This is going to be an entry about my week-long stay in Greece. In the interest of time and convenience, I wrote my journal entries all throughout the week as if I were writing on this blog, so the following daily entries are, for the most part, unedited and candid, including the dates in French as I always write them, everything written on the days that they happened. I pride myself on my authenticity. Hopefully you enjoy it.
vendredi le 13 mars 2015
Currently on a plane, one taking me back to Europe ♥ ♥ ♥ It's 4h35 CET lol. Anyway, not much happened this morning, so I'll get to the good part and write as though I'm on my blog. Here goes!
It was my first time setting foot in Terminal E, and it was beautiful. Being in an airport once again, I felt that familiar sensation people feel when they return home. Terminal E was decorated with the flags of countries BOS served, and looking at it, I had the feeling i could be anywhere in the world.
At my gate, I ran into plenty of Harvard students, though I was especially pleased and surprised to see my good friend Pepe heading home to Barcelona! Even better, we were on the same flight to Frankfurt, and I got to switch seats so I could sit next to him. He and I enjoyed some lovely wine and cheese at 30,000 feet.
Although I usually can't fall asleep on planes, the wine acted as an unexpected sedative and completely knocked me out, which was fortunate (even if I didn't get as much required reading done as I would have liked). I am happy to say I spent most of the red-eye flight tranquilly asleep. Which makes me all the more ready for what's ahead. Europe, I'm coming back!! ♥ ♥ ♥
samedi le 14 mars 2015
After my layover in Frankfurt, I boarded the plane bound for Athens. I ended up sitting next to a lovely French couple from Nice, Jacques and Nathalie, whose first question for me after I spoke to them in French was, "Are you French?" :') They were great to chat with! After a flight that lasted less than 3 hours, we touched down in Athens, and I felt that familiar, exhilarating sensation of landing in a completely unknown land that I had missed so much. I looked around me in awe at the new landscape and architecture of the 17th country (10th European one) that I have set foot in, eager to be in the midst of the city and explore. Because I had some time in the afternoon to do so, I left the hotel and roamed around Athens' center, settling down first at a café to do some readings.
After that, I roamed around the area of the Acropolis.
My wandering took me to the museum, which is actually built on top of ancient Athens, as I could see beneath me.
From there, I ventured out onto the main roads, practicing reading Greek (which I conveniently had to do the other week for my linguistics course).
As dusk fell, I went to the rooftop veranda of my hotel to get an incredible view of the Parthenon and the city.
Later this evening, the full group of Harvard students, alumni, and affiliates went to have dinner at a restaurant called Arcadia. well, let's just say that my first experience with authentic Greek food was phenomenal.
Not only that, but it was super fascinating to talk with Harvard alumni from years ago and hear about how different Harvard was back then, and to see what they're doing with their lives. All in all, a super successful first day in Ελλας. Super stoked for the rest of my time here!
dimanche le 15 mars 2015
I woke up this morning having completely forgotten that I was in Greece. After letting it sink in, I went to get breakfast downstairs. I was greeted by an impressive array of foods to choose from...
And yes, I did have authentic Greek yogurt with honey! This morning, we had a short drive through tour of Athens before getting off at the National Archaeological Museum. It was full of sculptures, statues, tombstones, and other similar artifacts. Here are a few of my favorites.
The leader of this group is Professor Greg Nagy, who is probably the world's leading expert on classical studies. Out of coincidence, he met two Greek women, a mother and daughter, who had both taken his class online on edX. Such serendipity! I found it wonderful. After spending several hours in the museum, we went to have lunch at a restaurant called "The Cave of the Acropolis," situated on a hilly slope at the foot of the Acropolis itself.
And yeah, I'm gonna make food pictures a thing.
After a very satisfying meal, we walked to the museum of the Acropolis. While I do admit I was a bit museumed-out for the day, the top floor offered some stunning views of Athens.
I also met the 10-year-old granddaughter of our tour guide Eleni, Lydia. She was fun to talk to, and actually spoke Greek, English, and French. Ah, these Europeans. After resting later in the afternoon, we had free reign for dinner. Some of the other Harvard students and I went through narrow streets to a restaurant called Saras Tavern. I ordered the Moussaka.
It had such a warm atmosphere; there was even live traditional music.
