November 11, 2008
This is dedicated to some of the best traveling companions :)
Universal Truths from Greece
1. Don't eat olives off the olive tree
2. Don't believe anything on the EasyCruise website
3. A 10% automatic gratuity does not automatically translate to good service
4. Budget travel can be fun, but be prepared for it
5. Good friends always drag you home - keep those friends close
6. Having an archeologist on a historical trip makes it so much better (Thanks Heinrich!)
7. European butter is to die for
8. You can't swing a cat without hitting an "archeologist" in Athens
9. Remember to laugh (especially at yourself)
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
November 10, 2008
Home Again
After either no sleep or very little sleep we were all up and ready to go. We checked out of the hotel and walked to the Metro. The gates has not yet been opened so we waited for them to be opened by a Metro employee.
Once inside we caught our train. Turned out we got the wrong one, but got off 3 stops later and waited the six minutes for the airport train. No harm at all - it was just too early in the morning. We arrived at the terminal and said our goodbyes. Didi and Helen headed to terminal 1. Didi to catch her flight and Helen to store her luggage while she went to the US Embassy to get a new passport. Russ and I headed to terminal 2 to check in for our flight. We checked in with no problem, but she was unable to print out a boarding pass for our connecting flight in Munich since they are on seperate systems. We then walked to our gate to wait for our flight. We must have dozed off, because we missed our gate change announcement and had to walk very quickly across the terminal to catch our flight.
Once in Munich we had an hour to catch our connection. So we ran to passport control and had our passports stamped, once in the terminal tried to get our boarding passes and were told to go directly to the gate so we ran to security. There we encountered a major roadblock. We waited in a very long line to answer the security questions and then went through security before waiting in another line at the gate to get our boarding passes. Once on we had no more than 5 minutes before they shut the door and pushed back. Russ also had to deal with the fact they double booked his seat.
The flight and drive home were uneventful. The trip was great and so worth every hassle along the way.
Home Again
After either no sleep or very little sleep we were all up and ready to go. We checked out of the hotel and walked to the Metro. The gates has not yet been opened so we waited for them to be opened by a Metro employee.
Once inside we caught our train. Turned out we got the wrong one, but got off 3 stops later and waited the six minutes for the airport train. No harm at all - it was just too early in the morning. We arrived at the terminal and said our goodbyes. Didi and Helen headed to terminal 1. Didi to catch her flight and Helen to store her luggage while she went to the US Embassy to get a new passport. Russ and I headed to terminal 2 to check in for our flight. We checked in with no problem, but she was unable to print out a boarding pass for our connecting flight in Munich since they are on seperate systems. We then walked to our gate to wait for our flight. We must have dozed off, because we missed our gate change announcement and had to walk very quickly across the terminal to catch our flight.
Once in Munich we had an hour to catch our connection. So we ran to passport control and had our passports stamped, once in the terminal tried to get our boarding passes and were told to go directly to the gate so we ran to security. There we encountered a major roadblock. We waited in a very long line to answer the security questions and then went through security before waiting in another line at the gate to get our boarding passes. Once on we had no more than 5 minutes before they shut the door and pushed back. Russ also had to deal with the fact they double booked his seat.
The flight and drive home were uneventful. The trip was great and so worth every hassle along the way.
November 9, 2008
Athens
Happy Birthday DiDi!
We were up and ready to go before 8am to meet the departure time. One last breakfast of yogurt, cornflakes, and fruit. So not going to miss the same thing everyday. And then it was off the boat to catch the shuttle bus to the terminal. Once at the terminal, we cleared a very disinterested customs area and then walked outside to catch a taxi to the Metro.
We took the Metro to the Monastiraki station and walked to our hotel which was once again the Hotel Attalos. This time we were given a room with a balcony. The view was great. After dealing with a few things (postcards, email, and passport stuff) we headed out to find the cemetery. Along the way we ran into the Poet Sandal maker of Athens and each bought a pair of sandals. It was such a fun thing to do.
It was then onto the Keramikos Cemetery, where we were able to convince the guard to let us in for the 15 minutes that remained before they closed. It was a fun experience to walk about and see the old grave stones.
Once the siren blew for us to leave we walked to the Theseion, which is the best preserved Doric temple. Along the way we ran across the flea marked. There were many vendors selling jewelry, fake purses, and other trinkets.
After the Theseion, we took pictures of the Stoa of Giants and the Stoa of Atalou. We also visited the museum in the Stoa of Atalou. Since I was in artifact overload I decided I wanted to hit the flea market and do some shopping. Didi and Helen continued onto the Agora while Russ and I checked out the vendors. I was able to find a cool bracelet and a fake Prada purse I just could not resist. Russ found two paintings he liked. We then headed back to the room so Russ could check his email and I caught a nap before Helen and Didi returned.
We then changed and went downstairs to meet Heinrich for dinner. He arrived right on time and walked us to a restaurant he recommended to celebrate Didi's birthday. To eat we had fried zucchini, yellow split peas, fried cheese, stuffed mushrooms, squid, stuffed ocotopus, and fruit for dessert. It was all very good or maybe what I should say it what I had was very good. We then sat and chatted for hours. Afterwards we walked over to a cute little bar for an after dinner drink. After a couple of hours I was feeling tired so I headed back to the room with Russ for safety while Didi and Helen continued to hang out with Heinrich. They figured they might as well enjoy their last night. Since our alarm was at 3:30am there was no sleep to be had anyway :)
Athens
Happy Birthday DiDi!
