Eurialos Castle

Tuesday was pretty boring, because we didn't have a site to visit. We had a morning lecture on the prehistoric pottery of Sicily and an evening lecture on digital archaeology. While they both were interesting, I much rather preferred to have been out exploring and sight-seeing. Anyway, yesterday was much better. We visited the Eurialos Castle, which is the only Greco-Roman castle that is left. It was built after the Athenian Expedition of 415-413 BC and lasted until the Romans took control of Syracuse (as well as Sicily) in 212 BC. The castle was heavily fortified with 3 trenches and a retractable drawbridge. It had numerous platforms where catapults, invented by Archimedes in the 3rd century BC, were held. There also was a system of galleries that allowed access underground from inside the castle to the outside. The castle was awesome, but it was an extremely hot day, so I was glad to get back to Ortigia. Last night I played a pick-up game of soccer and then went to see the premiere of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, two days before anyone else in the states! It was dubbed over in Italian, though, but I knew the plot very well, and there were many action scenes, making it very easy to follow. It is my favorite so far, and I am so pumped to see the English version in a few weeks! Today was another boring day. I woke up real early to do my readings for a quiz today, since I stayed out late to see Harry Potter and didn't finish it earlier in the day. Then, we had a lecture on the prehistoric religion of Sicily. If you haven't guessed, my professor is an expert in prehistoric Sicily. While this topic is intriguing, I would much rather learn about Classical and Hellenistic Sicily. Anyway, the rest of the day was spent relaxing, doing errands online and watching the Godfather Part II.

Archaeological Park of Neopolis

Today, we visited the Archaeological Park of Neopolis, which was the western district of Ancient Syracuse that contains the most impressive ruins. As we entered the Archaeological Park, we first saw the Roman Amphitheater. Only the bottom level is left, but at one point it was one of the biggest amphitheaters in the Roman world. Next, we passed by the remains of the Altar of Hieron II. It was built in the 3rd century BC by the tyrant Hieron II and dedicated to Zeus. Then, we entered the massive stone quarries, where all the stone came from that used for most of the architecture in ancient Syracuse. One of the quarries is known as the "Ear of Dionysius", because the tyrant Dionysius I in the 4th century BC was said to have stood on top and listened to the conversations of his prisoners who were being imprisoned in the cave. We then proceeded  to see the Greek theatre, which was the second largest in the Greek world behind that which is found at Epidauros, Greece. Famous playwrights such as Aeschylus and Euripides had their plays performed there. In fact, modern dramas are still performed in it every summer. Behind the theatre is the base of what used to be a temple dedicated to Demeter and Persephone. Flanking this temple to the left and right are caves, in which the actors would have practiced before the plays. To the bottom right hand corner of the theatre are the remains of a temple dedicated to Apollo, to whom the entire sanctuary was dedicated as well. Afterwards, we headed back to Ortigia, and I finished my readings for a quiz tomorrow. Since I still wasn't feeling well, I decided to watch the Godfather Part I, which I thought was appropriate, since the Mafia originated in Sicily. It was my first time seeing Part I, and I absolutely loved it!

Ortigia/Weekend at Giardini Naxos

On Friday we took our second tour around Ortigia, this time seeing the archaic and classical sites. First, we visited the ionic Temple of Artemis. The remains actually are found beneath a modern government building. However, we received special access and descended underground to view the remains of the temple. Then, we saw the doric Temple of Athena, which sat right beside it. This temple was turned into a church in the 6th century AD and a Catholic Cathedral after the Norman conquest of the 13th century, allowing the preservation of many doric columns, which can be seen from both the inside and outside. Then, we saw the remains of the Temple of Apollo, which are actually found outside. Only about 2 columns stand upright, but the base of the temple and many other columns are still available. Finally, we visited the Fountain of Arethusa. According to mythology, the nymph Arethusa was turned into this fountain by Artemis along with the river god Asopus who was lusting after her. This fountain was a very important source of portable water for the ancient Syracusans. After our tour of Ortigia, I hopped on a bus to visit the beach at Giardini Naxos for the weekend. On Friday evening I visited the lovely city of Taormina, which is just north of Giardini Naxos. The second largest theater in Sicily, dating to the Hellenistic Period, can be found here. With Mt. Etna in the background it is an absolutely amazing view. Later that evening, I had a pasta with shrimp, mussels and octopus, which might be the best pasta I have ever consumed! Yesterday, I visited the archaeological site of Naxos, the first Greek colony established on Sicily in 734 BC. The remains are scanty, but the significance of this place still hit me as I walked through the site. It was colonized right on the beach shore for commercial reasons. Afterwards, I checked out the small museum. Then, I headed to the beach, which turned out to be a bad decision, because that evening I came down with a pretty intense fever. Thus, this morning, I checked out earlier than expected and headed back to Syracuse to try and recover.

