Incense Headaches and Passing the Torch

My super long day started with a trip to the Greek Orthodox church service at 7:30 a.m. Our Humanities 201 class went as a "cultural experience." I sleepily stumbled into the church, but my senses were violently awakened. No sleeping in Greek Orthodox services, my friend! The smell of weird candles fills the church, as each member buys a candle and lights it. I can deal with candles. The smelly part comes later. We spread out a little bit and sit in different places as not to take someone's spot by clumping together in a mass group.

Two orators begin to sing/chant ancient Greek to each other. Calling back and forth, it seemed to be somewhat of a contest. The guy on the right side was a younger man with a stronger, more professional voice. The one on the left tried to keep up, but he was an older man with a weak voice that got slightly off key at times. Because I couldn't understand it, the melodic chanting almost swayed me into sleep. Two large priests stayed back in the holy room separated by a curtain, but you could still see that they were up to something. One of them looked like Santa Claus, with a sparkly white robe with a cross on the back and the other looked like Hagrid from Harry Potter with a large robe with Jesus' face printed on it. I, in no way to be mean, honestly wondered how they were going to fit through the little door that led to the common area. They were probably the fattest men I have ever seen-- and I'm not just saying that. The time comes for them to do their part of the ceremony and they come out with a silver book, which I'm guessing is their Bible. All of the people line up and kiss the book and the priest's hands. Speaking of kissing objects, when they all walk in-- they kiss all the icons around the church. There is probably not one inch of wallspace that is not decorated with the face of a saint. Jesus is painted on the dome of the church and when you look up there are doves flying back and forth in the dome!

Santa and Hagrid's second job was to bring out the incense. I have gone blank on the name of the percussion instrument, but it was a string of bells that the priest would shake around the audience and incense would emerge in puffs of smoke. He did this several times and I got a headache from the smell of it. That was about the highlight of the service; when we left, they were making a big spectacle out of a wreath with roses in it. They walked around a table three times and we left before I saw what the spectacle was about. It was interesting, that's for sure.

We ate at TGI Fridays for Danielle's birthday. It was delicious! I had the best Oreo icecream dessert ever! I spent quite a bit on food, but sometimes it's worth it to splurge. I finished up some souvenir shopping in the Plaka since we only have one more Sunday left! Isn't that hard to believe?!

At 3:00 we went to the Olympic stadium to see the passing of the torch from Greece to Beijing (where they are being held). It started with the marching in of the guard, who were decked out in their peasant type outfits, tights and fancy shoes with a huge fluff ball on the top of them. They kick their leg high in the air and follow with a dramatic raising of their right arm. You hear a loud clack from their shoes and seconds later, their arm dramatically shoots up in the air. (On a side note, Mandy and I marched just like them down the street when they were marching back to their post. It was quite a ways down the street! Lauren was so close to them that she could hear a guy breathe.)

After the soldiers marched in, I heard a familiar sound. A sound that caused a stirring in my soul and caused my heart to beat slightly faster. You guessed it. The Athens Philharmonic Marching Band!!! You don't realize how much you miss a certain feeling until you haven't felt it for quite some time. Hearing the crisp, sharp sound of a good march made me swell up with pride even though it wasn't even my anthem they were playing. They played while the President came in and played the Beijing and Greek national anthem. The true excitement came as we saw an athletic lady running in with the torch. She was going quite slower than I pictured, but I guess too fast of a pace would destroy the flame and make the important moment over in seconds. She lit the altar-type thing and it ignited into a huge burst. Everyone clapped. There were a lot of speeches made and the torch was handed over to the Beijing Olympic director. He then made a speech and as we all know, Chinese people and amplifiers do not mix well. I felt like I bonded with the Greek people on one thing: we both found it hilarious that he screamed in the abrasive Chinese language. Someone take away the microphone!

These priestesses did this strange dance around the torch and that was part of the program that I didn't quite understand. Pretty women in togas carrying olive branches added that Greek touch to the festivities, I suppose. :-)

It was neat to be a part of a history that only comes around every few years. To be where the games originated was such a neat experience! When I watch the games in August, I can remember that I saw the torch being passed!

It's been a tiring day-- I am going to do some homework and hit the sack as fast as I can! We have a long day tomorrow-- after class, we're visiting the archaelogical museum in Athens.

Love ya'll! Thanks for reading!