Dan’s Trip to Greece | FindPenguins

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21. syyskuuta 2018
Dan’s Trip to Greece Matkaaja
Exploring Greece!
21. syyskuuta 2018, Kreikka ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C
Finally headed to Athens to lay some groundwork for the study abroad trip next May. It will mostly be checking out the logistics--the condition and location of hotels, whether I can do two sites in a particular day, etc. But of course I will also be enjoying myself as much as I can. I hope to explore the Koukaki and Psyrri neighborhoods, which are my choices for the hotel area; of course the Acropolis, Ancient Agora, and other "biggie" historical sites; see what I can make of the archaeological remains of Plato's Academy and Aristotle's Lyceum; take in one day on the Greek Island of Hydra; and of course enjoy some traditional Greek street food, contemporary cuisine, fine wine, and ouzo!Lue lisää
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Arrival in Athens!
22. syyskuuta 2018, Kreikka ⋅ 🌙 25 °C
A great flight on Lufthansa made things easier to start. Was looking forward to doing the City Walk in the afternoon, but then realized I didn't bring the right electrical adapter or charging cords. Stores were about to close until Monday, so spent the start of my trip worried I wouldn't be able to communicate with Michele for two days! After settling in at the Art Gallery Hotel, the owner sent me by metro to a store that couldn't help, but which sent me to...Monastriaki Square, figuring that everything and anything is available from the vendors. He was right! After getting the cords, I somehow wound my way past the Ancient Agora and to a restaurant with this "historic" view. I collapsed there for a couple of hours, getting my head together and taking it all in, before making it back to the hotel for the night cap of Scotch and another view of the Acropolis. Tomorrow, I'll finally do the City Walk!Lue lisää
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City Walk
23. syyskuuta 2018, Kreikka ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C
Finally got in the City Walk, which started at Syntagma Square, which houses the Greek Parliament. It was changing of the guard day, but too many people for me. Fortunately, I caught the band and guard parading down the side street headed for their change! Next onto the recently discovered remains of Aristotle's Lyceum. The rest of the walk took me through small streets, Byzantine Churches, souvlaki dives ("to go"!), quaint paths up the slope of the Acropolis, Roman Forum, and other historic views. I then quickly checked out the Psirri neighborhood before coming back for a well-deserved Greek siesta. Capped the evening off with a great dinner at Balcony--appetizer of phyllo filled with a shaved lemongrass and feta mixture and completed with lemongrass puree, an entree of braised lamb, side of spinich w/garlic and onion, and rounded off by some amazing Greek gnocci, which actually tasted like potato! And I don't even have room for a pic of the chocolate prepared five ways!Lue lisää
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Ancient Agora and The Acropolis
24. syyskuuta 2018, Kreikka ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C
An amazing journey back 3000 years! Started at the Ancient Agora, the historical Athenian city square, marketplace, government seat, court, and just about everything else. The first few are pics of the whole, the Stoa, and Temple of Hephaestus. For philosophers, the Agora is most famous as the place that Socrates did his most bothersome work as a gadfly, so much so that they put him to death (!). Later, at dusk, I finally made my way to The Acropolis. Just no way the pictures could do justice to The Acropolis itself or to its views. Here are some pics of the Propylaea (the Gate), Temple of Athena Nike, Odeon of Herodes Atticus, the Erechtheion with its famous columns, and of course the Parthenon.Lue lisää
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Museum Day!
25. syyskuuta 2018, Kreikka ⋅ 🌬 22 °C
It was museum day, with a morning visit to the Acropolis Museum and an afternoon visit to the National Archaeological Museum. The Acropolis Museum is only a few years old--very modern looking but holding many remains found especially along the slopes of the Acropolis. I don't have many pictures. Unfortunately, since there was no guided tour and very little information available at the Museum, I never really new what I was looking at and so I didn't take many pictures. The most interesting things about the museum was the archaeological sites they were still digging underneath the museum, the large top-floor Parthenon room which is awaiting the return of the Elgin/Parthenon Marbles, and which is currently occupied by a large reconstruction of found and temporary pieces of the Parthenon Frieze. The National Archaeological Museum was loaded with three thousand years of history and treasures, including: Mask of Agamemnon; Artemision Bronze of Zeus/Poseidon; Bronze of Youth Found in the Antikythera Shipwreck, probably Paris about to award the "Apple of Strife" to his judgment of the most beautiful Goddess, Aphrodite; Jockey of Artemision; Aphrodite-Pan-Eros Complex; and Statue of a Sleeping Maenad.Lue lisää
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From Hydra to Psyrri
26. syyskuuta 2018, Kreikka ⋅ 🌬 19 °C
One of those days that didn't go as planned, but probably for the better. I planned a trip to the Greek Island of Hydra. But after an early metro to the port of Piraeus, I found out the strong Aegean winds made the trip impossible. So after metro-ing back to Athens, I used the morning to stash away in a Greek coffee shop to catch up on some much needed work, whose incompletion was starting to weigh heavily on my mind. By early afternoon, refreshed, I decided to use the afternoon to explore Psyrri, a trendy Athenian neighborhood most known for its commissioned (and noncommissioned) graffiti, famed "Poet Sandal-Maker of Athens," sidewalk cafes, and Central Market. It a much-needed relaxing afternoon, complete with a lot of grazing and sipping!Lue lisää
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Breathtaking Delphi
27. syyskuuta 2018, Kreikka ⋅ 🌧 10 °C
A breathtaking final day in Greece at the Sanctuary of Delphi, once considered the center of the world and home to the Temple of Apollo and his earthly mouthpiece, the Oracle. In Philosophy, The Oracle of Delphi is most famous for declaring that Socrates was the wisest person in Athens, which Socrates later surmised was because he at least admitted that he knew nothing (!). Among the ruins of the Sanctuary are the Treasury of Athens, Temple of Apollo, Theater of Delphi, and Stadium of Delphi. Winding your way up the Sacred Way to the Stadium, and with its stunning views of the valley below, it's easy to imagine why the Ancients considered this location to be especially sacred. Our tour group also stopped into a very nice museum, although I haven't posted any pictures of that, and on our return to Athens, we made a quick visit to Arachova, another small town perched on the mountainside just outside Delphi.Lue lisää
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Thank you, Greece!
28. syyskuuta 2018, Kreikka ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C
The week has been exhilarating, but also exhausting. The grand scale and history of the ancient sites at times leave you speechless, the people are completely friendly and fun, and the food exquisitely simple and delicious. I did get to see all of the historical sites and museums I was hoping to see, except for Plato's Academy, which is in a pretty inaccessible part of town. Although the strong Aegean winds forced the cancellation of my trip to Hydra, it did give me the time to more fully explore the neighborhood of Psyrri, where I've pretty much decided that our study abroad group will stay, and to travel instead to heavenly Delphi. As for the food, it's hard to choose a winner among the Feta Grilled in Honey and Walnuts, souvlaki pita "to go," and Braised Lamb w/ Greek Gnocchi, and the Phyllo Pie with Pastrumi! I can't wait to go back in May with students, but especially with Michele!Lue lisää
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Matkan lopetus
28. syyskuuta 2018