Arhcaeological Museum of Syracuse

Today, we visited the Archaeological Museum of Syracuse, which is the largest archaeological museum on the island of Sicily. It housed many exhibits dating from the prehistoric to the Roman times. The first section housed the skeleton of extinct midget elephants. In the middle of the skull is a huge whole, which some scholars believe could be responsible for the development of the myth of the Cyclopes. The prehistoric section showed various different types of pottery and other household utilities. Of the Greek artifacts, my favorite were some of the ornately decorated red-figure and black-figure vases, a relief of Medusa from the Temple of Athena, a statue of Priapus (the god of male genitalia), and the gigantic bust of Asklepius. Pictures apparently were forbidden, but I made it through a majority of the museum before I ran into guards. Thus, I was able to take several without detection. We have a quiz tomorrow, so this evening I will catch up on my reading assignments.

Pantallica

Yesterday, we had class and then took a walking tour of Ortigia to "see" all the prehistoric sites on the island. We actually didn't see much, because when most of the sites were excavated, pictures were taken, and then they covered the areas up and many buildings have been constructed on top of them. So essentially we just saw the location of the prehistoric settlement's boundaries, which really didn't interest me at all, since I'm not big on this sort of stuff. Also, I didn't like the fact that I couldn't see what the professor was referring to. Anyway, that evening we had a lecture on Mycenaean imperialism in Sicily, and then MCAS hosted another event; this one celebrating Arabic culture. I stuffed myself with a lot of Arabic food while enjoying a belly-dancing performance. It was a great night! Today, we visited Pantallica, another prehistoric necropolis but one used during the Late Bronze Age instead. It held hundreds of thousands of tombs for the middle to upper-class of this settlement. After viewing some of the many tombs which are accessible, we made our way up to the plateau to see the remains of the Anaktoron, a building that was used as a palace/storage facility. We then headed back to Ortigia and I spent the rest of the day just relaxing. This intense heat just takes the wind out of your sails. I would kill for some air conditioning right now! Anyway, that night I played a pick-up game of soccer. I hadn't played in years, so it was a real interesting experience to say the least.

Thapsos

Today, we took a bus a half-hour north to visit the pre-historic necropolis of Thapsos, which was a site used for burials during the Middle Bronze Age. The tombs were very interesting, but to be honest, there really wasn't a whole lot besides that there, making it rather mundane at times. So after a few hours of moseying around the peninsula looking at the various tombs and the foundations of a later palace, we headed back to Ortigia. The sun here is just crazy. In my whole time in Europe I did not have to succumb to the ritual of Siesta until today. So because of the sun, I took a 5 hour nap in the middle of the afternoon. Since today is the 4th of July, MCAS decided to throw a party for their American students that evening. Many people from all over the island came out to eat hot dogs, hamburgers, wings and other traditional American foods while celebrating our Independence Day. It was really cool to witness and also be apart of that.

First Weekend in Syracuse

On Friday morning, we had our orientation to the program, which lasted for several hours. Afterwards, we took a walking tour around the island in order to get to know better our surroundings. We strolled through the open air market and were introduced to the cheese maker and the butcher. Then, we had some gelato (my favorite), and I succumbed to trying a horse-meat burger, which actually was very tasty. That evening, we had an orientation dinner, which was excellent. We were served the traditional Italian dinner; an appetizer, a first plate (some sort of pasta), a second plate (some sort of meat) and a dessert. All were fantastic! Yesterday, a few of us walked to the mainland to do some exploring. Afterwards, Chris and I decided to take a boat out to explore the sea caves, which was a lot of fun! On our way to dinner last night, we watched a guy doing a puppet show in the square, which was probably one of the most entertaining things I have ever witnessed. He was so funny and good! Today, we went and hung out at the pool. Throughout the day, I had the opportunity to taste many delicious Sicilian dishes. I also read a lot, got a bunch of sun and then played water polo. Afterwards, we went to a vineyard to eat fresh fruit and taste many delicious wines. Then, we went to the next town over to get gelato (of course), which ended up with us scaling a wall as a "shortcut". 

