Matta and her friends, Olga and Grigoris, drove me up into the mountains where we visited an old church surrounded by natural beauty and dripping with ambiance. The beautiful old church and monastery were built of stone and nestled in among countless varieties of pine trees and wild plants just beginning to open their blooms to spring. A ceremony was taking place outside around a sort-of alter that was decorated with flowers and draped in a tapestry depicting the grieving mother of Christ weeping over her son's dead body. A priest led the mourners in a sorrowful chant followed by a procession that snaked up and down the mountain trails.
Afterwards, I piled into the car with the Three Musketeers (close friends who have been sharing the ups and downs of life for over 21 years) and we drove back to town where we had lunch. We were not the only ones willing to break with the lettuce tradition as the cafe was packed. But everyone was observing the tradition of not eating meat. So we feasted on vegetables and seafood. The most interesting (and tasty) thing that I put in my mouth was described to me as sea urchin eggs. Not something I would have chosen for myself, but I pride myself on being an adventurous eater so I gave it a try. It was very good! It is the orange stuff sitting on the bread slice.
After lunch, we came back to Matta's and I helped Grigoris in the kitchen as he prepared a traditional dish from Northern Greece of goat and dried bread cooked in a broth with mint, dill, and green onions. It's cooking as I type and the smell is so incredible it's making my toes curl in anticipation!!! The only thing that bothers me is that it's already after 8:00 p.m. and if I were home, I would have been in bed for an hour by now! It will probably be sometime after 9:00 before we are ready to eat. REALLY???
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