The Temple of Poseidon

The last time I saw my friend Beyazit, he was waiting in a line trying to orchestrate a flight to Greece. Despite obtaining a visa for Cyprus, my Turkish friend was unable to visit because he needed a temporary visa for our layover in Greece. Because he was unable to legally stay in Greece for 6 hours, he missed the last two weeks of our trip and taught me more about how much American's take for granted.

I realized that Americans have a mobility not available across the board to other cultures though we often take it for granted. I also realized what a unique existence people in the 21st century have as we progress toward a global economy with such a significant rise in factor mobility even over the past 75 years. Although large civilizations and empires had the freedom for travel, nowhere in the past have people had both the freedom and the capacity to travel with the ease that we do today.

Although it was dissapointing to leave Beyazit behind, the Temple of Poseidon provided a helpful distraction. Located within driving distance of Athens, Greece, the Temple of Poseidon was one of my favorite temples from the trip. A large part of this was due to the fact that Lord Byron inscribed his name on one of the columns when he visited Greece. This was a tangible link not only to an important temple, but also a testament to Lord Byron's appreciation for the remains and the manner in which this was expressed during that time period.