Last Days in Rome

Yesterday was a national holiday in Rome, honoring St. Peter and St. Paul, so we didn't have classes. Thus, I visited the Borghese Galley, which houses many Bernini statues and Caravaggio paintings that were part of the personal collection of Cardinal Borghese of the 16th century. Unfortunately, pictures were not allowed, although I tried to sneak some anyway with varying degrees of success. The paintings were wonderful, but I, being a fan of Bernini, was more impressed with his statues. The major ones were those of Hades rape of Persephone, Apollo transforming a nymph into a tree, David about to slingshot Goliath, and Aeneas escaping Troy with his father on his back. Afterwards, I strolled through the beautiful Borghese Gardens until I reached the National Etruscan Museum. I really wasn't impressed with this museum at all. It wasn't because of its collection but because of its employees. They were all rude and very irritable. First, there are no signs that say picture taking wasn't allowed. All of the exhibits were in glass cases anyway, which boggles my mind why I couldn't take pictures. Secondly, the security guard couldn't had been more rude. Actually, to be quite honest, Romans in general are a mean and irritable lot. The Athenians are much nicer and appreciative of Americans. The Italians apparently must have forgot about the Marshall Plan and the U.S.'s involvement in helping them out after their economy's destruction in World War II. Anyway, the museum housed many of the finest pieces of Etruscan art found throughout Italy besides the Vatican Museum. My two favorite objects are the Sarcophagus of a couple and the painted vase of Diomedes, which recently has been returned to Italy from the Metropolitan Museum of New York. Afterwards, I took a taxi about 15 minutes north to the Catacombs of Priscilla. These catacombs housed about 10,000 early christian graves many meters underground. My guide showed me the way via a lamp, because it was so dark, which made picture taking almost an impossibility. Afterwards, I made my way back to my apartment to finish packing and prepare for the final exam, which we took the next morning. After the exam, we headed to the airport. Another reason why I am displeased with the Romans took place in their airport. I was the only one, the bag attendant made a big deal about, because my luggage was overweight. He even tried to charge me 150 euros because he thought he'd get away with it, because I'm a "stupid American". Luckily, one of our program directors was there, and I ended up paying nothing. He shut up quickly when she went off on him in Italian. Anyway, we flew into the city of Catania on the east coast of Sicily and then boarded taxis for the 45 minute drive south to Siracusa. The guys' taxi driver, Christian, was a straight up G. He's the only person I have ever seen with an Ipad as a GPS unit. After we arrived, I easily could tell I was going to like the Sicilian people much better than the Romans. They're all so nice and helpful much like the Greeks, which probably stems back to the fact that eastern Sicily was originally founded by the Greeks, not the Romans. Afterwards, I met our two new roommates, a guy from Texas and another from southern California, and then I got settled into my new apartment. Then, the group went out to dinner at a local restaurant, and I had some amazing tortellini.

Baths of Caracalla

Today, we visited the bath complex of Caracalla situated to the east of the Colosseum. These were the largest Roman baths in antiquity. Even today, the ruins take up so much space that it is used to perform musical performances. In its heyday, the baths would have been lined with massive and impressive marble statues, which I had previously seen in the Archaeological Museum of Naples. Afterwards, I headed to the EUR district of Rome, which is in the south, to check out the Museum of Roman Civilization. The EUR is the business district of Rome, filled with many modern buildings made out of glass and so on. There's also a building which is a square reproduction of the Colosseum. This area was started by Mussolini in the 1920s to show off to Europe how powerful and modern Italy was becoming again. If Hitler and Mussolini had not been defeated, the majority of European cities probably would have fell under this symmetrical type of architecture. Anyway, the Museum of Roman Civilization was probably my favorite museum in Rome. It doesn't contain any original artifacts, but there are casts of the most popular and telling pieces of Roman art, which are scattered throughout Britain, France, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Italy and other countries. Its intent is to show a complete picture of Roman civilization through a series of rooms showing Rome's evolution through art. Also, there are many models of reconstructions of temples, arches, buildings, etc. At the end of the museum was a room that had casts of all the reliefs on Trajan's column, which was absolutely amazing to see, and a massive entire room scale model of how Rome would have appeared during the reign of Constantine. Finally, I visited the Church of Santa Maria della Vittoria, which houses the Bernini statue of Theresa in Ecstasy. Then, I had my last lecture that evening. It's hard to believe I'll be leaving Rome in two days!

