So first stop was Greece! Athens to be exact. My very first view of Athens was breathtaking, we were in our huge bus (20 students plus 2 directors) and all of a sudden we came out of a tunnel and we could see the entire city. It was little white building after little white building, just like I’ve always pictured it. I didn’t realize how big the city was though, nor did I realize the acropolis was smack-dab in the middle of the city, above everything.
We checked into the hotel and it was a free day. So with about 6 friends we set out to adventure and walk the city. We walked to the plata, basically a flee market type place below the acropolis. If fact, it was funny when we were walking around we finally cleared some taller buildings and came to this beautiful square with fruit stands and entry ways to the markets and a perfect view of the acropolis. It was kind of a shock because we were wondering city streets like any other street and then we were met with some of the most well-known assets of Athens. I loved it! Not to mention the nectarine I bought, best one ever!
After we ate and shopped we met up with more of the group and left for the Temple of Poseidon , which was all too funny in itself. We trek across Athens with twenty people, navigating the metro (underground) and get to the bus station to find we missed the last but there by 10 minutes. I couldn’t help but laugh and say of course that would happen to us. But like anything else on my trip it turned out to be the best thing that could have happened to us. The next day after visiting the acropolis we decided to retry this trip, this time I didn’t just sit back and go along for the ride, I made sure we timed it correctly and didn’t plan to take the last bus, but rather the second to last bus. So we get everyone together and make it to the bus just fine. The guy friend, Josh who was coordinating this little trip thought it was an hour long drive, correction is was 2 hours!!! However, it was worth every minute on the smelly nasty bus. We get there just before sunset (note the last bus we considered taking gets there just after sunset in order to pick everyone up- and please note the guys thanked me after for my wonderful timing and persistence with a huge group hehe).
Basically we followed the water forever and it took us to the most secluded little peninsula with cliffs straight down to the water. You walk up to the ruins and like any of the history in Athens it is just incredible. So you have ancient ruins, your own little island type space with water all around you and the sun is setting over the water and scattered islands. I was in heaven and the pictures there were to die for. It’s amazing how everything keeps working out for the better, even if at first it seems everything had gone wrong.
Also worth noting at the Temple of Poseidon our friend Ravi met a guy from the US that lives in Barcelona. He was a super friendly guy, grabbed a beer with everyone after the bus ride back and invited us to come out with him in Barcelona to show us around.
So back to when we were left sitting curb side at the bus station. We ended up walking around the north side of Athens because we didn’t see that part yet. It wasn’t the best part of the city but we did get exposure to the protests going on there and all the graffiti. Oh and one other thing, this is the night we all dressed up since we WERE going to go to the temple so I’m out wondering around in my little black dress and that’s when the “mama mia!!” story comes in. It was in an older blog but basically this very Italian guy came right into my face as I was leading our group and yells, “mama miaaa!” with the hand gesture and everything. My friends and I laughed so hard. And from now on we have Kayla Moments. We all had dinner out together and we even got free dessert : )
So the next day we had so much exposure to the acropolis. First of all we go to the tenth floor of our hotel for breakfast and the acropolis is staring right at us! Then we meet our tour guide and she takes us to the National Archeological Museum and then to the Acropolis! I loved walking up there, it was completely unreal. Every three steps I felt like I had to stop and take pictures, it just kept getting better and better. It also kind of goes back to the “holy crap, I really here” feeling; I’ve studied the Parthenon since day one in art school but I never had a visual context or a real grasp for a sense of scale. Nor did I realize the importance of all of the other great works all around the acropolis. If Greece has one thing going for it (especially Athens) it is the history there. It’s inconceivable.
Heading back down into the city (which we got to see so well from above) a small group of us walked over to the new Acropolis Museum. We didn’t have time to go in but outside they made a huge glass floor section overlooking the old city that they recently excavated. I really enjoyed this part, it’s crazy to think that is what’s below most of the city… a whole other city that once was everything to the people of that time. The museum also had a section open from glass and completely exposed.
That evening was the Temple of Poseidon and drinks out with everyone plus Kirby (guy Ravi met). So the next day was one of my favorites of the entire trip. It was one of those humbling, “everything works out for the best” type of days. First of all everyone was a mess in the morning and only me and my roommate, two other girls and one guy got up and made the most of our free day in Athens. We were planning to go to Hydra, a close and beautiful island that everyone recommended for day travel out of Athens. So we take the metro (underground train) to the ferry terminal – totally met a guy who grew up in Enumclaw and now works in Greece by the way. So we get there and get to the right terminal area for Hydra and so I say, “Hydra?” to the nice ticket man in the booth and he quickly points at a huge ferry undocking, I didn’t understand his Greek but his gestures were enough to tell us to run!!! It’s undocking, as it clearly was at they were throwing the ropes over. So we start sprinting and BARELY make it. Everyone was huffing and puffing trying to catch our breath. Finally we can breathe again and so we say, this is going to Hydra right? The ferry guy and all the Greeks around us looked concerned with big eyes and say no, no… Poros! Our eyes must have gotten bigger than theirs because instantly they started trying to comfort us by saying in broken English, beautiful island! Beautiful beaches! Some of the girls were like can we jump off! I wanna get off, I give them a crazy look and we go on with life. Buy our cheap ticket for a three hour ferry to Poros Island and we even stopped at a few other island ports… soooo our ‘whoopsies ferry ride’ turned into a first class island cruise in my eyes.
After standing in the sea breeze for a few hours, we came up to our port and it was everything I’ve ever imaged Greece should be. Little white house stacked one after another on a hill side overlooking the water. It was beautiful. We got off the boat and it was mini coopers and mopeds everywhere. Small streets, tiny shops and very Greek people. We walked to the closest beach and of course the first thing we saw was some old ladies nude chest. We kept walking along the cove and picked a spot to lay our stuff down and we went right into the water. The Mediterranean is warm, very salty, clear and the beaches are very shallow for a long time. We “picked” the best island and beach. Everyone was local except maybe 6-8 other people and this area was very authentic. The little beach shack we ate at had a Greek mom, and two sons (about 20 & 9 yrs) working the place. The kids spoke really good English and basically served us the entire time. Just like everywhere else in Greece there were cats everywhere meowing for food and attention. After we ate, it was back to tanning, napping and swimming; pretty incredible day. We packed up our stuff to get back onto our multi-island sunset cruise.
It was hilarious the sun would set and we’d take a bunch of pictures and enjoy it and then off of a sudden we’d pass that island and the sun was back! This happened three times, three sunsets! I couldn’t be more grateful for how that day worked out.
If anything these trips always leave me feeling so blessed. I know I can’t even comprehend how lucky I am to be where I’m at in life… I’m quite literally traveling the world, making new international friends while I have the comfort and support from friends and family back at home. Ευχαριστούμε everyone!
After reading your stories, Kayla, I would like to just jump on a plane and come crash at your place. I'm so glad you're having a blast!
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