We were up and ready to go before 8am to meet the departure time. One last breakfast of yogurt, cornflakes, and fruit. So not going to miss the same thing everyday. And then it was off the boat to catch the shuttle bus to the terminal. Once at the terminal, we cleared a very disinterested customs area and then walked outside to catch a taxi to the Metro.
We took the Metro to the Monastiraki station and walked to our hotel which was once again the Hotel Attalos. This time we were given a room with a balcony. The view was great. After dealing with a few things (postcards, email, and passport stuff) we headed out to find the cemetery. Along the way we ran into the Poet Sandal maker of Athens and each bought a pair of sandals. It was such a fun thing to do.
It was then onto the Keramikos Cemetery, where we were able to convince the guard to let us in for the 15 minutes that remained before they closed. It was a fun experience to walk about and see the old grave stones.
Once the siren blew for us to leave we walked to the Theseion, which is the best preserved Doric temple. Along the way we ran across the flea marked. There were many vendors selling jewelry, fake purses, and other trinkets.
After the Theseion, we took pictures of the Stoa of Giants and the Stoa of Atalou. We also visited the museum in the Stoa of Atalou. Since I was in artifact overload I decided I wanted to hit the flea market and do some shopping. Didi and Helen continued onto the Agora while Russ and I checked out the vendors. I was able to find a cool bracelet and a fake Prada purse I just could not resist. Russ found two paintings he liked. We then headed back to the room so Russ could check his email and I caught a nap before Helen and Didi returned.
We then changed and went downstairs to meet Heinrich for dinner. He arrived right on time and walked us to a restaurant he recommended to celebrate Didi's birthday. To eat we had fried zucchini, yellow split peas, fried cheese, stuffed mushrooms, squid, stuffed ocotopus, and fruit for dessert. It was all very good or maybe what I should say it what I had was very good. We then sat and chatted for hours. Afterwards we walked over to a cute little bar for an after dinner drink. After a couple of hours I was feeling tired so I headed back to the room with Russ for safety while Didi and Helen continued to hang out with Heinrich. They figured they might as well enjoy their last night. Since our alarm was at 3:30am there was no sleep to be had anyway :)
Sunday, November 09, 2008
November 8, 2008
Piraeus to Athens
Once docked in Piraeus, we got ready following the same routine and had the same breakfast. We then took a shuttle bus from the port to our tour bus, and once everyone was on drove through the streets of Athens. Our new tour guide's name was Mahi. She was very informative and funny. As we drove through the streets she gave us all kinds of background information. Our first stop was at a stadium in Athens. Tomorrow it will be used as the finish line for the Marathon to Athens marathon.
We then continued onto the National Archaeological Museum. Before Mahi was a tour guide she was an archaeologist. While in the museum she showed us her find from her dig in Mycenae. Talk about cool. She then continued to show us and talked about other important exhibits before giving us a few moments to explore the museum. We even saw a couple of sculptures that have not been published yet. There was not enough time to look at everything. The museum is huge and has tons of exhibits.
From there we walked to a restaurant across the way for lunch. We had pasta, salad, and a veggie sandwich for me. Everyone else had chicken and rice. It was fruit for dessert. Once full, we hopped back onto the bus and drove to the Acropolis. We started the steep ascent up to the Parthenon. Wow those slaves must have worked hard. The views on top were so cool. We walked around the Parthenon, the Erechtheion with the Caryatids, Odeon, and the Theatre of Dionysus.
Russ, Pam and I also did a really quick hike over to a hill known as Areopagus, next to the Acropolis, where the Apostle Paul preached.
From there it was back to boat the same way we got there. Once on the boat we took the free time to pack before heading to Heinrich's last lecture on Athens Civilization - Pros and Cons. Then it was time for dinner. Our closing dinner did not have much in the way of vegetarian options. Even the green salad had ham. So I had rice with cabbage, some spinach puffs, and apple pie. It was a good thing I had a very large and very good lunch.
We then hung out with Pam for a while before heading back to our room to go to sleep. We all are so going to miss hanging out with her.
Piraeus to Athens
Once docked in Piraeus, we got ready following the same routine and had the same breakfast. We then took a shuttle bus from the port to our tour bus, and once everyone was on drove through the streets of Athens. Our new tour guide's name was Mahi. She was very informative and funny. As we drove through the streets she gave us all kinds of background information. Our first stop was at a stadium in Athens. Tomorrow it will be used as the finish line for the Marathon to Athens marathon.
We then continued onto the National Archaeological Museum. Before Mahi was a tour guide she was an archaeologist. While in the museum she showed us her find from her dig in Mycenae. Talk about cool. She then continued to show us and talked about other important exhibits before giving us a few moments to explore the museum. We even saw a couple of sculptures that have not been published yet. There was not enough time to look at everything. The museum is huge and has tons of exhibits.
From there we walked to a restaurant across the way for lunch. We had pasta, salad, and a veggie sandwich for me. Everyone else had chicken and rice. It was fruit for dessert. Once full, we hopped back onto the bus and drove to the Acropolis. We started the steep ascent up to the Parthenon. Wow those slaves must have worked hard. The views on top were so cool. We walked around the Parthenon, the Erechtheion with the Caryatids, Odeon, and the Theatre of Dionysus.
Russ, Pam and I also did a really quick hike over to a hill known as Areopagus, next to the Acropolis, where the Apostle Paul preached.