Later on in the hotel, some of us went to the outdoor jacuzzi. I brought my ukulele and jammed a bit, with the lit up Acropolis in the background. It was a cheerful time, and a fantastic way to end the day.
lundi le 16 mars 2015
(see philosophizing entry here, stuff I wrote in transit)
Today was a day full of magnificent pictures. As I am one who makes it a must to see whatever new city I visit from high above, I was especially excited to trek up to the top of the Acropolis. All I can say is, no matter how many cities I get to gaze at from high above, the view never fails to take my breath away.
When we got ot the top, we got some history on the Parthenon and the surrounding temples. Though really, the other undergrad "kids" and I spent that time taking some pretty amazing photos.
And can I just say the dogs here are the cutest things ever?
From there, we walked to Ancient Agora, passing by the rock marking where democracy was born and the ruins of the site where Socrates was executed.
It was an absolutely gorgeous day outside; the breeze was very refreshing. I loved walking through the side street lined with cafes and restaurants. For a very late lunch, we stopped at a restaurant called Kotili. I've long since established that when it comes to food here, I don't hold back. After lunch finished around 4 pm, we got on the bus and drove around two hours to a small town called Nafplion alongside a bay. My first glimpses of it were as night was falling, and lights were just beginning to sparkle and gleam from the buildings alongside the water and across. It was a very idyllic scene. Our first stop was Harvard's Center for Hellenic Studies, where we had a welcome reception. There they talked about how their other headquarters are in Washington DC, and I thought fondly of my visit there over Thanksgiving and how that city really didn't seem that far away. I got to meet some more Harvard affiliated people, then we all got dropped off at our hotels. All the undergrads are in this adorable little family run hotel, and tonight the 9 of us set off to explore the town a bit. It's such a lovely place! I can't get enough. We all sat outside at this bar-café that was still open, chatting and laughing at intellectual games we were trying to play. It was grand, just grand. The days keep getting better and better, and I'm enjoying the company.
mardi le 17 mars 2015
I eat too much... but I want to eat everything I see... lol
The day started off right with a lovely breakfast prepared by our hosts, Akis and his mother, Paraiota. I will take this opportunity to point out that Greek blended iced coffee, frappé, is a delicious concoction, one that I will certainly miss. Here it is next to some yogurt.
After leaving our hotel, we met up with the "oldies" at theirs. This short walk was, of course, a worthy photo op.
This morning/s destination was the Mycenae, the place where the ancient civilization bearing the same name was situated. There, we first visited the Tomb of Agamemnon.
Then we climbed up the Acropolis of Mycenae, which offered us a stunning view of the surrounding countryside, peering across from the ruins.
We had lunch at a restaurant in the countryside called Kolizeras. It was in a beautiful location with breathtaking views out the window.
Since the tablecloth was made of paper, I took the opportunity to practice writing my Greek.
Later this afternoon (meals here last a really long time), we visited an ancient sanctuary of healing called Epidavros. There, there was an amphitheater where you could hear a coin drop in the center of the stage from even the furthest reaches of the audience. I made sure to climb all the way to the top to get a good view of the scenery below.
From there, we went back to Nafplion, where I spent some time strolling around the city like I had been meaning to. It was an extremely idyllic town, just the kind of setting I feel like all my favorite stories would occur in. It was just gorgeous, especially as dusk fell gently over the bay. It felt just like I was strolling around a town beautifully illustrated by the artist of Studio Ghibli.
This is going to sound especially whimsical, but tonight we had dinner at a restaurant called Mezedopolero, wherein upon the wall was a clock that ran backwards and the chef would enter the dining area with a terrific display of pyrotechnics on a chunk of cheese. (No, that is not the wine talking, though I've been having a fair amount of it.)
Oh, Nafplion. If only I could stay longer. But it's been such a blessing to even be able to stay for this instance!
mercredi le 18 mars 2015
Our hosts at the Αετουμα were just amazing. Akis and Paratoia really made us feel at home, and I was just a bit sad to say good-bye to them and to Nafplion. Well, I know where I'll head first when I go back! This morning, our first stop was the Temple of Hera, where apparently nobody ever goes, despite it being a very special place. It was supposedly the site where Herodotus began to conceive history. I was stunned by the views.
From there, we headed to the ancient city of Corinth where we visited some more ruins.
