My view of Greek History

Started reading the DK Greece guide last night. It starts with an executive summary of Greek history and culture. Wow. Lots to cover in 40 pages. I skimmed it all. My history is so foggy.

Greece became a country most recently in 1830, the Greek War of Independence from the Ottoman Empire. Before that... well let me start at the beginning. Broad brush here.  Recounting their history will help me understand. And I love maps.

Greece is known as the birthplace of Western Civilization. Wow. What more to be said.

Start with the Cycladic civilization (3,000 to 2,000 BC), the Minoans from Crete, and the Mycenaeans. Writing, language developed. Lots of island kingdoms. Aegean Civilization. 

Then the Greek Dark Ages, nothing recorded. The darkness before the dawn.

First Olympics were 776 BC, in Olympia. This seems to be the traditional  end of the Dark Ages and the beginning of the Classical Era. Next door neighbor Roman Empire put an end to Greece's heyday in 146 BC. But until then, it was quite a place. The Classical Era (776BC-323BC) was followed by the Hellenistic Era (323BC - 146BC.) To confuse us (me) more, some people don't separate Classical and Hellenistic. They call them both Classical.

And then what is "Ancient" Greece? Some start in 1000BC and go to 300 AD. Others start in 776BC (the Olympics) and end in 146BC (The Romans.) Most seem to do the 776BC to 146BC timeline. Just telling you. I realize you can't put definite time markers on changes in entire civilizations, but precise and world wide nomenclature would help us trying to learn.

Classical Greece - City States

In 776 BC, Greece was city-states.  Start of Classical Greece. Sparta, Athens, Thebes were the big three. They fought amongst themselves. A lot. Can anybody say Peloponnesian Wars? Maybe their competitive situation created an environment where culture flourished.

And how they flourished over those 600 years of Greek dominance (until the Greeks were taken over by the Romans, remember?)  Homer wrote the Iliad and the Odyssey, seminal in the start of western literature. Buildings beautiful and majestic. Balanced. The golden ratio. The golden rectangle. Temples, markets, grand theaters, amphitheaters, gymnasiums, government buildings. Stone and marble. Some with optical illusions.  The Parthenon. Oedipus the King, Lysistrata, Medea. Socrates, Plato, Aristotle. Physics, Astronomy. Calculus, Geometry. Pythagoras, Euclid, Hippocrates the father of medicine. Democracy in 508 BC in Athens.

The Persians wanted to control Greece. Lots of battles. In 490 BC, Battle of Marathon (the 26.2 mile race is named for the messenger.) Finally in 337 BC Macedonian Phillip II unites all the city-states into the League of Corinth, the first time they are a "country." He had 7 wives. Funny the details that jump out.

Aristotle and Alexander

His son became Alexander the Great. He only had 2 wives. Do you know who Alexander's tutor was? Aristotle. Plutarch, the Greek historian, writes that Phillip II was looking for a tutor for Alexander when he turned 13. He assigned the Temple of the Nymphs in Mieza as the classroom for Alexander and several other sons of Phillip's friends. These students were taught medicine, logic, philosophy, literature, science, religion and art.  By Aristotle. In a temple. Of Nymphs. Enough said.

Alexander the Great's Empire

In 336 BC Alexander the Great took over as King of Macedonia (which was part of Greece), one year after his father had united the city-states. His father was assassinated. Being king is a dangerous occupation.

Alexander then grew the Empire east to Pakistan, south to Egypt. He became King of the Persians and King of Egypt as well. Fought huge battles. His horse Bucephalus (Greek for ox-head) died in Pakistan, so he named the town to honor his horse.

 Alexander died in 323BC in Babylon, in Nebuchadnezzar's palace. He was 32 years old. His generals divided his kingdom. He is said to have never lost in battle, to have been one of history's most successful commanders. He ruled the largest empire of the ancient world.

Alexander the Great's Empire divided in 301BC

Therein started the Hellenistic Era.  323 BC to 146 BC.  Greek culture spread. Thrived and spread wide and far.  The creativity and advancement of science, math, theater, literature was exponential. Everyone wanted to be Greek. Being the largest empire, most everyone was Greek.