From there it was back to boat the same way we got there. Once on the boat we took the free time to pack before heading to Heinrich's last lecture on Athens Civilization - Pros and Cons. Then it was time for dinner. Our closing dinner did not have much in the way of vegetarian options. Even the green salad had ham. So I had rice with cabbage, some spinach puffs, and apple pie. It was a good thing I had a very large and very good lunch.
We then hung out with Pam for a while before heading back to our room to go to sleep. We all are so going to miss hanging out with her.
November 7, 2008
Epidavros and Nafplio
Again we woke up and ate the same breakfast. Again Russ had cereal, I had yogurt, and Didi and Helen each has a little of both and some tea. Then we took the tour bus to see the top of the Corinth Canal and walked over one of the bridges. It was a spectacular view from the top.
Then we drove about an hour to Epidavros, where we saw the Sanctuary of Askleipios. There was an amazing theatre where the acoustics were so good that you could stand on a stone in the center of the floor, where the orchestra would be, and the whole theatre could here you if you sang. One of the tour guides had her daughter perform a song a capella.
We then toured the museum and saw a statue of Askleipios with the snake. The snake continues to be used in modern medicinal signs. Askleipios was the god of healing. From there we continued onto Nafplio. We had about 4 hours to spend there.
We had lunch of gyros, greek salad, and roasted feta. Delicious. Then Russ and I climbed the "900" steps to the Venician Fortress of Palamidi that overlooked the city while Didi, Helen, and Pam shopped. The town of Nafplio was the most beautiful city we had seen in Greece. The colors were amazing and the town was so laid back. Quite a picturesque spot.
It was then time to return to the boat in Corinth. We were exhausted from our late night the previous night. Seems that 3 hours of sleep only takes you so far. So it was off to Heinrich's lecture, dinner and then bed.
Epidavros and Nafplio
Again we woke up and ate the same breakfast. Again Russ had cereal, I had yogurt, and Didi and Helen each has a little of both and some tea. Then we took the tour bus to see the top of the Corinth Canal and walked over one of the bridges. It was a spectacular view from the top.
Then we drove about an hour to Epidavros, where we saw the Sanctuary of Askleipios. There was an amazing theatre where the acoustics were so good that you could stand on a stone in the center of the floor, where the orchestra would be, and the whole theatre could here you if you sang. One of the tour guides had her daughter perform a song a capella.
We then toured the museum and saw a statue of Askleipios with the snake. The snake continues to be used in modern medicinal signs. Askleipios was the god of healing. From there we continued onto Nafplio. We had about 4 hours to spend there.
We had lunch of gyros, greek salad, and roasted feta. Delicious. Then Russ and I climbed the "900" steps to the Venician Fortress of Palamidi that overlooked the city while Didi, Helen, and Pam shopped. The town of Nafplio was the most beautiful city we had seen in Greece. The colors were amazing and the town was so laid back. Quite a picturesque spot.
It was then time to return to the boat in Corinth. We were exhausted from our late night the previous night. Seems that 3 hours of sleep only takes you so far. So it was off to Heinrich's lecture, dinner and then bed.
Thursday, November 06, 2008
November 6, 2008
Corinth and Nemea
Again we woke up with plenty of time to get ready and eat breakfast before meeting the bus. We drove a short ways to Ancient Corinth. Once there we saw the Temple of Apollo, the location where the Apostle Paul was tried, and the many, many streets of shops they had. One unique item of the Temple of Apollo was that the columns were monolithic, being made of a single stone, instead of multiple stones stacked on top of each other. In the museum we also saw the piece of the synagogue where Paul preached.
We had a great time wandering around the Ancient city and taking pictures. The fact that we were walking through the same streets that were there during ancient Biblical times was so cool.
Afterwards we continued onto Nemea. There we saw the baths the athletes used prior to the Nemean games. These were similar to the games in Olympia, but instead of being every 4 years they were held every 2 years. There was a Temple of Zeus that had 3 original columns and 5 more that were being rebuilt. It was the only time we could actually walk through a temple site. It should be noted that eating olives from the tree will cause an upset stomach and a weird film in the mouth. From there we continue to the Nemea stadium and walked through the very long tunnel to the stadium. Even in ancient times they had graffiti.
Once back at modern Corinth, we walked to find something to eat for lunch. We found a little cafe on the pedestrian street in the center of town. I had spinach pie and a veggie gyro. Helen and Didi each had a meat gyro. Russ had fish and some awesome garlic mashed potatoes. It was so good. We then went for a stroll to help digest our lunch. We found some shops we wanted to return to once they re-opened at 5pm.
Back at the boat we had a few hours to kill before the shops opened so Helen and I had a quick workout, Didi soaked her ankle in the tepid tub, and Russ napped. Once the stores had re-opened we headed back out for some shopping. I bought a purple top and a bracelet with a St. Andrews cross. Didi and Helen bought cotton thread, and Didi also found some local wine.
We then headed back to the boat for our lecture from Heinrich on Greece Trade and the Effects. Dinner was the oriental buffet, which means I had rice with veggies, eggplant (which was good), tomato salad, and green salad with bulger. Everyone else had the meat which consisted of pork chops, chicken with couscous, and fried squid. We all avoided the burgers. It was overheard from multiple tables that it did not seem very oriental tonight. Not a big surprise, why should tonight be any different?
We then headed back to the room to change so we could head out to town to find some entertainment. Before we headed out, we enjoyed the belly dancers in the main restaurant. Russ really had a good time dancing with one of them and decided to stay behind while the girls had a night on the town. When we left, he was still busy chatting them up.
