Myths and Hymns

 

This last Sunday I had the pleasure of meeting up with my old youth director from First Baptist Crockett, or as I like to call people like this: those who are allowed to call me J.D.  Jeff is now located in Houston working for Jersey Village Baptist church and he and his wife Marcy were kind enough to take me out to lunch and catch up.  I’ve gotten to see them randomly over the years but it’s nice to know they are so close!

As I don’t really know any of the restaurants in the area (starving artist, remember?) they suggested Yia Yia Mary’s, a de.licious Greek restaurant that is part of the Papa’s family.  Now, for those of you who aren’t aware, Papa’s family of restaurants includes, but is not limited to a Tex-Mex restaurant (Papasito’s), a sea food restaurant (Papadeaux’s), a steak restaurant (Papa’s Bro’s) and a Papa’s Bar-B-Q. YUMMM!

 Look how excited they are to serve me food!

 

I also thought this would be a great opportunity to retroactively blog about my trip to Greece when I was studying abroad.  During our Fall break from classes in Florence I decided to take a trip to Athens, Delphi and the buh-eutiful island of Santorini (or the Greek Pompeii as it is often called).  When I was younger I was extremely enthralled by Greek and Roman mythology and must have read Edith Hamilton’s Mythology at least a dozen times, and there I was in the midst of it all!

Athens:

The Temple of Zeus with the Parthenon in the background

 

At the Parthenon! (Btw… someone stole that scarf while I was living in Michigan and I’m still bitter.  I got it in Maastricht when I went to visit Mallory.  BITTER I tell you!)

 

The Porch of the Caryatids

 

The Athens Olympics were just a couple of months before I went to go visit!

 

 

Delphi:

Temple of Apollo

 

 

The “prophets” would suck on natural gas being released from holes in the ground like this and then use the hallucinations they had to tell the future.  You know… and base wars on them.

                                               Olive tree near the temple for Athena                                              

Wikipedia: Athena competed with Poseidon to be the patron deity of Athens, which was yet unnamed, in a version of one founding myth. They agreed that each would give the Athenians one gift and that the Athenians would choose the gift they preferred. Poseidon struck the ground with his trident and a spring sprang up; this gave them a means of trade and water but the water was salty and not very good for drinking. Athena, however, offered them the first domesticated olive tree. The Athenians accepted the olive tree and with it the patronage of Athena, for the olive tree brought wood, oil, and food

 

Temple of Athena.  She was always my favorite goddess

 

Santorini:

The overnight boat ride from Athens to the island

 

 

My hostel

 

Greek chirenz

 

A church near the center of the crater

 

Me at the top of the crater…

 

This crater!

 

Album: Myths and Hymns (admittedly this isn’t song name but an album name.  I thought it was perfect for the post, though, so deal.with.it!)