Panselino- I find the sound of this Greek word quite pleasant. It carries with it a soothing calm entangled with a bit of mystery. This is the Greek name of the full moon we admired last night, on the 19th of August.
The August full moon in Greece is one of the highlights of the summer. More than a hundred historical and archaeological sites across the country stay open to the public with free admission. At many of these places, a range of activities such as, performances, star observations, concerts and guided tours are organised. As it was cloudy and a bit damp in the afternoon, I opted for a quiet family lunch on the terrace.
As I stared into the distance I saw a bright light just behind the olive trees. I couldn’t see it properly and believed it was a bright streetlight. However, it kept growing and slowly but surely the light rose above us: it was the moon awakening. While staring at the mesmerizingly bright moon, I could see its rough surface, decorated with craters, even without my glasses.
Selene – the Goddess of The Moon – was joined by Zeus this year. The Full Moon celebrations were accompanied by major lightning strikes that affected Greece throughout the night. The National Observatory of Athens reported nearly 32000 lightning strikes. The majority took place over the sea, mainly across the northwestern coastline of Greece.