We headed out to find some "night life" and decided to pick up a few drinks from the many cafes that line the pedestrian street. Not too crazy :)
Corinth and Nemea
Again we woke up with plenty of time to get ready and eat breakfast before meeting the bus. We drove a short ways to Ancient Corinth. Once there we saw the Temple of Apollo, the location where the Apostle Paul was tried, and the many, many streets of shops they had. One unique item of the Temple of Apollo was that the columns were monolithic, being made of a single stone, instead of multiple stones stacked on top of each other. In the museum we also saw the piece of the synagogue where Paul preached.
We had a great time wandering around the Ancient city and taking pictures. The fact that we were walking through the same streets that were there during ancient Biblical times was so cool.
Afterwards we continued onto Nemea. There we saw the baths the athletes used prior to the Nemean games. These were similar to the games in Olympia, but instead of being every 4 years they were held every 2 years. There was a Temple of Zeus that had 3 original columns and 5 more that were being rebuilt. It was the only time we could actually walk through a temple site. It should be noted that eating olives from the tree will cause an upset stomach and a weird film in the mouth. From there we continue to the Nemea stadium and walked through the very long tunnel to the stadium. Even in ancient times they had graffiti.
Once back at modern Corinth, we walked to find something to eat for lunch. We found a little cafe on the pedestrian street in the center of town. I had spinach pie and a veggie gyro. Helen and Didi each had a meat gyro. Russ had fish and some awesome garlic mashed potatoes. It was so good. We then went for a stroll to help digest our lunch. We found some shops we wanted to return to once they re-opened at 5pm.
Back at the boat we had a few hours to kill before the shops opened so Helen and I had a quick workout, Didi soaked her ankle in the tepid tub, and Russ napped. Once the stores had re-opened we headed back out for some shopping. I bought a purple top and a bracelet with a St. Andrews cross. Didi and Helen bought cotton thread, and Didi also found some local wine.
We then headed back to the boat for our lecture from Heinrich on Greece Trade and the Effects. Dinner was the oriental buffet, which means I had rice with veggies, eggplant (which was good), tomato salad, and green salad with bulger. Everyone else had the meat which consisted of pork chops, chicken with couscous, and fried squid. We all avoided the burgers. It was overheard from multiple tables that it did not seem very oriental tonight. Not a big surprise, why should tonight be any different?
We then headed back to the room to change so we could head out to town to find some entertainment. Before we headed out, we enjoyed the belly dancers in the main restaurant. Russ really had a good time dancing with one of them and decided to stay behind while the girls had a night on the town. When we left, he was still busy chatting them up.
We headed out to find some "night life" and decided to pick up a few drinks from the many cafes that line the pedestrian street. Not too crazy :)
Wednesday, November 05, 2008
November 5, 2008
Itea and Delphi
We managed to get up early this morning. So we had plenty of time to get ready and eat breakfast leisurely. Once the call came to hop on the bus for the tour, we were ready to go. We tried to get onto Bus #1, but it was full so we again got on Bus #2 with Amalia. We drove about 20 minutes to the museum at Delphi.
Once we arrived Amalia took us around the Archaeological Museum of Delphi and explained all the items of significant interest. Some of the items of interest were the bronze charioteer, the sphinx, the ivory and gold covering for the statue of Apollo, and Kleobis and Biton (archaic marble statues). We then had about 20 minutes to wander by ourselves before meeting up again and walking to the Temple of Apollo and Oracle site. The walk to the site took no more than 5 minutes.
At the site Amalia talked and walked us up to the Temple of Apollo. Along the way she pointed out the Roman market, the treasuries from the different Greek city-states especially the Athens treasury which has been rebuilt of original materials, and the original steps up to the temple that were placed by the Romans. It was so cool to think that we were walking on those same steps that they used ~5 BC. We adopted a college student, Pam, from New York who is an exchange student in Paris, France. We hung out with her all day long.
We then arrived at the Temple of Apollo and saw the altar they sacrificed animals on and discussed the Oracle and her ability to tell the future. This was supposedly accomplished by burning laurel leaves and breathing in the fumes to enter a trance, but the predictions were always so vague as to always come true. Another interesting item was the tripod. No practical use, but instead more like our trophy. The Oracle would sit on one while making predictions and tripods were also used as offerings.
Once done there we were free to explore further. We hiked up to the theatre and the stadium.
We returned to the bus and drove to the modern city of Delphi. We decided to get off the tour bus and have lunch and do some shopping. We had lunch at Taverna Dionysus of asparagus soup, the ever favorite tsatsiki, olives, moussaka, and souvlaki. The restaurant overlooked the entire valley of olive groves.
We then walked all the shops and bought some trinkets. We caught the public bus back to the Port of Itea and dropped off our finds in our room. We then walked to the supermarket to see if we could find any interesting local products. Afterwards, we had an early dinner before heading to Heinrich's lecture on Unity and Disunity in the Greek World.
It was then time play on the internet before heading to bed or the tepid tub, depending on our ability to stay awake.
Itea and Delphi
We managed to get up early this morning. So we had plenty of time to get ready and eat breakfast leisurely. Once the call came to hop on the bus for the tour, we were ready to go. We tried to get onto Bus #1, but it was full so we again got on Bus #2 with Amalia. We drove about 20 minutes to the museum at Delphi.