Roman Empire

In 146 BC, the Romans looked east and started invading Greece inch by inch.  Battle by battle, until all Greece was under Roman rule. Interestingly the Romans revered Greek culture, adopted it and adapted to it. Consumed it. So all that Greek culture and those Greek advancements in so many fields spread throughout the Roman Empire. Horace said, "Greece, though captured, took its wild captors captive."

Rome ruled the Greeks for 550 years.

Byzantine Empire

Turn the corner on the year counting.  Now we are  in the AD's.

The Roman Empire fell. It seems around 324 AD when the Eastern Roman Empire became the Byzantine Empire, with capital at Constantinople. It was a process. Greek culture continued to spread, throughout the Byzantine Empire.

One thousand years as part of the Byzantine Empire. Still lots of fighting. Greece was attacked by the Huns, Goths, Barbarians, Slavs. Fought them all off.

Ottoman Empire

But in 1460 Greece was successfully taken over by the Turkish Ottomans. Many academics and wealthy Greeks fled west to safety, to Italy.  This influx of immigrants with their large body of art,  literature and learning helped fuel the Renaissance in Italy.










Finally in 1830, Greece declared independence. They separated from the Ottoman Empire. Fought for their independence. Won independence. Phew.


During the 1900's there were struggles still. Tumultuous periods with pretty much every neighboring country at some point. Currently it appears Greece has enjoyed 40 years of peace with neighbors.

Now Greece is part of the European Union. The Euro is the money. Currently, the economy is struggling. Debt crisis. I hope they want to see tourists.  Wikipedia says 16% of their GDP is tourism.

Mike and I will do our part.

Weather and Orkney Fudge

I am with you always, says Jesus, in Matthew's Gospel.
I like not being alone.
Very comforting.
Especially when your companion loves you unconditionally. Knows everything about you and still wants to be with you. That applies to Jesus. And to my husband. I'm a lucky ducky.

Where have I been the past two weeks? A little surgery, the slow uphill climb of healing (or so it seems when you are in the process of climbing.)

But I am back!

Because Corey's home for a few days (I like to think it is to visit us, but I acknowledge that sunny Florida beats chilly Chicago in a weather race) I am in heaven. That's how us parents feel when a child comes home to visit. Note that, all children of any age. Your parents adore you, even though they might be too busy "advising" you to tell you that. Or too achy or afraid of the future to smile a lot. But I know it. They adore you. And they cherish the moments with you.

But I digress.

I just finished the 2012 Whiting Family photo album. Shutterfly, I love you so. Memories of a year of travel, family, friends and beauty. Memories of a tiny coffee shop in Brora, Scotland called Coffee Bothy.

Memories of a dessert which I told Mike NOT to get on the first visit, as it appeared to be a heavy, white chocolately concoction that didn't look to me as good as the Cinnamon Rolls. On the second visit, we asked about it as it seemed to be a popular item. It wasn't what I thought it would be at all.

Orkney Fudge Cheesecake. Okay, that's a heavy baked cream cheese and egg cake, with white chocolate flavoring to me. WRONG! Orkney Fudge is a type of Scottish Tablet, which is a type of fudge made in the extreme northern part of Scotland (an hour north of Brora) with a flavor of caramelized sugar. A little grainy. Sublime flavor. And what's more, they don't bake this cheesecake. They lighten cream cheese with lots of whipped cream (think about that) and the only sweetening is the fudge folded in. Not overly sweet.  Lastly, do you know Hobnob cookies? Those toasty oaty toffee crunchy cookies sold in Scotland? If you do, you know they are worlds different than graham crackers, and add so much to the desert when they are your crust.

Can you tell we loved it?

 So I pull out the meaningful recipe.  First you have to make the Orkney Fudge, which is really Scottish Tablet. That grainy fudge-like masterpiece made from only butter, sugar, cream. You can see the tablet in pieces in the two measuring cups. While making it, you stir it for 20 minutes. Seriously strong women in northern Scotland.  It cools and sets. You rest.

THEN you make the Cheesecake, which isn't baked. It is mainly whipped cream, with softened cream cheese folded in, and some of the tablet too. That's the sweetener and flavor, the tablet. The crust is butter and crumbled Hobnobs, which are toasted oat cookies. It's really good.

 Mine looks about like the one in Brora. Not as thick, as I was making it for just us three. And we only have half of it left.