We also got special insider access to this workshop where two men were working on restoring the tesserae of a floor of an ancient roman house (while listening to some classy big band music). It looked like super intricate work. I couldn't help but ask to take a picture with Spiro, one of the men working there.
For lunch, we ate at a nearby ταβερνα. I had some kebab meat and a bit of octopus.
Then it was back on the road. We stopped by this really deep canal, the Corinth Canal, which connected the Gulf of Corinth to the Saronic Gulf. Then we drove along the coast. It wasn't like any coast I had previously been exposed to opening out into the sea; just in the distance, I could make out the inviting blue silhouettes of mountains, majestically lining the horizon. I found myself thinking that if I had to picture in my head what heaven would look like, that was what I would envision.
Eventually, coastal cliffs gave way to pure mountain ranges. Along the way, we saw a special crossroads at the bottom of the ravine we were driving on the edge of, the crossroads connecting Thebes, Athens, and the coast where supposedly Oedipus ran into a chariot carrying his father and killed him.
Driving along, we were soon greeted by the looming monstrosity that was Mount Parnassus. I was especially excited to see this mountain because of a piano piece I once played called "Doctor Gradus ad Parnassum," which apparently is a reference to the steps leading up Parnassus, where Apollo's temple is located. As we drove, it felt like we were getting further and further away from civilization and further into scenic mountain towns isolated from the world. I am writing this from Delphi, 1,500 feet above sea level. I look forward to seeing it in the day time, but for now, it's time to rest.
jeudi le 19 mars 2015
I feel like I can never write down every noteworthy thought that crosses my mind, but oh well. Might as well start with the people? Sure. Well there's 27 thereabouts. There are 9 undergraduates–me, Anna, Kate, Kimi, Jenny, Johnny, Kevin, Tristan, and Michael. There's Edlyn the PhD student. Everyone else is an older adult, part of an assortment of alumni, spouses, or other Harvard affiliates. They're such a fun group! Obviously not the same as traveling with 50 exchange students, but still an amazing experience. I've become particularly close to Juan, an adorable little old Spanish man. It turns out that he's this super renowned physicist. I'm also pretty close to Paula and Greg (Professor Nagy). The group knows me to be a little linguist. I guess during trips like this my love for immersing myself in another culture and language becomes immediately apparent.
I want to live in Europe again. This continent is everything. But at the same time, I want to go everywhere. Well, we'll see what happens. For now, I've got work to do.
Once again, I woke up blessed with a spectacular view.
We left our hotel and headed towards the Delphi Museum. Because the archaeological site was excavated by the French, it pleased me to see the descriptions of the museums' artifacts in Greek, English, and French. Here were some of my favorites...
The exterior of the museum had some picturesque scenes to offer...
...as well as more friendly locals!
We walked to the excavation site to Apollo's sanctuary on the side of the mountain. It simply blows my mind not only that these remains were once splendors to behold, but also that they were even rediscovered. The walk up the mountain was breathtaking.
Once at the site where people once came to consult the Oracle at Delphi, I went and placed my own inquiry...
Here is what the oracle looks like from a different angle.
From there, we just kept going up. Amidst those mountains and ruins, I took some time to reflect.
All in all, a fine visit to Apollo's sanctuary. From there, we had time to visit this lovely little mountainside village called Αράχωβα. It was a joy to stroll through, nestled within mountains, so closed off from the world.
We had a nearby lunch on a mountainside then proceeded to take a short tour of this monastery on the mountain from the Byzantine period. It was surreal; it looked too perfect, and at the same time it looked like it could have been anywhere in Europe.
When that was over, so started our journey back to Athens, where I am now writing this from the Hotel Herodion. It was a relaxing evening in the company of the other undergrads; we've definitely gotten closer as a group since we started our voyage here. Tomorrow's our last full day. It's unfortunate, really, but I'll still embrace it.
vendredi le 20 mars 2015
Aw, man. The last day in Greece. Despite the usual sadness that comes with last days, I find that it was a final day very well spent. We took a ferry from the port of Piraeus to the island of Aegina, where the first coin in Greece was minted. It was a decent sized island; I adored it. It was just so picturesque, with the shops and cafés lining the harbor, and the blue silhouettes of other mountainous islands in the distance. The cloudy weather somehow gave a more nautical, authentic feel to it.
