Nafplio: Hey, I just met you and this is crazy, but I love you, so can I stay here, maybe?

Corinth Canal: a crucial site for the trading world. Those in control of the canal charged hefty tolls in order to cross. Large stone slabs were installed so that ships could be dragged through its narrow expanse.

Ohhh yeeees!

Today, we made a three and a half hour excursion from the bustling city of Athens to the INCREDIBLE seaside city of Nafplio. On the way, we made a quick pit stop at the Isthmus of Corinth where the Corinth Canal is. It was a stomach dropping sight to be sure. We spied am advertisement for bungee jumping off the bridge, and of course, us being the crazy, wild oat sowing college kids that we are, we were all dying to try it. However, much to our chagrin (and most likely to our Professor's relief) the shop seemed to be closed. We are making a return trip that way, so Mom, don't breathe easy yet.



Nafplio boldly wears the signatures that its previous conquerers (Frankish, Venetian, and Turkish) have emblazoned upon its architecture, culture, and traditions. A delightfully whimsical city of a tasteful melding of cultures, it possesses the power to bring tears to one's eyes with its beauty.

The Mediterranean climate eliminates much of the need for dryers.

Before going the hotel (our home base for the next nine days), we drove to Palamidi Fortress, perched on the hills (999 steps to the top) that overlook the city of Nafplio. We received an abridged history lesson about the Fortress from Professor Hutton and then were free to explore as we wished and take some fantastic photos.

A view of Nafplio from Palamidi Fortress.

Another stunning view of Nafplio (and my finger).

Inside the Palamidi Fortress. It is quite a labyrinth in there!

Bourtzi--a castle situated in the harbor of Nafplio

A view of the beach from Palamidi Fortress.

The glory of Nafplio.

The tiny door to get to the cell--about three feet tall.

At one part of Palamidi's history, the fortress was a prison. We were able to enter and explore the cell of hero of the Greek Revolution Theodore Kolokotrones. It made even the most adventurous of us feel a little claustrophobic.

The sign pointing the way to the cell.

In the dark, dank cell, very happy we didn't have to stay in there for an extended period of time.

Inside the church.

A Catholic church nestled in the center of the fortress.

 After exploring the fortress, we took a lunch break and I had a glass of the best orange juice I have ever tasted. Greece does not grow very many things, but the things that it does are absolutely wonderful.

Oranges!

Cheesin' with the O.J.!

A view from the hotel room.

Afterwards, we checked into the hotel room and reported to the Harvard Center of Hellenic Studies for a quick debriefing and a tour of the center. Everyone working there is so kind and helpful. After a bit of research, we went to the have the best gelato outside Italy--this store is a nod to Nafplio's Italian roots, and then beach bummed for the rest of the day. More to come soon. Thank you to all who are following the blog--your support means a lot.

Random things I learned . . . 

• Europeans are VERY comfortable with closer personal space as opposed to Americans.
•  W.C. means "water closet" and are the toilets. 
• Greeks eat a LOT of meat. A sweet lady could not understand why I did not finish my generous plate of meatballs, but I assured her that they were delicious and I was just very full.
• No matter what Tio says, I am a GREAT driver. He just needs to come over here and see the crazy Greek drivers who seem to narrowly miss dying every time they venture out into the streets.
• DO NOT J-walk in Athens--it's not worth your life. Also, it is apparent you are a tourist if you run across the street to quickly get to the safety of the other side.
• Graffiti is everywhere in Athens. However, there are bigger fish to fry for the Athenian police than graffiti artists, so much of it goes unpunished.
• Waiters in Greece do not bring you your check, you have to ask for it. That is unless you want to sit around for forty-five minutes with two of your William and Mary buddies making small talk and watching a stray cat stalk and kill a bird right in the outdoor restaurant you are dining at--yes that happened.
• Don't immediately assume you have lost something--check your bag. No, I mean it, seriously just check your bag: it's probably there.
• If you cannot find the switch to turn on/off the lights, it is outside the room that you are trying to turn on the lights for.
• European beaches are Speedo City--the wearing of these skimpy suits and being of a non-cringeworthy age to wear them are not always mutually inclusive. Yikes . . .

Day Two Continued . . .

I just had to share. Caroline, Maura, and I developed sugar cravings after our dinners and went down the street to a confectionary. This was our haul. . .

Left: Cookies and Creme. Middle: Orange and chocolate cream. Right: Chocolate mousse.

Heaven on earth, let me tell you. This was one of the best desserts I have ever tasted. Best spent 2.7 euros  of my life.

I mentioned before about the glut of kitties in Athens.  This little guy was outside our  window and ventured into our apartment when he felt brave enough. He is skittish, but I am determined that we will be friends by the end of our trip. My flatmates christened him: Kostos.

