinner. It's about a twenty minute walk but is quite nice. There are fields of lemons, lines and grapes.

Olives, blackberries, and chickens.

With their guard of course. And flowers everywhere. We dine with the sun setting in the background and the soft sound of the waves rolling in behind our conversations.

There are adorable tiki roofs everywhere. Thus is a small village and not much frequented by tourists so we are really the only non Greeks in sight.

It's hot, but there's not much else to report, other than this fun detail: only in Greece is the internet so complicated. :)

 Love to all, hope home is well!

Monday

So today was the first day of work at my new dig. It's run by the Helike Project, and centered in fhe little village of Nikolaiikia. It's been a very different experience from my previous dig. I'm the only American here, but that might not be saying too much since there are only five of us volunteers here right now.

I was thinking I would be working in the conservation lab, but it seems like I am actually going to be in the field. And then working in the lab an afternoon or two. 

The beach is lovely at least and much cleaner than the one in Pacheia Ammos.

And though it's a bit warm, there is certainly a pleasant enough breeze to keep that from being too bad.

Hope all is well at home!

Saturday and Sunday

So Saturday was the official last day. We worked hard through the morning and finished everything that we wanted to do. It was strange to say goodbye to everyone, but we've all got plans I meet up again in the future. And we got team shirts!

I even got a final letter ^^

Friday night was our big farewell dinner. 

Lizzy and I made sure we had a plaster girls picture, too.

And then it was a fun night out before the final day of work. Brett and I had a last lunch in Pacheia Ammos before we hopped on the bus with some other people from the dig to head to Heraklion.

There we found the hotel Brett and Gianna were staying in and we went out for dinner. This nifty little thing was in a park right near their hotel.

We had a drink at our favorite little corner bar in Heraklion, and then I picked my stuff up from their room and took a last look at Crete.

And then it was off to catch my ferry. We powered out of the harbor with a last smear of orange and purple still in the west. Crete looks beautiful at night, all lit up with the villages in the mountainsides glittering... I shall miss it. 

This morning I arrived in Piraeus, took the metro into the city to find the KTEL bus station, took a bus to Aigio, and then a cab to the next village over. But I made it! The town I am in now is Nikolaiika, and though I have yet to explore much, it looks like a cute little place. I've still no idea what tomorrow is going to be like, but we'll find out! The view from my room isn't too bad either!

 

Thursday and Friday!

So the afternoon ended up with a brief jaunt to Ierapetra yesterday. And then I returned to have dinner there! Which was most delicious.

Work is going ahead, though there's a strange mix of things winding down and people hurrying to do as much as they can. It seems like everything is wrapping up nicely, though, which is good since this is the last season.

The rest of Thursday was spent chatting with Brett and hanging out at dinner and L&L with dig people.

We have good chatting porches. And classy wine glasses >>

The next day dawned prettily.

And I got a letter! Just in time, too, as tomorrow I will be journeying on to the next place!

Friday was our last full day of work and it went well! We got out shirts (yay!) and most people filtered home early because they ran out of things to do.

Tonight is the big farewell dinner but there's not much else going on. Lots of farewells and plans to visit people!

Hope all is well! Loves!

Wednesday!

Another day at work and we're getting so close to the end! 

I managed to snag a picture today of the bakery truck and the line it draws. Each morning at about 8:30 he comes by with still warm baked goods. After working for an hour and a half people are always lining up for the bakery truck.

We also did our group picture and took a quick peek at the site today, which is busily trying to finish before they begin backfilling tomorrow.

Tonight we're having our celebratory plaster dinner, though I'm not quite sure where or when yet...

Otherwise, it's another warm, sunny day. Hard to get tired of those!

Hope all is well at home!

Tuesday

Today was quite a hot day which made it slow going, but we're officially (almost) all caught up to the present year in our plaster cataloging and everything is organized, which has been a lot of work but rather satisfying! We might even get a start on stuff from this year!

As a random side note, these exist.

The afternoon was a bit lazy, but tonight the village is throwing a party for the archaeologists which will be fun.

The party did turn out to be great fun. There was some speechifying in Greek and English...

Lots of people...

And then they gave us gifts of raki and olive oil, two of the biggest exports of Crete.

Though we all show up as volunteers for the project, the dog's presence in Pacheia Ammos is a huge economic boost to a village that would otherwise not draw so many people. Then the kids of the village danced...

Followed by a slightly less polished but very enthusiastic American crew.

And then there was food, contributed by each of the restaurants in the village.

Yum. It was great fun and I ran away before the night could get too late. Loves to all, hope all is well!

Monday

GIt's the last Monday of this dig and it dawned a cloudy one.

Which stuck around and made pretty sun shafts for a bit.

The afternoon was spent on a run to Ierapetra for wine and cottage cheese. And also things like rent money. But that was really secondary. ^^ It was a lazy rest of the afternoon and an early evening so we could get up tomorrow. Hope all is well at home!

Sunday!

Sunday was spent rather lazily. There was a curious amount of clouds in the sky today.

But it was a pretty, breezy day all the same. A good book-reading-in-comfy-chairs on the beach day.

And I found this! Clearly Greece gets its propane from dragons! ^^

It was a nice day of catching up with the twinsies too. And more laziness! Hope all is well! Loves!

Saturday!

So Saturday was a good day all in all. We worked for a half day and then after that a bunch of people from Pacheia Ammos hopped on the bus to flee east. They were headed a few different places, but Brett and I were headed to Aioa Nicholaos to wander around and enjoy the night life.

But first for some wandering. We saw the marina:

I found an ancient-style octopus on a sidewalk tile, which was awesome!

We found the lake - which is really just a round little inlet as it is fed directly by the sea and is salty.

There was also an old fountain which could have been Turkish?

And then we found a thingy! On the outside it looked like a quaint little church tucked against the cliff:

It had a tiny little door with a decidedly Byzantine feel and this old carving above the door:

Brett and I were, of course, most curious. The door opened into a wall, pretty much, with this old poster propped up in it.

That doesn't sound too churchy, now does it? We crept around the corner and found a surprisingly long room. With saints and Byzantines on the wall.

(That's the door corner at the far end.) And wonders of wonders a peek to the left showed a lot more had been hewed out of the rocky cliff:

A bit of wandering around found labels for a monastery museum which is what we think this is supposed to be when it is all set up. It was a bit dim and really quiet when we first came in so we tip-toed about, curious but not sure we should be there. 

They did have some cool old things: radios and pots!

After that it was back outside to chill with a frappe before a bit of shopping about. 

We ended up having Chinese for dinner, which was a tasty change from the usual Greek fare in Pacheia Ammos and the pasta we make for ourselves.

There were even fortune cookies! After dinner Brett and Gianna and I met Amanda and went to Alexandros, this little rooftop bar where we were going to hang out and dance. 

It had a fabulous view if the city where we could watch the night settle in.

Not to mention cute little oil lanterns. (Real ones!)

And of course, fantastic company.

And the night was spent enjoying the dance floor!

We even made it home again in good order and saw the moon rising a vivid orange over the mountains. A good Saturday to be sure!