We drove around the island and visited a temple to Athena, far above sea level. Looking out from it, you could see over part of Aegina, some of its mountains, and of course, the Aegean sea. What a sight to behold.
For lunch, we visited Eleni, our tour guide's, house. It was situated on some roling hills and had a spectacular view. It was just perfect; I especially love how she did the interior of her house. It's just like how I would want to decorate mine.
So I sat enjoying my lamb kebab with this view in front of me.
After that, we had some free time to walk around the harbor area before heading back to Athens. I spent most of the evening spending time with my fellow undergraduates, asking the adults I became friends with to sign my notebook. All in all, a very successful trip, one that will definitely help me push through the rest of freshman year.
samedi le 21 mars 2015
Lolz I slept 6 hours straight last night. (Incidentally, 6 hours is the approximate amount of time that I spent on my 8-hour flight reading that book [a 500+ page book that was assigned break reading for my anthropology class, the last 240 or so pages of which I binge read on the flight]). I had an early breakfast with some food that had become my favorite–loukomades (friend dough balls) with chocolate spread, Greek bacon, rice pudding, and of course, Greek yogurt with honey. After leaving the breakfast room, I headed to the atrium, a greenhouse like area of the hotel lobby that served as a restaurant and lounge with nice, large tables. The garden surrounding it and the sun shining brightly made the atmosphere no less than perfect...for studying. :P
Oh if only that were my desk! I didn't stay there too long, though; I wanted to take advantage of my last couple of hours in Athens. So my friend Johnny and I took a leisurely stroll down the main avenue lined with little restaurants, shops, and cafés, before settling down outside on a sidewalk café with a view of the Acropolis, the Parthenon just barely obscured by the trees across the street. We had a relaxing time chatting about the trip and life in general, while I treated myself for the last time to a sweet frappé with milk.
Back at the hotel, I went up to the rooftop garden to see the view in the daytime, before getting picked up by a taxi bound for the airport.
On the way, I tried to read as many of the Greek signs as I could, noticing I had improved considerably since I first arrived, wishing I had just a little more time. But no matter. I became attached to every new destination I set foot on, so even though it's hard to leave a place that has left a mark on my heart, doing so indicates the possibility of once again seeing a place from my past I once had to leave too, and of course, the possibility of once again seeing more new and fantastic places. That, and the fact that one of my good friends back at school is Greek, so having her around will help me not miss Greece too much! As for the transit back, it was pleasant. Because I flew Swiss International Air, I was pleased to understand all the announcements in both German and French, and even use German back and forth at a Starbucks in Zurich airport. Towards the end of my flight, I watched a movie called The Hundred Foot Journey. Considering it's about an Indian chef in the south of France, there were a lot of elements in it that I really appreciated. Okay, it's 20h20 EST (2h in Greece lolz) and we're about to touch down in Boston. Write you later!
vendredi le 13 mars 2015
Currently on a plane, one taking me back to Europe ♥ ♥ ♥ It's 4h35 CET lol. Anyway, not much happened this morning, so I'll get to the good part and write as though I'm on my blog. Here goes!
It was my first time setting foot in Terminal E, and it was beautiful. Being in an airport once again, I felt that familiar sensation people feel when they return home. Terminal E was decorated with the flags of countries BOS served, and looking at it, I had the feeling i could be anywhere in the world.
At my gate, I ran into plenty of Harvard students, though I was especially pleased and surprised to see my good friend Pepe heading home to Barcelona! Even better, we were on the same flight to Frankfurt, and I got to switch seats so I could sit next to him. He and I enjoyed some lovely wine and cheese at 30,000 feet.
Although I usually can't fall asleep on planes, the wine acted as an unexpected sedative and completely knocked me out, which was fortunate (even if I didn't get as much required reading done as I would have liked). I am happy to say I spent most of the red-eye flight tranquilly asleep. Which makes me all the more ready for what's ahead. Europe, I'm coming back!! ♥ ♥ ♥
samedi le 14 mars 2015
After my layover in Frankfurt, I boarded the plane bound for Athens. I ended up sitting next to a lovely French couple from Nice, Jacques and Nathalie, whose first question for me after I spoke to them in French was, "Are you French?" :') They were great to chat with! After a flight that lasted less than 3 hours, we touched down in Athens, and I felt that familiar, exhilarating sensation of landing in a completely unknown land that I had missed so much. I looked around me in awe at the new landscape and architecture of the 17th country (10th European one) that I have set foot in, eager to be in the midst of the city and explore. Because I had some time in the afternoon to do so, I left the hotel and roamed around Athens' center, settling down first at a café to do some readings.
