Last night we had an awesome group discussion on what this trip meant to all of us.  Everyone agreed that is will be one of the best times of their lives.  I know for me personally it has been amazing.  The kids are great and so fun to be around.  I have never seen a group of kids, who just met, become such good friends!!!!  We ended the night dancing under the stars, overlooking the ocean, in the courtyard of the Orphanage.  It was a beautiful evening.

This morning we toured Athens, the Acropolis and the new Acropolis Museum.  I always enjoy seeing the reaction to the Parthenon of people who have never experienced it before!  It is overwhelming.  The museum was unbelievable, a true modern day marvel.  It has only been open a week so we feel very fortunate to be one of the first groups to tour it!

Don't let the smiles fool you, that was one tough climb, but well worth it.

The afternoon was spent back swimming and relaxing.  The weather here has been perfect!   Not too hot and not too cold.  The Aegean breeze feels wonderful! 

Dancing  while overlooking the lights of Athens is something the kids will always remember.

Tonight we were guest at Maria Sharp's home in a very upscale suburb of Athens.  She was the true Greek host.......absolutely wonderful!   There was so much delicious food on the table.  We met her sister, brother-in-law and neighbor with whom we spent a wonderful evening talking about our experience in Greece.  They were quite impressed with the kefi of our kids, especially when they started dancing!  As they dances on the terrace, we could see the lights of Athens and the 2005 Olympic Stadium!    It was too good to be true!!!!  We appreciate Mrs.Sharp for the great food and enjoyable parea.

Food & friends, an unbeatable combination.

Think climbing the Acropolis in Summer is a feat? Try taking a group of young adults to another country!  If you pulled both of you'd be smiling too!

Early this morning, we said goodbye to the "good" waters of Kala Nera (above), as we departed for Athens.

It is with great reluctance that I give my last blog, as I have accepted the fact that our Odyssey will end in several days. However, I did finally enjoy a day of relaxation and rest. We left Volos  and the area of Kala Nera (Good Water) around eight in the morning in order to arrive back in Voula. I can't even tell you how long our bus ride was today considering I slept the entire time.     

Our one stop today was in the city of Chalkida, smack dab in the middle of Greece ( Interesting fact: The famous philosopher Aristotle spent the last year of his life here). Getting off of the bus, we thought nothing of the body of water in front of us. Yet as we approached the inlet, our leader Gerry explained that we must look closer at the water. Streaming from both the north and south, the water met in the center of the body and revolved, forming a whirlpool. It was a neat sight to see and I have to admit, I had a real urge to jump in the water. 

We met for lunch in one of the nicest psistarias (fish restaurants) in the town, Delphinia. We were all rather tired of meat, so some seafood was greatly received. Grilled octopus and calamari put us in very happy moods. I had to wash my hands several times in order to rid myself of the smell of lemon that I drizzled on my food. 

 Delphinia is famous for it's Octopi!

Instead of choosing the shop, we stopped at a nearby cafe, Abotis, for a quick frappe and ice cream. The boys were certainly satisfied in that we finally got to watch a match of soccer, and probably the only complaint during the trip was that we wanted to continue watching!  However, it was time for more driving. We passed a local fire when we approached Athens; the dark smoke, reaching the heavens, could be seen for miles. Does anyone know if this was something major?

 Travel really does wear a person down. That's why I think so many of us welcomed the orphanage in Voula with open arms; we were incredibly happy to be back 'home'. On the other hand, nobody welcomed the second hike up the hill with all of our luggage. Some of us did play a quick match of soccer on the facility while others walked down to the beach. 

 For the first time, some of us experienced real laundry. Now I'm not talking about washing your dirty clothes in a washer and dryer without your parents; I mean a complete assembly line of rinsers, washers and dryers. This will definitely be a valuable factor in my upcoming college years. 

 We closed the evening with a casual gathering in the center of facility here in Voula. Gerry asked us to write one to three words that described our experience. There was a mutual consensus that this was the 'trip of a lifetime', 'perfect opportunity' and simply 'amazing'. As we spoke on our experiences with Fr. Chris for the radio portion of the blog, several people broke down crying. This was not in a bad way. The trip has been so life changing that they were lost for words. A sense of humility struck me once again. I really have been blessed to go on the trip and to meet these people. Therefore, I'm going to log off and join everyone for dessert at a local cafe. That's all for now!  

 The team takes time to reflect on their Odyssey...