As days go by

okay, so i am doing my best to play catch up. Here are some BRIEF highlights of the last two days. Part one: Athens (the Agora and Acropolis)


This is just a cool random building we saw on our way through town.

The Agora was like the town center/marketplace in ancient Athens and there are many, many cool things about it, but the best picture i took the whole morning was just this little old yellow Greek flower. PS- at the Agora we went up to Mars Hill where Paul stood and preached to the crowd regarding their wickedness and corruption.

Ah, the big daddy- the Parthenon. The inside of the collums actually was filled with gravel and a lead center and that is why it is still so intact today. Well, that and the fact that for whatever reason, the Ottomans didn't tear it down.

These are two of the guys in our group just admiring the beautiful city view from the top of the Acropolis- they weren't even talking, just sitting and awing. (and then i took their picture)

Okay so Wednesday was the windy-est day ever- and it was definitely complicated by the fact we were at two of the highest places in the city. When we got to lunch in the afternoon I caught a glimpse of my poor windblown self in the WC mirror and it was frightening!

Part Two: Corinth (Canal, and Ancient Ruins)

This is the canal of Corinth that connects the Agean sea to the Adriatic Sea so that ships may shortcut the Peloponesian Penninsula. This shot is looking towards the Adriatic sea and the whole thing is sooooo deep and amazing!

This is a great (and of course ancient) mosaic floor depicting Dionysis- the god of wine. This example highlights the artisans extremely high skill level because he managed to make the god look drunk (as you would expect him to be) but also after viewing the mosaic for a few minutes, you feel dizzy when you look at the ground. Genius!

Two words: Toe-tal Validation! I happen to notice that all of the statues in the museum at ancient Corinth (at least those which still had their feet) had toes like mine! Yes!!!!

After touring Corinth (also amazing) we went to a shop where they make certified replicas of museum pottery artifacts (since you can't take home the real ones!) They are all hand made and painted by a man who is the 5th generation of his family to run the shop. This is a handmade replica of a cup from 1500 BC found it Crete. It was one of my favorites, but alas it was 60 Euros (too much!)

One of the funniest and cutest things about Greece is that there are animals EVERYWHERE. Seriously- in all the shops, in all the archaeological sites, hanging around the restaraunts, sleeping on the sidewalks and sometimes in the street! This is just a fun picture of one of the very cute cats at the restaraunt where we ate lunch today. Tomorrow we are off to Vergina to see Philip's tomb and then onto Thessaloniki!