After that, I roamed around the area of the Acropolis.
 |
| Ooh, a metro station. |
My wandering took me to the museum, which is actually built on top of ancient Athens, as I could see beneath me.
From there, I ventured out onto the main roads, practicing reading Greek (which I conveniently had to do the other week for my linguistics course).
As dusk fell, I went to the rooftop veranda of my hotel to get an incredible view of the Parthenon and the city.
Later this evening, the full group of Harvard students, alumni, and affiliates went to have dinner at a restaurant called Arcadia. well, let's just say that my first experience with authentic Greek food was phenomenal.
 |
| Tzatziki! |
 |
| We had wine at almost every meal. |
 |
| Appetizer sampler |
 |
| Inimitable BAKLAVA |
dimanche le 15 mars 2015
I woke up this morning having completely forgotten that I was in Greece. After letting it sink in, I went to get breakfast downstairs. I was greeted by an impressive array of foods to choose from...
And yes, I did have authentic Greek yogurt with honey! This morning, we had a short drive through tour of Athens before getting off at the National Archaeological Museum. It was full of sculptures, statues, tombstones, and other similar artifacts. Here are a few of my favorites.
 |
| The tombstone of a man lost at sea |
The leader of this group is Professor Greg Nagy, who is probably the world's leading expert on classical studies. Out of coincidence, he met two Greek women, a mother and daughter, who had both taken his class online on edX. Such serendipity! I found it wonderful. After spending several hours in the museum, we went to have lunch at a restaurant called "The Cave of the Acropolis," situated on a hilly slope at the foot of the Acropolis itself.
 |
| View from where I was sitting |
 |
| Fried zucchini patties |
 |
| Some kind of salty pastry with cheese inside...? |
 |
| Meat platter |
I also met the 10-year-old granddaughter of our tour guide Eleni, Lydia. She was fun to talk to, and actually spoke Greek, English, and French. Ah, these Europeans. After resting later in the afternoon, we had free reign for dinner. Some of the other Harvard students and I went through narrow streets to a restaurant called Saras Tavern. I ordered the Moussaka.
It had such a warm atmosphere; there was even live traditional music.
Later on in the hotel, some of us went to the outdoor jacuzzi. I brought my ukulele and jammed a bit, with the lit up Acropolis in the background. It was a cheerful time, and a fantastic way to end the day.
lundi le 16 mars 2015
(see philosophizing entry here, stuff I wrote in transit)
Today was a day full of magnificent pictures. As I am one who makes it a must to see whatever new city I visit from high above, I was especially excited to trek up to the top of the Acropolis. All I can say is, no matter how many cities I get to gaze at from high above, the view never fails to take my breath away.
When we got ot the top, we got some history on the Parthenon and the surrounding temples. Though really, the other undergrad "kids" and I spent that time taking some pretty amazing photos.
 |
| Am I a philosopher yet? |
And can I just say the dogs here are the cutest things ever?
From there, we walked to Ancient Agora, passing by the rock marking where democracy was born and the ruins of the site where Socrates was executed.
It was an absolutely gorgeous day outside; the breeze was very refreshing. I loved walking through the side street lined with cafes and restaurants. For a very late lunch, we stopped at a restaurant called Kotili. I've long since established that when it comes to food here, I don't hold back. After lunch finished around 4 pm, we got on the bus and drove around two hours to a small town called Nafplion alongside a bay. My first glimpses of it were as night was falling, and lights were just beginning to sparkle and gleam from the buildings alongside the water and across. It was a very idyllic scene. Our first stop was Harvard's Center for Hellenic Studies, where we had a welcome reception. There they talked about how their other headquarters are in Washington DC, and I thought fondly of my visit there over Thanksgiving and how that city really didn't seem that far away. I got to meet some more Harvard affiliated people, then we all got dropped off at our hotels. All the undergrads are in this adorable little family run hotel, and tonight the 9 of us set off to explore the town a bit. It's such a lovely place! I can't get enough. We all sat outside at this bar-café that was still open, chatting and laughing at intellectual games we were trying to play. It was grand, just grand. The days keep getting better and better, and I'm enjoying the company.
mardi le 17 mars 2015
I eat too much... but I want to eat everything I see... lol
The day started off right with a lovely breakfast prepared by our hosts, Akis and his mother, Paraiota. I will take this opportunity to point out that Greek blended iced coffee, frappé, is a delicious concoction, one that I will certainly miss. Here it is next to some yogurt.
