Off to the “Crypto-Friendliest Place on Earth”, Loutraki, Greece! (Part 3)

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Today, our crypto-crew was officially crusading the sacred lands surrounding the up and coming “Crypto-Friendliest Place on Earth”, Loutraki, Greece, and it was only the beginning!

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Composed of the famous @onceuponatime and I, we were being proudly toured by highly knowledgeable guides @liondani and @kerkyra. Heading up the hill, a bit further passed Erasmus Church, we headed for the cave of Saint Patapius of Thebes, a.k.a. Saint Patapius of Egypt, a world famous holy man who was born at the end of the 4th century and whose incorruptible body still can be seen at this location.

As soon as we disembarked, the view on Loutraki was and still is, the best I have seen so far. The cicadas were all out, as always, the heat pounding evermore and our crew headed up the humble cobblestone stairs leading to the church and, most importantly for us at this moment, the cave.

Sanctity reigned in the grotto. A sweet aroma roamed the chamber where at least 20 beeswax candles were burning simultaneously, on candleholders hooked to the uncharted ceiling by chains holding on to an intricately modelled metalwork.

How does one transfers sacred feelings, holy moments, phenomenon of the senses for which words can hardly be the witness? As we meet people or enter new location, we can’t help but spontaneously and continuously experience an input of feelings flowing through our body, heart and soul. Sometimes, we feel attracted, sometimes repulsed for reasons that often goes well beyond our awareness. May the following words transmigrate to your soul.

The attraction for me was immense, it was hard not to rush to the alcove as we walked passed the main building, a convent where nuns dressed in black in the blazing sunshine makes one wonder how they actually can survive wearing these full-sleeved and hooded outfits. From here, I felt like racing all the way up to the mysterious dimmed entrance. Thinking to myself I needed to recollect my thoughts before entering the premise of this unknown holy man, I paused and quickly resumed progression. The call was very strong, I could have laid right there on the rounded fist-size stone floor polished by the thousands who came in reverence offer their prayers and gratitude to the saint.

The sentiment was almost overwhelming. Yet, the small casing laying before me had the mystic call and propelled me forward an extra 3 meters. On my right, following traditional Greek Orthodox disposition, an old and faint painting of the Saint was found in the middle painting. The attraction toward the body was too strong and ambled on as @liondani softly explained to me that the nudges on the floor which caved in by about an inch had been caused by the pilgrims kneeling on this location.

A long moment after, I was standing beside the saint. His body mostly covered by what seems to be a thick red cloth decorated with opulence. I gave a third-eye and a kiss reverence to the miracle laying before me. At this moment traversing through from my heart, an upswell of feelings reminding me of family, friends and community came rushing to the surface of my mind. Healing vibrations rung in and I instinctively started praying for the benefit and healing of family, friends and communities. From there, multiple healing have started and are still happening, but this is another story all together.

_{(Here, from the left @onceuponatime, @liondani and @eric-boucher pause for @kerkyra on our way out of Osios Patapios Church.)}

After a long meditation, @liondani and I walked out to a well acquainted store where people visiting the area rushed in and out to buy icons, sacred oils coming from the candles burning inside the cave, effigies and memorabilia of all kinds. Gifted with a few by my hosts, @liondani and I had to go back for one more visit to the cave, where a nun had started giving out little oil-soaked cotton swabs to distribute to loved ones… After being informed of my partners family relation to this church, she gave me swabs for the whole family and did her very best to convince me to convert to their church and marry @taissia, a.k.a. @taissia001 and another @taissia pseudonym I can’t recall the name of… Luckily, as you may understand, it is all the same person!? The gentle and frail old woman saluted us on our way when a huge crowd came in hardly allowing for my Guinean hat to be carried out unscathed.

Since lunch was still a ways ahead of us and after a short hunt for cicadas hiding from us in plain sight, we jumped back into the car, challenged at high speed the tortuous narrow roads flanked by a sea beige-orange rock and sands blanketed by olive trees, now on our way to Hera’s Temple, at the very tip of the arm of earth that forms the shores in this area of the southeastern Gulf of Corinth, an hour west of Athens.

Mandatory stops had to be made to other less glorious sanctities and blessed locations where for centuries, meditators/devout came to pray. What blessings it was… We drove passed a wonderfully appealing blue lagoon where tourists come to swim by the thousands every summer and finally arrived at the famous temple.

If only you could feel the heat at this point, you’d all be more than convinced to go jump in the sacred “pool” facing us. From where we stood, baring the brunt of our local star and a stomach calling for divinities of the food kind, the contemplative visit lasted less than 10 minutes, promptly returned right back to Loutraki, and went gorging on the most fabulous souvlaki plate I’ve have ever encountered, @liondani knew exactly where to go and we weren’t deceived. Hunger took over memory and we devoured the giant plate trying to slow myself on indulging on the shared side-order of tzaziki sauce and pita. This sauce accompanying this sumptuous classic 2 p.m. Greek lunch was simply divine and stole the show! It was made out of a thin cloud-like home-made yogourt, balanced with a harmonious tone of garlic poking out of lemony overtone that smoothly struck the tongue on arrival. Some say that sound has the power to bring you to other planes of consciousness, that sauce had just done it for me!

As if we needed more foods, we finished our gargantuan meal with a fruit gelato in the freshness of an air climatized store, well needed before my second shower of the day where two to three isn’t uncommon. I had just came to the full realization that the local people had very very good reasons to be proud of their food, locally grown, prepared with care, seasoned with love. Catching a waiter or a restaurant owner selling their produce saying that the olives he is holding in his hands are from his uncle or his own land is almost a standard.

Being by the Mediterranean Sea also offers the opportunity of fresh sea foods and fish and, with such climate, a plethora of vegetables and fruits of high quality gathered locally. The little café a few doorsteps away from our hotel had a decadent coffee too and offered a very relaxing outdoor patio on the street where locals and tourists alike are able to contemplate and cogitate in peace.

_{(Here, @onceuponatime is in deep consultation with his oracle…)}

The evening walks before the late dinner, typically eaten around 9 p.m., allows for promenades alongs the beach waterfront to enjoy sunsets and vistas common in such surroundings. After long days in the heat, a good refreshing drink doesn’t hurt and showers us with memories resurfacing from the days filled of unforeseen presents.

Sitting on a small terrace facing the western waters, @onceuponatime and I sipped on a cool beverage while watching the sun falling upon Hera’s Temple constantly being distracted by the interesting crowd travelling by.

Hearing French or English speakers walking near us was far from the average. Though Greek speakers seemed to be the common denominator, to my surprise Russian was a close second! We were surrounded by groups of dancers and singers from Russian communities from all over. W We came to realize a bit later that singers and dancers from Ukraine, Belarus, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Russia had came over to this popular summer resort town to, at least, perform in what we witnessed to be some sort of friendly performance oriented competitions.

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Well, I figure this post has already reached its limit of length as I was told a few times already that my posts are a bit long and will have to leave the decadent ice-cream with @kencode and a crypto visit with @liondani to the “House of Madness” along with the mandatory pit-stop in a cigarette smoke ridden café and a super quick visit to Athens with @vpbokos for serious crypto-business for the next article on my trip to the upcoming “Crypto-Friendliest Place on Earth”, Loutraki, Greece!

Till then, keep your smile, travel safe on the face of the Earth, thrive on and namaste :)