Once we arrived Amalia took us around the Archaeological Museum of Delphi and explained all the items of significant interest. Some of the items of interest were the bronze charioteer, the sphinx, the ivory and gold covering for the statue of Apollo, and Kleobis and Biton (archaic marble statues). We then had about 20 minutes to wander by ourselves before meeting up again and walking to the Temple of Apollo and Oracle site. The walk to the site took no more than 5 minutes.
At the site Amalia talked and walked us up to the Temple of Apollo. Along the way she pointed out the Roman market, the treasuries from the different Greek city-states especially the Athens treasury which has been rebuilt of original materials, and the original steps up to the temple that were placed by the Romans. It was so cool to think that we were walking on those same steps that they used ~5 BC. We adopted a college student, Pam, from New York who is an exchange student in Paris, France. We hung out with her all day long.
We then arrived at the Temple of Apollo and saw the altar they sacrificed animals on and discussed the Oracle and her ability to tell the future. This was supposedly accomplished by burning laurel leaves and breathing in the fumes to enter a trance, but the predictions were always so vague as to always come true. Another interesting item was the tripod. No practical use, but instead more like our trophy. The Oracle would sit on one while making predictions and tripods were also used as offerings.
Once done there we were free to explore further. We hiked up to the theatre and the stadium.
We returned to the bus and drove to the modern city of Delphi. We decided to get off the tour bus and have lunch and do some shopping. We had lunch at Taverna Dionysus of asparagus soup, the ever favorite tsatsiki, olives, moussaka, and souvlaki. The restaurant overlooked the entire valley of olive groves.
We then walked all the shops and bought some trinkets. We caught the public bus back to the Port of Itea and dropped off our finds in our room. We then walked to the supermarket to see if we could find any interesting local products. Afterwards, we had an early dinner before heading to Heinrich's lecture on Unity and Disunity in the Greek World.
It was then time play on the internet before heading to bed or the tepid tub, depending on our ability to stay awake.
Tuesday, November 04, 2008
November 4, 2008
Patras
We tried to wake up early, but didn't quite manage it. So, we rushed through our morning routine and ran out to meet the bus. We were then on our way to
Olympia and the site of the original Olympic games. It was an amazing site. Our tour guide, Amalia once again, led us to each of the major sites. We saw the Temple of Hera (originally Zeus and Hera), the Roman baths, the Temple of Olympian Zeus, and the stadium. We were able to see where they currently light the Olympic torch every two years. It was interesting to find out that Hitler was the first to come up with the idea of an Olympic torch. After the explanation of the events surrounding the Olympic games including events in which men, women and children participated, we had "20" minutes of free time to explore the site. We saw the ruins of the house that Emperor Nero lived in while he attended the Olympic games.
It was then a short walk to the Olympia Museum where we were able to see
treasures excavated from the site. We saw some exquisite statues including Hermes of Praxiteles, Nike of Paionios, and sculptured ornaments from the Temple of Zeus. It is unbelievable that these works of art have survived all of these centuries, and that we are able to enjoy items of ancient Greece. It is too bad, though, that the statue of Zeus that stood in the Temple is lost. According to our guide, this statue was considered one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. We were able to see some of the casts that were used to create the statue and were recovered from the excavation site at Olympia.
We then had a couple of minutes to shop for postcards, and then it was on to the Hotel Europa for lunch. Finally! I was able to have a real vegetarian lunch! Lunch for everyone else included cabbage salad, a wonderful cheese pie, pork and rice, and lemon cake. Instead of the pork, I had zucchini, carrots, and a stuffed tomato. It was excellent. I even managed to convince the waitress to give us a "to go" cup for some more wine for Didi. Before going back to the bus to head back to Patras, we all needed to visit the ladies room. Unfortunately, I heard Didi's warning about not locking the stall door too late. I was trapped! Fortunately, Didi and Helen came to my rescue, eventually, and managed to unlock the door for me. Who ever heard of using a key for a bathroom stall door? We then went back to the bus and proceeded to fall asleep for the two hour trip back to the boat.
After we came back, we quickly went up to our cabin so Helen could change out of her shorts and Didi could get her shawl so we would be appropriately dressed to go into the St. Andrew's Cathedral. We walked from the port to the church and looked around inside. It was stunningly beautiful. The claim to fame for this church is the fact that it contains pieces of the cross on which St. Andrew was crucified and his head. The head was returned by the Vatican to the church in 1964 and is interred in a silver reliquary.
We then walked back to the port because we wanted to be in time for lecture number 2 by Heinrich. Today's lecture was titled, "History of Ancient Greece. Athleticism and Olympia." Once again, Henrich didn't disappoint us, and we learned a lot of interesting facts about Ancient Greece. He discussed the historical timeline: the Geometric Period aka the Dark Ages 1150 - 750 BC, the Archaic Period 700 - 480 BC, the Classic Period 480-300 BC, and the Hellenistic Period 300 - 100 BC. Each period had its own distinct artistic and political characteristics. He showed us examples of the art and architecture, and promised that he would give us a copy of his presentation if we brought him a memory stick. He also talked about the spread of the Greek civilization through both conquest and colonization.
After the lecture, we headed back up to the deck 6 for yet another exciting interpretation of an ethnic cuisine. Tonight was "Greek" night. I'm not quite
sure, other than the tsatsiki, what was Greek, but at least the salad was vegetarian this time, and I got fresh fruit. There was also Pizza Margherita (Italian), fried calamari, liver (huh?), chicken with onions and peppers, "risotto" with mushrooms, and mystery lunch meat. After dinner we headed to the internet cafe in town to finally blog about our experiences. We ended up at one that had "ladies night", so we paid only 2 euros for our computer. Wow, we feel special. Three hours (and three days of information later), we are finally caught up. After this we plan to go out. We'll see...