After leaving our hotel, we met up with the "oldies" at theirs. This short walk was, of course, a worthy photo op.
This morning/s destination was the Mycenae, the place where the ancient civilization bearing the same name was situated. There, we first visited the Tomb of Agamemnon.
Then we climbed up the Acropolis of Mycenae, which offered us a stunning view of the surrounding countryside, peering across from the ruins.
We had lunch at a restaurant in the countryside called Kolizeras. It was in a beautiful location with breathtaking views out the window.
Later this afternoon (meals here last a really long time), we visited an ancient sanctuary of healing called Epidavros. There, there was an amphitheater where you could hear a coin drop in the center of the stage from even the furthest reaches of the audience. I made sure to climb all the way to the top to get a good view of the scenery below.
From there, we went back to Nafplion, where I spent some time strolling around the city like I had been meaning to. It was an extremely idyllic town, just the kind of setting I feel like all my favorite stories would occur in. It was just gorgeous, especially as dusk fell gently over the bay. It felt just like I was strolling around a town beautifully illustrated by the artist of Studio Ghibli.
This is going to sound especially whimsical, but tonight we had dinner at a restaurant called Mezedopolero, wherein upon the wall was a clock that ran backwards and the chef would enter the dining area with a terrific display of pyrotechnics on a chunk of cheese. (No, that is not the wine talking, though I've been having a fair amount of it.)
Oh, Nafplion. If only I could stay longer. But it's been such a blessing to even be able to stay for this instance!
mercredi le 18 mars 2015
Our hosts at the Αετουμα were just amazing. Akis and Paratoia really made us feel at home, and I was just a bit sad to say good-bye to them and to Nafplion. Well, I know where I'll head first when I go back! This morning, our first stop was the Temple of Hera, where apparently nobody ever goes, despite it being a very special place. It was supposedly the site where Herodotus began to conceive history. I was stunned by the views.
From there, we headed to the ancient city of Corinth where we visited some more ruins.
We also got special insider access to this workshop where two men were working on restoring the tesserae of a floor of an ancient roman house (while listening to some classy big band music). It looked like super intricate work. I couldn't help but ask to take a picture with Spiro, one of the men working there.
For lunch, we ate at a nearby ταβερνα. I had some kebab meat and a bit of octopus.
 |
| "Taken from the octopus' point of view" |
 |
| Sadly, I didn't take any pictures that were that great; you kind of just had to be there. |
.jpg) |
| Heavily edited picture, but it was the best I could do |
jeudi le 19 mars 2015
I feel like I can never write down every noteworthy thought that crosses my mind, but oh well. Might as well start with the people? Sure. Well there's 27 thereabouts. There are 9 undergraduates–me, Anna, Kate, Kimi, Jenny, Johnny, Kevin, Tristan, and Michael. There's Edlyn the PhD student. Everyone else is an older adult, part of an assortment of alumni, spouses, or other Harvard affiliates. They're such a fun group! Obviously not the same as traveling with 50 exchange students, but still an amazing experience. I've become particularly close to Juan, an adorable little old Spanish man. It turns out that he's this super renowned physicist. I'm also pretty close to Paula and Greg (Professor Nagy). The group knows me to be a little linguist. I guess during trips like this my love for immersing myself in another culture and language becomes immediately apparent.
I want to live in Europe again. This continent is everything. But at the same time, I want to go everywhere. Well, we'll see what happens. For now, I've got work to do.
Once again, I woke up blessed with a spectacular view.
We left our hotel and headed towards the Delphi Museum. Because the archaeological site was excavated by the French, it pleased me to see the descriptions of the museums' artifacts in Greek, English, and French. Here were some of my favorites...
 |
| Sphinx, on top of a column |
 |
| The gods just chilling through all the hullabaloo and fuss of the battle scene around them |
 |
| It's apparently significant when a figure's face is carved in profile as opposed to facing the viewer head on. So I couldn't help but be curious about this particular shield... |
...as well as more friendly locals!
 |
| "Rub my belly!" |
We walked to the excavation site to Apollo's sanctuary on the side of the mountain. It simply blows my mind not only that these remains were once splendors to behold, but also that they were even rediscovered. The walk up the mountain was breathtaking.