Preparing for Athens-Israel trip. Looking at the weather. I like the website WORLD WEATHER ONLINE,   That link will take you to Athens weather. As you can see when you scroll down, it has a graph of average monthly highs and lows. I like graphics.   Here's the link to Jerusalem's weather. As you can see, you can use the 7 colorful icons on the top left to get the daily forecast, change from Celcius to Fahrenheit, etc. Tiberias and Tel-Aviv look 3-7 degrees warmer,

To prep for the trip, I have made two folders on my IPAD, one Greece, one Israel. And have put a link to this weather site in each. I know I will want this while traveling. And to prepare now.

Looks like great weather to travel. Athens historically has high of 68, low of 52 in April. We are going the last two weeks, so I think that would be a smidge higher. Rainfall is 1 inch average in April. The rainiest season is the winter in Greece. I'm thinking sweater or windbreaker weather.

For Israel, the rainfall averages are below 0.6 inches. No worries there. This will be the spring in a desert climate. Hopefully flowers abundant. As for temperatures, the average highs are 71 to 75 and lows are 51 to 58. Warmer than Athens, slightly. Still pleasant with sweaters needed in evening and early morning. Seems like mid-days will be short sleeves and light slacks or even shorts in both countries. Fantastic.

The same night awaits us all. Horace

The same night awaits us all, was said by poet Horace back when Latin was spoken on the streets.  So that's 2,000 years ago. (Okay, not counting the Vatican.)

Are you sensing I am detouring again away from Travel Planning. Yes. Good job dear reader. I just can't help it. Too much else on my mind. Sorry. This blog is what it is. I will do some travel planning. Not yet. Horace's quote needs some thinking on.

This was the first line of the sermon yesterday by Ted Sinn at New City. The verses were from Luke 2. Where Simeon was waiting at the Temple for Jesus to be brought in, so he could see his Messiah and then die in peace. We have all heard these verses oodles of times. Yes, yes, Simeon recognized Jesus. He was looking for Jesus. And Joseph and Mary, props to you for raising Jesus as a good Jewish boy. Taking him to the Temple to be dedicated.

But this sermon focused on a different part of the story. On how Simeon viewed his own death. Because it doesn't say he was old, or ill and achy. Or that he was a priest and really really holy. Just that he went to the Temple that day, with the Spirit moving him, and recognized His awaited Messiah in Jesus. Whom he knew he would see before he could die.

There's a topic we don't discuss much. A real conversation stopper at cocktail parties, What are your thoughts on your own death? How do you feel about dying?

Yet, what is a more important topic than our personal thought on our death. Not on your death or death in general, but in my own.

Stop the presses, I don't want to die yet. I have so much I want to do still here on earth. Like everything. Yes I whine a bit about this and that, but really don't take me yet Lord.

On went the sermon, revealing that Simeon wasn't exceptional, but he was exemplary. Death for him was a promotion. A freedom. A peace, sweetly anticipated. He walked with God, stayed in step with God. As he walked, he increasingly saw more of Jesus. The Holy Spirit helped him. 

I was in tears during the hymn that followed. What a gift I was given during my parents' deaths.  For both of them, I saw them peaceful about dying. Both told me (they died 11 years apart) they were ready to die days before they did. Both told me I had done a good job as a daughter. I was able to talk openly with both that I loved them, to forgive all those things that might be lingering. That they were good parents, that I loved them. Mom talked openly about being in Heaven with Jesus. She was so ready to go. Dad more round about.  

What a gift I have been given. How this helped my grieving. What a boost for my faith. And what a solid foundation for my thoughts when I in the distant future reach that "same night." I realized the last lesson both my parents taught me was a gift. I saw them pass from earthly bodies into the immortal world... and they were peaceful. Not joyful to die. But peaceful.

Why the tears? Because Sunday the hymn that followed the sermon had words of the saints singing at the foot of the throne. I pictured my mom and dad. And Mike's mom.

WAIT! That's really Mike's MOM!

The three of them were happily singing with hundreds of other saints, white light glowing around them all singing at the foot of an impressive huge towering throne.  Helen died three years ago. She wasn't a church-goer. Had her reasons. But there she was. Singing and glorying away. What a feeling of pure joy I had. Hence, onslaught of tears.

