Tuesday May 30th- Athens

 We checked out of the hotel by 8am today to explore the Delphi sights! The archeological sites were much more intact compared to Olympia so it was easier to envision what it had looked like in the past. The Delphi site is home to the Temple of Apollo and a treasury that had a variety of treasures to showcase the city's wealth and strength. The overall site is called “The Oracle”, as there was an oracle who would make prophecies about the future. Her prophecies were very creative due to a natural gas mixture that was released during that time period. The theater and stadium largely remained intact which was also super interesting to see! Before we headed to the museum, we stopped in the town to do some shopping and get a snack. We all ended up getting ice cream which was so delicious!

The museum had statues that were excavated from the Oracle. Unfortunately, some of them were replicas as the statues were taken from the original site to various areas of the Western world. It was interesting that the tour guide noted some Egyptian influence. As we were walking through the museum, our guide also noted a fun fact, this time unrelated to the Ancient Greeks- she pointed out that Ivanka Trump was in the same room as us. While some tried, no one could get their picture with a famous person to check off the scavenger hunt list. As we left the museum, we also saw four kittens sitting outside! There have been lots of cute cats and dogs roaming throughout Delphi. 

We headed to lunch in the downtown area of Delphi and were able to try new foods! We also gave some leftovers to a cat roaming the streets. Lunch fueled us up before our bus ride to Athens. This bus ride was fairly quiet as we listened to music and caught up on sleep and work. In the beginning we had a view of both the sea and the mountains. As we got closer to Athens, we could see the Parthenon. Once we got to Athens we went to Nikki’s for dinner and a lecture. On the walk over, she explained Greece’s tumultuous past. We learned about the religious conflict and how it still impacts Greece today. We also discussed Greece’s relationship with other countries such as Turkey. It was nice to have a home cooked meal once we got to Nikki’s! We had salad, spanakopita, and something that was similar to the Moussaka I ate at lunch. Everything seemed super authentic, and it was cool to walk through the city to get to her home. We had to walk up two spiral staircases to get to the kitchen and living room. Once we were done, we headed up another spiral staircase to look at her view of the Parthenon and the city. The lecture explained the history behind the Parthenon so we would have some background knowledge on it. We learned in greater depth information on the battles that the Athenians were involved in and how the Parthenon has changed over time. Nikki also put things into an American perspective when discussing democracy. The first version of democracy was born in Greece so she discussed how it is difficult to remain a world power while simultaneously carrying out democratic ideals.

Tuesday May 30th

 Today, our group had the privilege of visiting the mesmerizing city of Delphi. As we arrived, we were immediately captivated by the breathtaking historic sights that awaited us. The view from Delphi was truly unreal, with majestic mountains surrounding us and creating a picturesque backdrop for our adventure.

Our first stop was the ancient ruins of Delphi, which provided us with an extraordinary glimpse into the past. Walking among the ruins, we couldn't help but feel a deep sense of awe and reverence for the ancient civilizations that once thrived in this very place. The remnants of temples, theaters, and other structures painted a vivid picture of the glorious history that unfolded here.

One of the highlights of our visit to the ruins was the original stadium. Stepping onto the ancient grounds, we could almost hear the echoes of cheering crowds and the thundering footsteps of athletes. The stadium was a testament to the skill and athleticism of the ancient Greeks, and we couldn't help but imagine the intense competitions that took place within its hallowed walls.

After immersing ourselves in the wonders of Delphi's historic sights, we proceeded to the museum for a guided tour. The museum housed a remarkable collection of artifacts and treasures, each with its own story to tell. From intricately crafted statues to beautifully preserved pottery, the exhibits were a testament to the ancient Greeks' artistic mastery and cultural significance.

Our tour guide proved invaluable in helping us understand the historical and cultural context of the museum's exhibits. Their expertise brought the artifacts to life, enabling us to appreciate their beauty and significance on a deeper level. Little did we expect that our visit to the museum would hold an unexpected surprise. Ivanka Trump, the renowned public figure, happened to be at the museum at the same time, adding an element of excitement and surprise to our experience.

After the museum visit, our group reconvened outside for a well-deserved lunch break. The pleasant ambiance and the aroma of delicious Greek cuisine filled the air as we indulged in some mouthwatering chicken gyros. Greek food is such a favorite food of mine and being here provides such an authentic taste I’ve never had the pleasure of having before. 

We then got back onto the charter bus which was met with a ton of fun. During our almost 3 hour bus ride it was filled with music, games such as cards and photo roulette, and tons of laughs. While about half of did that the other half slept as it has been quite a long day in the sun for everyone. 

As we arrived in Athens we got dinner and got a brief lecture about the ruins of Athens before we get to see them tomorrow. As we only have a couple days left a feeling of sadness is going through the group as none of us are ready for this trip to end. Today was filled with tons of amazing memories and experiences unlike ever with some of the most amazing people I’ve had the pleasure of meeting with.

Monday, May 29

 Monday, May 29th

Today we completed our first full day in Greece! After a 4-hour night bus ride from Athens, we arrived in Olympia where we were all set for our tour of Ancient Olympia and the ancient Olympic games. 

The day started early at the Hotel Antonios where after breakfast we loaded back onto the coach bus to arrive at Ancient Olympia. Through the winding Greek roads, we made our way down to Ancient Olympia. Similarly to Switzerland, the weather was fantastic, around 75 with some clouds. 

We passed on a bridge over the Kladeos River and made our way to the entrance where we were greeted by our tour guide for the site. Right at the entrance you could see archeologists still working to excavate parts of the gymnasium that stretched to the gates of the site. We were informed by our tour guide that the gymnasium is where many of the ancient Olympians used to train and the word stems from the Greek root “gymno” meaning naked as all the athletes would perform and train without clothes. We also were reminded of some more facts that we learned all the way back in London with Professor Ryan. Including, the fact that Olympians came from all over the ancient Greek world to represent their city-states, only men competed in the events, and that the games had deep religious and musical roots. From there we were led to the ruins of the temple of Zeus which once held one of the ancient wonders of the world, a massive statue of the most important Greek God, Zeus. 

We then were led to the stadium, through a narrow archway. Past the archway was a long 200-meter track where track races were held in the ancient days. After taking in the historic impact of the site we all lined up on the starting line, and raced to the other side. Josh left us all in the dust as his blinding speed took him from one side of the track to the other. 

After catching our breath we were able to walk through the temple of Hera, one of the only ancient temples in Greece that you can still walk through. There we saw some of the remaining pillars and inscriptions. 

We headed out for our first of two museums at Olympia, the first took us through a display of the many artifacts that had been excavated from the site. Everyone was really interested in the marble statues which included a statue of Nike the goddess of victory. The next museum was more focused on the athletic aspect of the site. The museum had many artifacts of the Olympians and also Greek soldiers that had been excavated from the site. Additionally, there was a great deal of information on the influences the ancient games have had on modern games. Overall, visiting ancient Olympia was an incredible experience and really put into context the historic nature of the Olympic Games. 

After our tour of Olympia, we headed down to the market where we had an incredible lunch at a Greek restaurant. I had seabream with a lemon and olive oil sauce. However, everyone’s favorite was the tzatziki with pita. After lunch we lunch, we jumped back onto the bus for a 4-hour ride out to Delphi. On the bus, we all had a ton of fun playing cards and music, and having some snacks. Overall a great day!