The National Treasures of Greece

Thanks for the emails mom and dad. Ill be calling home like wednesday or thursday when we get back from our trip to Delphi. I will try and send you a new link to all my pictures in case you didnt get them...

Yesterday started off with a 20 minute walk to the Acropolis square where we shopped and bought crossants for breakfast while waiting for our professor. When Stavros arrived, we hiked up the Acropolis (Its super high) and had lecture in one of the ancient theatres on the southern slope. After that mini lecture, we went straight to the top and sat on the wall that holds up the hill (super, super high), right next to the Parthanon and had a second mini lecture there. The ruins here are so beautiful, and they are working really hard to clean and presserve them and restore them even to their natural state.

After finishing class and getting some pictures, some girls and I went shopping on Eurmu (er-mu) st. in Syntagma square by the national gardens and the parliment building. Eurmu is the main shopping street with lots of real stores, not touristy stores really and lots of mini cafes. We took the Metro (subway) to Syntagma from Acropoli and it was extremely clean and really nice.
After shopping and eating, Sam (she's actually from Augsberg) and I walked through the National Gardens which were really pretty and then walked by the 2004 Olympic stadium and then back to our apartments. I love Athens, and its really cool knowing my way around a city that doesnt even use the same alphabet as we do (even though its really similar and we are all getting used to it).

Yesterday night we also went to the Temple of Zeus and from there out for traditional greek coffee.

Today we took a trolly to the National Archeological Museum where Stavros met us and lectured for an extremely long time about the importance and difference of the different stages and time periods of sculpture. It was really interesting and I got to see some statues that I had learned about at the U of M which was really cool. Stavros and I had a long conversation after class about the conservative Greek nature when it comes to sculpture, and we talked about a couple of different plays I had also learned about at the U of M. Even though he can get a bit wordy and way to thourough, I really like Stavros and the entire class. Also we do not have any other homework other than to do about 50 pages of reading for the entire class period. We just have to show up and preticipate, take notes and then take a final at the end.

After the Museum some of us went to a district called Monasteraki by train. Its a flea market of sorts located on the old Roman Agora. So there are lots of ruins but even more shops. They have everything from clothes to old pieces of furniture, and there is alot of bartering and street vendors.

Tonight we are taking a walk up Filopappou hill, even higher than the Acropolis (seriously great workout) to watch the sunset.

Tomorrow we are getting on a bus for Delphi and Thermopoli to see the real battle sight of Lionytus and 300 and the Oricle. We will be spending 2 nights in Delphi at a nice hotel.

I am really getting used to the fact that everyone sleeps from 2-5. and then coffee at 8 and dinner at 10 or 11. Its very little work here and alot of time spent lounging around.

Ill tell you all about Delphi when I get back...

Until then....