Once at the site where people once came to consult the Oracle at Delphi, I went and placed my own inquiry...
Here is what the oracle looks like from a different angle.
From there, we just kept going up. Amidst those mountains and ruins, I took some time to reflect.
 |
| The same vagabond shoes that took me around New York |
 |
| Taking tips from this quiet observer |
We had a nearby lunch on a mountainside then proceeded to take a short tour of this monastery on the mountain from the Byzantine period. It was surreal; it looked too perfect, and at the same time it looked like it could have been anywhere in Europe.
When that was over, so started our journey back to Athens, where I am now writing this from the Hotel Herodion. It was a relaxing evening in the company of the other undergrads; we've definitely gotten closer as a group since we started our voyage here. Tomorrow's our last full day. It's unfortunate, really, but I'll still embrace it.
vendredi le 20 mars 2015
Aw, man. The last day in Greece. Despite the usual sadness that comes with last days, I find that it was a final day very well spent. We took a ferry from the port of Piraeus to the island of Aegina, where the first coin in Greece was minted. It was a decent sized island; I adored it. It was just so picturesque, with the shops and cafés lining the harbor, and the blue silhouettes of other mountainous islands in the distance. The cloudy weather somehow gave a more nautical, authentic feel to it.
We drove around the island and visited a temple to Athena, far above sea level. Looking out from it, you could see over part of Aegina, some of its mountains, and of course, the Aegean sea. What a sight to behold.
 |
| Juan, the little Spanish physicist, and me |
For lunch, we visited Eleni, our tour guide's, house. It was situated on some roling hills and had a spectacular view. It was just perfect; I especially love how she did the interior of her house. It's just like how I would want to decorate mine.
So I sat enjoying my lamb kebab with this view in front of me.
 |
| I just loved Bobo the dog! |
samedi le 21 mars 2015
Lolz I slept 6 hours straight last night. (Incidentally, 6 hours is the approximate amount of time that I spent on my 8-hour flight reading that book [a 500+ page book that was assigned break reading for my anthropology class, the last 240 or so pages of which I binge read on the flight]). I had an early breakfast with some food that had become my favorite–loukomades (friend dough balls) with chocolate spread, Greek bacon, rice pudding, and of course, Greek yogurt with honey. After leaving the breakfast room, I headed to the atrium, a greenhouse like area of the hotel lobby that served as a restaurant and lounge with nice, large tables. The garden surrounding it and the sun shining brightly made the atmosphere no less than perfect...for studying. :P
Oh if only that were my desk! I didn't stay there too long, though; I wanted to take advantage of my last couple of hours in Athens. So my friend Johnny and I took a leisurely stroll down the main avenue lined with little restaurants, shops, and cafés, before settling down outside on a sidewalk café with a view of the Acropolis, the Parthenon just barely obscured by the trees across the street. We had a relaxing time chatting about the trip and life in general, while I treated myself for the last time to a sweet frappé with milk.
Back at the hotel, I went up to the rooftop garden to see the view in the daytime, before getting picked up by a taxi bound for the airport.
On the way, I tried to read as many of the Greek signs as I could, noticing I had improved considerably since I first arrived, wishing I had just a little more time. But no matter. I became attached to every new destination I set foot on, so even though it's hard to leave a place that has left a mark on my heart, doing so indicates the possibility of once again seeing a place from my past I once had to leave too, and of course, the possibility of once again seeing more new and fantastic places. That, and the fact that one of my good friends back at school is Greek, so having her around will help me not miss Greece too much! As for the transit back, it was pleasant. Because I flew Swiss International Air, I was pleased to understand all the announcements in both German and French, and even use German back and forth at a Starbucks in Zurich airport. Towards the end of my flight, I watched a movie called The Hundred Foot Journey. Considering it's about an Indian chef in the south of France, there were a lot of elements in it that I really appreciated. Okay, it's 20h20 EST (2h in Greece lolz) and we're about to touch down in Boston. Write you later!
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