November 9- Later that evening

There is a cycle of services at the Patriarchate. Remember this is technically a monastery. The Patriarch is the Igoumeonos. Vespers is at 4:30 PM. After lunch, I was told to relax. Dinner is at 8:00 in the Diakonikon. Technically it is the Deacon's lunch room but everyone who is not invited to the Patriachal table eats here. I went to my room lay down on my bed.... AND Conked out. Can anyone say jet lag? I woke up just in time for dinner. Dinner is basically leftovers from lunch. What I had for lunch is what was there for dinner. In other words, the Patriarch does not eat anything too different from what everyone else eats.

At 8:30 there is Apodeipnon or Compline in the Patriarch's chapel if he is in. Tonight he was not in.

I didn't want to be late for Orthros in the morning seeing that I want to set a fine example for the Archimandrites from America. Set my alarm for about 6:45 AM. I was up during the night several times because it was a little warm in my room, a different mattress and size bed from what I am used to and body is telling me one thing while the mind is telling me another.