Happy tears. Tears of joy. What gifts...

Detour is done

The detour from Israel trip planning is done. Booked the air flights to Glasgow, returning from London. Got good price, good enough. Balanced getting 180 degrees flat bed seats with the flights times and the price. With today's technologies you can research everything. So many choices, makes the decision more difficult, but more valid.

Mike has spent days on ancestry.com researching where we want to spend time in England trying to see ancestor's homes, graves, fields, whatever. Seems we have direct ancestors that were nobility and royalty, as well as clergy and ne'er-do-wells. A mixed lot. It will be fun.

To bring  me back to Israel and Athens, this morning the postman brought Shekels and Euros. I always like to cart along a little local cash. Just 100$. Gets you off and running.  Back on track to the Holy Land.

I have gotten side tracked

I have gotten side tracked from our Israel plans, already. Followed a spur route for a few days, already. (Great cartology metaphor don't you think?)

We are going to northern Scotland in July, just like last summer. To a town of 1,200 Scots and many more sheep. Madonna married there. The last witch burned in Scotland was burned there. Donald Ross was born there, was greenskeeper of the Dornoch golf course. We belong to the associated club, the Royal Dornoch Golf Club.  We love it. It's another world from Central Florida.

When we go over, we rent a house or apartment within walking distance to the golf course and become "Scottish Sara and Mike." Pinhead oatmeal for breakfast, tea all day long, walking everywhere.Reading tons.   Shopping at the butcher, the baker, the grocer.. just for that day. Eating at the fantastic yet tiny restaurant in town every lunch. Walking tons, did I say that? Simple life really. The high temp last summer was 68 degrees F.  So wearing sweaters, in JULY!

As Downton Abbey has captured all our hearts, we have been investigating on ancestry.com. Mike has a book from his great-grandmother that traces his mother's line back to the 400's Vikings. We are working on the other three parents' lines. He's found the towns in England and France where the ones who came to America were born... in the 1600's. Quite a feat.  And he's traced my father's line back to the 900's... one of them fought in 1006 for Mike's ancestor William the Conqueror, one was brother to Jane Seymour (Henry VIII's third wife.) So he's finding the spots in England where they lived. Boston, Greater Yarmouth, Penhow (Wales), Wolf Hall (Burbage). We need to scope out the main places to explore, book the airplane for that trip. Then put it on the shelf, focus on Israel.

Joined a bible study on Peter this morning. A conversational study with mostly women I don't know. Led by not me. LOVE IT!  Peter is so encouraging. Says it like it is. Tells us why we have trials (to strengthen that faith) and to be holy and to love deeply. Everyone. To love everyone deeply.  So simple to say. So terribly tough to do. So God, I need your help. In this as in all things. Thank you.

Really, Really Excited

Still really, really, really excited to go to Israel.
Really, really excited.

Buying all the things. Ordered two adapter plugs each for Israel and for Greece on Amazon.com. Ordered the DK Eyewitness Travel Guides for Israel and Greece on Amazon. I have found them to be the best through the years to take traveling. I need photos as well as words. I can get all the words I want on the internet with my IPAD. I also ordered three travel guides which focused on the spiritual side of Israel. Don't know how they are so I will fill you in when I read them; stay tuned. (Oh, what a tantalizing teaser.)

The April Israeli weather seems similar to Florida, maybe a little cooler. Athens is definitely cooler. I like this. Israel's late April temperatures on weatherbase.com seem to be 60 - 80 F. And Athens are 52 -70 F.  Good touring weather.

Filled out the Personal Information Form for A & K. Xeroxed the info page of our passports. First, found our passports. Checked they were valid.  Then made copies.

Quickly booked hotel in Athens. Grande Bretagne. It's the highest ranked big hotel in Athens on TripAdvisor.com. Athens is the rest stop before the heart of our tour. Figure I can research it later, but should book something now so we have somewhere for five nights in Athens. Same for Tel Aviv. We land in Tel Aviv April 20, the tour starts April 21. So booked the one prior night in same hotel tour has us in. The Intercontinental David.

Now to get in shape. Need to be able to walk 4 miles a day without pain. That's MY goal. I'm at 2.5 miles pain free now. It's the knee.

