Parthenon at last

Katie, Me, Julie, Elizabeth at the Parthenon
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Wednesday morning Elizabeth and I began our day with Starbucks. Richard and Marissa joined us. Since being overseas sometimes you just want something American, something that feels like home and oddly enough for us that is Starbucks. Plus, with the hot heat in Athens a Frappaccino sounded absolutely delicious! Afterwards Elizabeth and I visited the nearby plaza, Syntagma, where Parliament is located. Then off to the Parthenon. We toured the Parthenon for probably a total of two hours. While the actual Parthenon was incredible itself, Elizabeth and I especially enjoyed the Erechtheion. Inside the grounds of the Parthenon was also a stadium as well as a museum which housed such famous works as the Blonde Haired Boy, the Calf-Bearer, and the Krios Boy, all of which we learned about in Humanities. From the Parthenon we visited the large rock just outside its gates where Paul is said to have preached. Athens in general was such an intriguing trip as we toured many areas in which some of the world’s oldest history took place. Next site was Ancient Agora. Agora means assembly and Ancient Agora previously served as Athens’s city centre beginning in the Neolithic ages. Inside Ancient Agora was the Temple of Hephaestus. Seeing as the clock approached 2:00 p.m., Elizabeth and I went for lunch at a traditional Greek restaurant, opting to sit outside on the back patio under the sun. Having run into two other girls from the Heidelberg program just before lunch we learned of a local sandal making shop famous to Athens. Since the 1920s three generations of family have created quality leather sandals custom fit to every individual. Such celebrities as Jackie O, John Lennon, and Sophia Loren had previously purchased sandals from the so called Poet Sandal maker. Unable to resist the lure of local culture Elizabeth and I located the sandal shop and each purchased a pair of Athenian sandals. Continuing our marathon tour of Athens, Elizabeth and I next walked back towards our hotel in hopes of visiting the Temple of Zeus and Hadrian’s Arch. However, the park area was closed. Being able to view both monuments from outside, however, Elizabeth and I just snapped a few photos and moved on. We finished our insane tour of Athens by visiting the old Olympic Stadium which proved to be much larger than we anticipated. Around 7:00 p.m. we met up with the large group and walked to dinner at the restaurant of the previous evening. We enjoy more great Greek food and the company of our friends. That evening many individuals left for Germany so we said our goodbyes and passed out.

While the actual Parthenon was incredible itself, Elizabeth and I especially enjoyed the Erechtheion