Day 4 - Final Day in Greece

First on the agenda this morning is to get our COVID test (UGH) so we can return home tomorrow. 6:45 am and we are headed to the medical facility. Ok that’s done and we’re good to go.

Stopped to take a picture of the sunrise. 

Beroea (or Berea) was an ancient city of the Hellenistic period and Roman Empire now known as Veria in Macedonia. This is where we spent last night. 

Paul and Silas left Thessaloniki for Beroea (Veria). They walked for awhile on the Egnatia road. We walked on the Egnatia road in Philippi and have driven it the last two days. It took us about 2 1/2 hours to get from Philippi to Thessaloniki by car. Imagine walking that. It seems that Paul travelled that road in autumn, spring and winter. It’s been so hot the last few days that I can see how summer would have been miserable. However, with all the beatings and imprisonment Paul suffered, a little heat would have been the least of his worries. When I think of all he suffered to spread the gospel, never stopping until he was executed, I ask myself the question, “am I willing to suffer to share the gospel?”

Veria was a very large city with a large population (it still is) and had a flourishing synagogue. As soon as they got there, Paul and Silas visited the synagogue. Apparently the Jews in Veria were more polite than those in Thessaloniki and listened with great interest as Paul preached the gospel to people from the upper classes of Veria, Hebrews and converts, and a great number of women. 

“Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.” 

Acts 17:11

However, it wasn’t long before word about Paul’s preaching reached Thessaloniki. Their enemies from Thessaloniki sent people to Veria to cause trouble so Paul immediately left Veria but Timothy and Silas stayed. 

The spot in Veria where Paul supposedly stood and preached, the so-called “Apostle Paul’s Podium”, is now a rather imposing monument. It was located outside the walls of the city. The edifice is made of stone and is decorated by three big multicolor tessellations (the 3 arched shapes).

The mosaics are astounding. Just from my little experience with them. I can’t imagine the time to do such detailed portraits. 

We also visited Aegae, near Veria, and the royal tombs of Philip. Unfortunately, they don’t open until noon today and we had to be at the airport at 2 so had to move on. 

There are many homeless dogs on the streets. The people feed them all the time so some of them are very fat. They’re also very old and many are crippled so much they can barely walk. It’s so sad. 

More fall colors. 

Leaving Veria. 

Back in Thessaloniki to catch our flight to Rome. 

This was our transportation while in Greece. It was supposed to be a black Mercedes SUV but that’s the one that had transmission trouble the first night so we had the minivan 🤣

Austrian airlines gives you chocolate instead of peanuts.

Landing in Vienna Austria.

We were surprised by all the farmland and disappointed that the windmills have invaded their beautiful landscape. 

We took a bus out to the plane in Thessaloniki. Took a bus from the plane to the terminal in Austria. Went in one door and out another to catch the bus to the correct terminal. We were practically flying through the airport because we had about 15 minutes until our plane was supposed to leave. It was slightly delayed so we had time to spare 😬

After checking into our hotel in Rome, we had pizza one last time and took a walk along the river. It’s a beautiful night. 

Of course there had to be one last gelato too. 

I promised you a stair count at the end of our journey so here it is: 

4,096 stairs climbed, and what goes up must come down. Just to give you a little perspective, it would be like climbing up to the top of the Statue of Liberty 25 times, or the new World Trade Center twice. 

Thank you all for following along with us and commenting

on the blog. It means so much to be able to keep in touch when we’re so far from home.

Ciao! Auf Wiedersehen! Yassau! Goodbye!