Patras
We tried to wake up early, but didn't quite manage it. So, we rushed through our morning routine and ran out to meet the bus. We were then on our way to
Olympia and the site of the original Olympic games. It was an amazing site. Our tour guide, Amalia once again, led us to each of the major sites. We saw the Temple of Hera (originally Zeus and Hera), the Roman baths, the Temple of Olympian Zeus, and the stadium. We were able to see where they currently light the Olympic torch every two years. It was interesting to find out that Hitler was the first to come up with the idea of an Olympic torch. After the explanation of the events surrounding the Olympic games including events in which men, women and children participated, we had "20" minutes of free time to explore the site. We saw the ruins of the house that Emperor Nero lived in while he attended the Olympic games.
It was then a short walk to the Olympia Museum where we were able to see
treasures excavated from the site. We saw some exquisite statues including Hermes of Praxiteles, Nike of Paionios, and sculptured ornaments from the Temple of Zeus. It is unbelievable that these works of art have survived all of these centuries, and that we are able to enjoy items of ancient Greece. It is too bad, though, that the statue of Zeus that stood in the Temple is lost. According to our guide, this statue was considered one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. We were able to see some of the casts that were used to create the statue and were recovered from the excavation site at Olympia.
We then had a couple of minutes to shop for postcards, and then it was on to the Hotel Europa for lunch. Finally! I was able to have a real vegetarian lunch! Lunch for everyone else included cabbage salad, a wonderful cheese pie, pork and rice, and lemon cake. Instead of the pork, I had zucchini, carrots, and a stuffed tomato. It was excellent. I even managed to convince the waitress to give us a "to go" cup for some more wine for Didi. Before going back to the bus to head back to Patras, we all needed to visit the ladies room. Unfortunately, I heard Didi's warning about not locking the stall door too late. I was trapped! Fortunately, Didi and Helen came to my rescue, eventually, and managed to unlock the door for me. Who ever heard of using a key for a bathroom stall door? We then went back to the bus and proceeded to fall asleep for the two hour trip back to the boat.
After we came back, we quickly went up to our cabin so Helen could change out of her shorts and Didi could get her shawl so we would be appropriately dressed to go into the St. Andrew's Cathedral. We walked from the port to the church and looked around inside. It was stunningly beautiful. The claim to fame for this church is the fact that it contains pieces of the cross on which St. Andrew was crucified and his head. The head was returned by the Vatican to the church in 1964 and is interred in a silver reliquary.
We then walked back to the port because we wanted to be in time for lecture number 2 by Heinrich. Today's lecture was titled, "History of Ancient Greece. Athleticism and Olympia." Once again, Henrich didn't disappoint us, and we learned a lot of interesting facts about Ancient Greece. He discussed the historical timeline: the Geometric Period aka the Dark Ages 1150 - 750 BC, the Archaic Period 700 - 480 BC, the Classic Period 480-300 BC, and the Hellenistic Period 300 - 100 BC. Each period had its own distinct artistic and political characteristics. He showed us examples of the art and architecture, and promised that he would give us a copy of his presentation if we brought him a memory stick. He also talked about the spread of the Greek civilization through both conquest and colonization.
After the lecture, we headed back up to the deck 6 for yet another exciting interpretation of an ethnic cuisine. Tonight was "Greek" night. I'm not quite
sure, other than the tsatsiki, what was Greek, but at least the salad was vegetarian this time, and I got fresh fruit. There was also Pizza Margherita (Italian), fried calamari, liver (huh?), chicken with onions and peppers, "risotto" with mushrooms, and mystery lunch meat. After dinner we headed to the internet cafe in town to finally blog about our experiences. We ended up at one that had "ladies night", so we paid only 2 euros for our computer. Wow, we feel special. Three hours (and three days of information later), we are finally caught up. After this we plan to go out. We'll see...
November 3, 2008
Kiato
We woke up after less than four hours of sleep to watch the boat navigate the Corinthian Canal. Wow, that was a sight! There was no margin on either side and the times the boat touched the walls were quite interesting. So worth the 2 hours early, early in the morning!
Afterwards, we headed back to the room and got ready for our landing in Kiato on the Ionian Sea. Prior to leaving the boat: we had breakfast, which consisted of yogurt, toast, cereal, milk, and orange juice and a general emergency drill. When commanded, we had to get our lift vest, put them on, and muster at meeting point number 4. This was followed by a general emergency discussion.
Once complete, we then headed out for our tour. We got on a bus with about 50 other passengers and drove to Mycenae.
After about a 45 minute drive, we arrived at Mycenae Citadel, also known as an Acropolis. Our tour guide, Amalia, gave us a lecture, and then we were able to walk the area on foot. We explored and took pictures of the Lion Gate, which is the entrance to the site, and Grave Circle A. We then walked to the summit and explored the old palace and enjoyed the view of the town and Agamemnon's mountain. These mountains look like a man lying down on his back. We continued on our walk to the back section of the citadel and found the underground cistern. We walked down and were able to get some relief from the hot sun. We walked back to the bus and drove to the beehive tomb. Our guide gave us a talk about the grave and keystone before we walked inside and saw the inside. Very huge. Just the fact that the entire tomb was always covered by dirt is amazing. Talk about a lot of work to bury someone.