I have been contemplating and researching bible studies for this spring. I don't want to lead one, I want to be a sheep. An enthusiastic sheep. Planning to join one I have never been in before. They are focusing on Peter. Specifically the homework for Session 1 is to read the first chapter of 1 Peter. Always enjoyed Peter.

Peter's got the ADHD thing down pat.
He's really, really, really excited to follow Jesus.
Falls, gets up.
He's really, really, really excited to follow Jesus.
Falls, gets up.

Who does this remind you of?

I want to go to Israel

I am drawn to visit Israel. I've been tossing this around for years. A decade. Maybe even longer. Two decades. Every time we (husband and I) talk about it, we say, Let's wait until it's safe.

Well, I'm not getting any younger. And sadly, Peace in the Middle East doesn't seem to be getting any closer. Kids have flown the coop and are both on solid paths. Knock on wood. God willing.  I love them and adore them and rejoice that they are close to us, yet independent and strong and really cool people.

Back to me.

I've been in bible studies since college. Studied the steps of Jesus, the Ascestion Psalms, the Gospels, the Apostles, the Prophets.  I've watched The Passion, The Gospel of John, Jesus Christ Superstar, and The Jesus Film.  I've watched videos of bible studies filmed on location. Looked at maps in the back of bibles and Googled  'Mount of Olives and 'Sea of Galilee'.  I've led bible studies.  I love bible studies. I feel electrically alive with a bible open on my lap talking with other women. But please note, I don't know everything. That's not my goal. My goal is to be in God's presence, to know Him better. Which is a goal I need to keep voicing out loud to myself, as I can get side tracking into the comfortable world of academia so easily.

Last year during an Advent Bible Study I led a group of compassionate women on a ten minute guided meditation based on Luke.  Of the shepherds outside Bethlehem visited by angels, then they walked into Bethlehem to see the baby in the manger, then they returned to the hills and the sheep. With our eyes closed we laid down on the rocky grassy hillside beside the stone wall, looked up at the multitude of stars and thanked God for His gift. We smelled the sheep's damp wool, felt the cool night air. We felt dust remaining on our feet from the streets of Bethlehem. We could hear the background night sounds of a small town crowded with census-visitors.

I have never been to Israel in real life. I want to go there.

Got a test result from a doctor in December. It wasn't so bad. It was one that she said we would revisit in six months, see what it said in June. Blah. And while we are on the subject (of me),  I've a torn meniscus that's been healing slowly over seven months. S-l-o-w-l-y. And just had neurosurgery in right arm to correct nerve damage from Chemo port two years ago.  Ouchy.  But getting so much better now. Yippee.

I'm not getting any younger.
So what's wrong with going now?
Give me a good reason not to go now?
Hmmm.
Okay, give me a really, really good reason, one that is stronger than my desire to go now.
Ha, you see. Silence.
Hard to use logic against heart's desire.
And Ziva David will protect me, if she isn't needed at NCIS.

No time like the present, I say.
Well, no time like in three months, I say.

Question: Who abducted the old Sara and replaced me with this impetuous traveler. The old me researched destinations, hotels, restaurants endlessly. Made exhaustive charts of pros versus cons of spots and we discussed and then chose.

Not in this case. Chose a tour and date with one visit to the internet. Called them up, booked it two days later. Abercrombie and Kent, Israel: Crossroads of History. Note, we did wait two days to finally book so that was responsible, right?  And we have gone on tours with them in the past that were excellent.

Air flights were a different story. I researched them for a week (www.Hipmunk.com). So glad we did. Found that we could go flat-seat first class on USAir, and that it was bunches cheaper to go through Athens. So we are staying five nights in Athens, then hopping to Tel Aviv .. still arriving a day early for our tour.  Mike agrees. Mike, who has suffered through years of business travel, doesn't like air flights. But he graciously endures. So he says, If we are flying all the way to the Middle East, let's visit somewhere else in addition to Israel. We thought of Rome but we were there for a glorious week two summer ago. Athens, here we come!

As this is a trip I want to savor, I will blog all details. Helps me to remember. Please forgive all my details if they bore you. These are not the highlights I would tell people over lunch, they are the notes I  am keeping for myself.

You are welcome to wander along with me.
If not, I wish you peace!