Because of the very hot and long summers, the Area Presidency lets the senior couples go somewhere for 10 days during July - just not home. We chose to go to Switzerland and Greece. We were able to attend the Swiss Temple. It was wonderful to be back in the temple. The last time was last December when we went home for Kristina's baptism.
The area around the temple is beautiful and reminded us of the Sacred Grove in New York. We went on a couple of short hikes while we were there.
We drove our rental car into Bern and, as always, after a long time were able to find a parking place. This is one of the old clock towers there.
We ate in a 2nd story apartment and had way too much to eat. This was a common occurrence during our trip. I will need to lose weight again now that we are back in Egypt.
We drove into the Alps one day and saw beautiful sights and had cool weather.
The 2nd part of our trip was in Greece. We first flew to Thessaloniki and took a day excursion to Meteora, where many monasteries were build on top of rock platforms.
You can see in the background a few of the monasteries.
This is one of the larger monasteries.
We attended church on Sunday - yes! Sunday! It was great not to meet on Friday. It did take us about 40 minutes to find a parking place and then find the meeting location. We walked in during sacrament and there were very few people there. The senior missionary, who is the branch president, Elder Fronck, met with us afterwards and told us more about the small branch and the joys they have working there.
We then drove to Kavala and Phillipi, which was about 2 hours into Macedonia. The beds were very hard and I had a difficult time sleeping most nights, but the cities were very interesting. This is part of an old Roman aqueduct that cuts through the old part of the city.
We took a tour of sites where the Apostle Paul was to have been. The picture on the left is part of an old Roman theater and is near where Paul was supposed to have been imprisoned.
This is the site where Paul was to have baptized his first female convert in Europe, Lydia. The orthodox church there still uses the site for baptisms.
This is the stream where Lydia was to have been baptized near Phillipi.
This is the old Apia Way that existed during the time of Paul. Kathleen asked our guide how far it went and she told her that we could continue to Athens, which would be a very, very long way.
This is the view of the Aegean Sea.
Kathleen and I at the end of our trip in Kavala.
Here is a sign that is posted on a tree near our apartment. I am certain that they meant "stuff", but with all of the lay-offs and cut-backs they might be entrepreneurs who want to buy the "used staff" people. :)
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