After a quick lunch at the Agnamemnon's Palace Restaurant of bread, tsatsiki, Greek salad, and lamb, we continued onto a ceramic store and were given a quick lecture on the types of ceramics. We then were able to browse the shop. Our bus then drove us back to port. We decided to head back onto the boat to drop off our purchases before walking the town. In town we found a beautiful Greek Orthodox church and went inside. The murals were so cool and almost every wall/ceiling was covered. We then each lit a candle.
Afterwards, we continued to explore the town. We found a pastry shop that had 6-7 different kinds of baklava and many other delicious looking sweets. We found a stationary store, and each (minus Russ) bought our initials in the Greek alphabet. We figured they would be great for the cover of each of our scrap books. We also found a grocery store and picked up an orange fanta - love the European formula, and oregano potato chips. Those were great! After walking around for a while longer, we returned to the ship and went a lecture on Mycenaean Bronze Age Civilization of the Greek Mainland by Heinrich Hall. Heinrich is a German archaeologist who is going on the tours with us and reinforcing what was seen during the tours with each lecture. He explained the history, culture, structure, and writing of Mycenae. Interesting enough, the Mycenaeas were in contact with the Hittites, Egyptians, and Assyrians. That is how many ideas were exchanged and can explain some of the artifacts. Although for a long time people thought there was no written Mycenaean language, it has recently been deciphered that Linear B, which is a language of syllables and not letters, was used. In 1200 BC, the end of the Mycenaean world occur ed when Troy, Athens, Crete, and Mycenae were burned. Thus the Dark Ages began.
After the lecture we headed up for dinner. The buffet included rice, mushroom, au gratin potatoes, bread and butter, chicken, beef, fish, and flan. I really liked the potatoes and mushrooms with cheese. With full bellies, we went back to the room and changed. I went and did a quick workout before we put on our swimsuits and got into the "hot" tub. It was more like a tepid tub at 31 degrees C (~88 degrees F). Once we were too cold to be there anymore, we quickly got out and went back to the room to go to bed.
Kiato
We woke up after less than four hours of sleep to watch the boat navigate the Corinthian Canal. Wow, that was a sight! There was no margin on either side and the times the boat touched the walls were quite interesting. So worth the 2 hours early, early in the morning!
Afterwards, we headed back to the room and got ready for our landing in Kiato on the Ionian Sea. Prior to leaving the boat: we had breakfast, which consisted of yogurt, toast, cereal, milk, and orange juice and a general emergency drill. When commanded, we had to get our lift vest, put them on, and muster at meeting point number 4. This was followed by a general emergency discussion.
Once complete, we then headed out for our tour. We got on a bus with about 50 other passengers and drove to Mycenae.
After about a 45 minute drive, we arrived at Mycenae Citadel, also known as an Acropolis. Our tour guide, Amalia, gave us a lecture, and then we were able to walk the area on foot. We explored and took pictures of the Lion Gate, which is the entrance to the site, and Grave Circle A. We then walked to the summit and explored the old palace and enjoyed the view of the town and Agamemnon's mountain. These mountains look like a man lying down on his back. We continued on our walk to the back section of the citadel and found the underground cistern. We walked down and were able to get some relief from the hot sun. We walked back to the bus and drove to the beehive tomb. Our guide gave us a talk about the grave and keystone before we walked inside and saw the inside. Very huge. Just the fact that the entire tomb was always covered by dirt is amazing. Talk about a lot of work to bury someone.
After a quick lunch at the Agnamemnon's Palace Restaurant of bread, tsatsiki, Greek salad, and lamb, we continued onto a ceramic store and were given a quick lecture on the types of ceramics. We then were able to browse the shop. Our bus then drove us back to port. We decided to head back onto the boat to drop off our purchases before walking the town. In town we found a beautiful Greek Orthodox church and went inside. The murals were so cool and almost every wall/ceiling was covered. We then each lit a candle.
Afterwards, we continued to explore the town. We found a pastry shop that had 6-7 different kinds of baklava and many other delicious looking sweets. We found a stationary store, and each (minus Russ) bought our initials in the Greek alphabet. We figured they would be great for the cover of each of our scrap books. We also found a grocery store and picked up an orange fanta - love the European formula, and oregano potato chips. Those were great! After walking around for a while longer, we returned to the ship and went a lecture on Mycenaean Bronze Age Civilization of the Greek Mainland by Heinrich Hall. Heinrich is a German archaeologist who is going on the tours with us and reinforcing what was seen during the tours with each lecture. He explained the history, culture, structure, and writing of Mycenae. Interesting enough, the Mycenaeas were in contact with the Hittites, Egyptians, and Assyrians. That is how many ideas were exchanged and can explain some of the artifacts. Although for a long time people thought there was no written Mycenaean language, it has recently been deciphered that Linear B, which is a language of syllables and not letters, was used. In 1200 BC, the end of the Mycenaean world occur ed when Troy, Athens, Crete, and Mycenae were burned. Thus the Dark Ages began.
After the lecture we headed up for dinner. The buffet included rice, mushroom, au gratin potatoes, bread and butter, chicken, beef, fish, and flan. I really liked the potatoes and mushrooms with cheese. With full bellies, we went back to the room and changed. I went and did a quick workout before we put on our swimsuits and got into the "hot" tub. It was more like a tepid tub at 31 degrees C (~88 degrees F). Once we were too cold to be there anymore, we quickly got out and went back to the room to go to bed.