Day Two!!!

Today, in the National Archeological Museum, I had a hard time keeping my eyes inside my head.  The Socratic paradox, “I know that I know nothing” never felt more true than after perusing the museum. My previous knowledge of Greece is measly, consisting of only a high school class reading of the Odyssey, the Percy Jackson series, and personal research of mythology.  Listening to Professor Hutton speak of the Neolithic and Bronze Age and point out the different artifacts that pertain to these time periods was truly eye opening. Seeing bits and pieces of what constituted the nascent stages of ancient Greek civilizations was astounding.

The part that was so fascinating to me was how the art changed over time. In the Neolithic Age, art was limited to designs etched or painted onto earthenware as well as representations of different objects (many of the female figure) made out of the mediums of stone and clay. As Greece moved into the Bronze Age, metals such a bronze and gold (obtained through trade or pillaging) were used to fashion tools and jewelry. Wall paintings, hair pins, signet rings, among other articles featured breathtakingly delicate details (such as the my favorite: the ram pin pictured below). In Classical and Archaic times, large marble statures began to make an appearance onto the scene, many with realistic (eventually becoming more stylized) designs.

Every day I’ve been here, I learn an incredible amount–both from our day trips and from classmates who have more experience than I do. I feel so blessed to be here and to have what many have told me is “the adventure of a lifetime.” To tell you the truth, being around so much history, seeing pieces of the past in person that I had only before glimpsed in history textbooks has changed my perspective and worldview. Seeing how much I have to learn had rendered me a more eager pupil–one with a perspective that promises a lifetime of adventure.

Below is a little gallery of some of the artifacts that I had the opportunity to see while at the museum.

Statuette of Artemis.

A Dimini pot--from one of the earliest settlements.

Beautiful wall painting from Thera in Santorini.

A "bear" holding a bowl

Statue of Athena.

Earthenware of the Neolithic Period.

Personal Fav--an intricately detailed ram on the head of a pin.

A commemorative pot. On it shows the deceased on a funeral pyre with women in mourning.

A death mask--laid over the faces of the rich and deceased. Rumor has it that this one covered the face of the fictional king, Agamemnon.

Clay figures of women from the Neolithic Period. Sculptures focused a lot on the female figure as it was exalted as a sign of fertility.

Dolphins on pottery from Thera.

Infant equivalents of death masks. They were made for the whole body of the infant.

Gold artifacts. Greece has no gold of its own--all gold found on Greece has either been imported or plundered (usually by the warlike Myceneans) from another nation.

A beautiful example of Mycenaean use of gold decoratively: a lion's head. 

Sounion Kouros

Another favorite: a signet ring.

Not an artifact, but an adorable tortoise that took a liking to me.  Two of them were living in the garden of the museum.

A helmet made of boar's tusks. 

Bottom four in a ring are tweezers. Just the thought of plucking my eyebrows with these suckers makes me wince.

Wall painting of a woman--beautiful detail and color.

A bronze statue found in a shipwreck. No one knows which god he is supposed to depict: either Zeus or Poseidon. 

Another Therian wall painting, this one is of two boxing boys.

Day One

Yesterday, one of our hosts with College Year Athens, Vosso, took us on a tour of neighborhood so we could get orientated and know where to find things whenever the need should arise. A few of the interesting things in our neighborhood . . .
(Featured above--left and center--are views from the college of Kalimarmaro--the Marble Stadium. For a small fee, you are permitted access to the stadium and are actually allowed to exercise inside. On the right is a distant view of the Parthenon)

No pizza delivery cars here.  In Athens, Dominos is delivered by bicycle.

All pharmacies in Athens are indicated by green crosses on their exteriors.

After our tour of the neighborhood in which supermarkets, tavernas, and other useful services were pointed out we walked back to the to college for a filling lunch. When lunch concluded, we had a brief class followed by a hike up the steep Mount Lycabettus for some breathtaking eagle-eyed views of Athens. At the very top, there is a restaurant for patrons who wish for a beautiful view to accompany their delectable dinners. Also, many of us made friends with a brave cat who lives at the top of the mount. (Stray dogs and cats are very, very, very numerous here.)

Yesterday's lunch!

All along the trail, people had carved names and dates into the cacti and the Century Plants.

The Restaurant on the top of the Mount.

These four are some of the gorgeous views of the Athens Sprawl.

                               The little "Mini Parthenon" in the middle of the green is a Temple to the Greek God Hephaestus.


Finally, last but not least is the site of an archeological dig. Those excavating think it is the possible site of Aristotle's school, though this is up for debate. (see below)