As I walk back to my hotel in Litochoro after my nightly giro (the Greek idea of fast food consisting of chicken or pork shaved from a large skewer, along with tomato, onion, tzatziki~a yogurt sauce, and perhaps a couple of french fries held together with a piece of pita bread.), I see a woman walking and ask her if she has climbed Mt. Olympus. She is enthusiastic in her Aussie, "No, but I really want to! How about you?" And so begins the story of Amy and Lynn's journey to the Birthplace of the Gods! What a grand adventure it was! Gorgeous walk to the top where we settle into some rocks that are protected by the ferocious wind that seemed to follow us. Our 'hangout' place is on top of a dizzying dazzling narrow ridge looking to the sea in one direction, and off to more valleys and mountains behind. Sleep is at a refuge partway down the mountain where 40 middle schoolers are spending the night as well.
The full moon sets behind the steep crags of Mytikas early in the morning and the sun rises over the sea shortly before we set off to hike down the Epineas Gorge back to Litochoro. A beautiful hike through a deep narrow gorge that leads us to a small monastery-like building built into the rock with a river that runs underneath. A wonderful couple of days before I head to Athens to truly explore the Acropolis.