November 2, 2008
Athens to Piraeus
We woke up early and got ready. Helen then called the US Embassy and tried to sort out her passport issue. While she continued to work the problem; Didi, Russ, and I headed out to find breakfast. We found a pastry shop and picked up a couple of tasty treats. I picked the spinach and feta in filo and a cherry yogurt. We walked back to the hotel and ate breakfast on the roof. Again we had the Acropolis as our backdrop.
After breakfast, we checked out of the hotel and left our baggage prior to heading out for some touring. We then headed toward the National Gardens. Along the way, we saw Syntagma Square and Parliament. At Parliament we were able to view the Grecian guards at the tomb of the unknowns. We also saw a band and a small parade and many different Grecian traditional costumes. We then meandered through the National Gardens. They are beautiful and well taken care of. Quite peaceful paradise in the middle of the bustling city.
We continued on to the Presidential Palace where we were able to watch the changing of the guard ceremony. Afterwards we took pictures with the guard. The military officer suggested we stand closer, but don't touch. So I did.
Our next stop was the Zappeion, Hadrian's Arch, and the Temple of Olympian Zeus. All were magnificent and grandiose. We walked around all three and took lots of pictures.
It was then time for lunch. So we headed back to the hotel via Plaka. We found a cafe and picked up sandwiches. I had a tomato and mozzarella sandwich. After picking up our luggage we headed to the metro station to take the train to the Port of Piraeus. While on the train, Russ' cell phone was taken from his backpack. Fortunately, this made him double check all his pants pockets, but unfortunately he found his wallet was also taken from his front cargo pocket. Now with all his money, ATM card, credit card, and drivers license gone, he was unsure how to proceed. He used Helen's phone to call his parents to cancel all of his cards, and we headed out of the train station to find our boat.
We walked a long way to find our boat and check in. After some discussion, it was decided to report the theft to the police. So we had Didi and Helen head to the boat with the luggage while Russell and I ran to the police station. Once there, we were directed to the 4th floor where the report was filed. With a copy of the report we returned to the boat. Along the way, I tried the grilled corn with salt from a street vendor. Quite tasty!
Once on the boat, we headed to our suite - cabin 5108. The room was very spacious. It had a king bed, a double sofa bed, two windows, and a three door closet. It also had a separate bathroom.
After unpacking, we headed up one floor to dinner. The veggie options were limited, but I ended up with raw cabbage and rice, french fries, and bread with butter. Oh, I do love European butter!
After dinner, Russ and I hung out in the room while Didi and Helen went upstairs to the lounge to play cards. At 1 am we went topside to watch us leave the port. We really enjoyed watching the tug, the crew pulling up the anchor and ropes, and the port driver get on this boat. It was very cool, literally and figuratively. It was then off to bed.
Athens to Piraeus
We woke up early and got ready. Helen then called the US Embassy and tried to sort out her passport issue. While she continued to work the problem; Didi, Russ, and I headed out to find breakfast. We found a pastry shop and picked up a couple of tasty treats. I picked the spinach and feta in filo and a cherry yogurt. We walked back to the hotel and ate breakfast on the roof. Again we had the Acropolis as our backdrop.
After breakfast, we checked out of the hotel and left our baggage prior to heading out for some touring. We then headed toward the National Gardens. Along the way, we saw Syntagma Square and Parliament. At Parliament we were able to view the Grecian guards at the tomb of the unknowns. We also saw a band and a small parade and many different Grecian traditional costumes. We then meandered through the National Gardens. They are beautiful and well taken care of. Quite peaceful paradise in the middle of the bustling city.
We continued on to the Presidential Palace where we were able to watch the changing of the guard ceremony. Afterwards we took pictures with the guard. The military officer suggested we stand closer, but don't touch. So I did.
Our next stop was the Zappeion, Hadrian's Arch, and the Temple of Olympian Zeus. All were magnificent and grandiose. We walked around all three and took lots of pictures.
It was then time for lunch. So we headed back to the hotel via Plaka. We found a cafe and picked up sandwiches. I had a tomato and mozzarella sandwich. After picking up our luggage we headed to the metro station to take the train to the Port of Piraeus. While on the train, Russ' cell phone was taken from his backpack. Fortunately, this made him double check all his pants pockets, but unfortunately he found his wallet was also taken from his front cargo pocket. Now with all his money, ATM card, credit card, and drivers license gone, he was unsure how to proceed. He used Helen's phone to call his parents to cancel all of his cards, and we headed out of the train station to find our boat.
We walked a long way to find our boat and check in. After some discussion, it was decided to report the theft to the police. So we had Didi and Helen head to the boat with the luggage while Russell and I ran to the police station. Once there, we were directed to the 4th floor where the report was filed. With a copy of the report we returned to the boat. Along the way, I tried the grilled corn with salt from a street vendor. Quite tasty!
Once on the boat, we headed to our suite - cabin 5108. The room was very spacious. It had a king bed, a double sofa bed, two windows, and a three door closet. It also had a separate bathroom.
After unpacking, we headed up one floor to dinner. The veggie options were limited, but I ended up with raw cabbage and rice, french fries, and bread with butter. Oh, I do love European butter!
After dinner, Russ and I hung out in the room while Didi and Helen went upstairs to the lounge to play cards. At 1 am we went topside to watch us leave the port. We really enjoyed watching the tug, the crew pulling up the anchor and ropes, and the port driver get on this boat. It was very cool, literally and figuratively. It was then off to bed.
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