Temples of Largo Argentina/Pantheon

Today, we visited the remains of the Temples of Largo Argentina and the Pantheon. The Temples of Largo Argentina are located on what used to be called the Campus Martius, the outer area of the Roman Forum. There are remains of four temples and the deities associated with each are unknown. Behind the Temples of Largo Argentina are the remains of the Theatre of Pompey, which was the location of Julius Caesar's murder in 44 BC. Then, we made our way to the Pantheon, my personal favorite Roman monument. It was constructed during the Augustan era as a temple dedicated to all the gods. The temple was modified during the reign of Hadrian dramatically, which was when the dome and ocular was added. During the Christian era, it became a church. Thus, it is the oldest church to this day. Inside, we could see the massive dome and ocular, allowing sunlight to give a presence of a divine light. Also, the tomb of Raphael is located inside the Pantheon. Afterwards, I visited the Church of Santa Maria sopra Minerva. It was built on top of the remains of a temple to Minerva, the Roman equivalent of Athena. Outside, there is an elephant statue by Bernini attached to an Egyptian obelisk. Inside, there is a Michelangelo statue of Christ Bearing the Cross. Then, I finally made my second trip back to St. Paul's Outside-the-Wall's church, but this time I was able to go inside. The entrance was beautiful, being adorned with classical style columns and a luxurious garden. Inside, there is a painted arch with an image of Christ in the middle, Peter on the left with his two keys symbolizing the keys to heaven and earth, and Paul on the right with his sword symbolizing his spread of christianity. Afterwards, I finished the readings that were due for the quiz and attended an evening lecture.

Campania

This weekend, I headed south to the province of Campania to visit Naples, Herculaneum, Pompeii and the island of Capri. The weekend started early yesterday morning. I left Rome at about 6:30 AM via train to Naples. About 3 hours later, I arrived and headed straight to the Naples Archaeological Museum, which houses many of the finest artifacts in all of Rome. Many of the statues in the museum had previously aligned the enormous Baths of Caracalla in Rome, which I will visit this Tuesday. Also, it houses the finds of the excavations of Pompeii and Herculaneum. Some of my favorite statues are that of Weary Herakles and the gigantic Farnese Bull. Upstairs housed the erotic collection found at Pompeii, having many illicit images and statues of phalluses and fornication. By far my favorite item of the museum was the Mosaic of the Battle of Issus, showing Alexander the Great's defeat of the Persian army in 332 BC. After I left the museum, I hopped on another train heading southbound to Herculaneum. Before I visited the site, I took a bus up to the foothills of Mt. Vesuvius, the volcano which erupted in 79 AD and covered both Pompeii and Herculaneum, which aided in their preservation. It took me about 90 minutes, but I hiked up Mt. Vesuvius and had one of the greatest views of the Bay of Naples. Then, I returned to the bus, which took me back to Herculaneum to explore the site. Herculaneum was marvelous. I'm not a geologist, so I don't know the exact reason, but Herculaneum was covered in a type of ash different from that of Pompeii, allowing some of the multi-storey buildings to stay intact. The site basically allowed free roaming throughout the houses. Herculaneum attracts much less tourists than Pompeii, so it was quite peaceful. Also, Herculaneum was one of the richer cities of ancient Rome, so the buildings and their statues reflected that. The people of Herculaneum must have been able to exact from the eruption, because no skeletons were found on site. After several hours of exploration, I called it a day and took the train southbound for about a half-hour to Sorrento to stay the night. From the balcony of my hotel room, I had an absolutely gorgeous view of the island of Capri, which was to be my next stop. This morning, I took a ferry about 30 minutes to the beautiful island of Capri. Unfortunately, I didn't get the chance to check out the breathtaking (so I've heard) blue grotto, because I was rushed for time, and the line is always outrageous. Alas, maybe on my next trip back! Anyway, I did take the 2.5 mile hike uphill to see Villa Jovis, which was the emperor Claudius' famous palace of debauchery that he retired to at the end of his life. It's even said that he threw people off of the steep cliffs just for fun in front of the young Caligula, which would have definitely been a major factor in Caligula's later craziness. Anyway, the view of the island from Villa Jovis was just amazing. Then, I preceeded back towards the ferry and made my way back to Sorrento to catch a train to Pompeii. When I arrived, I was completely taken aback by its sheer size. I've read about it and heard many stories, but nothing at all compares to witnessing Pompeii in person. Walking through the winding streets, I was able to imagine myself as a Roman. The site allowed for that level of realism, well besides from the massive groups of tourists who interrupted all of my pictures. Just like the Colosseum and the Athenian Acropolis, Pompeii is a must-see for all people, no matter what their interest level or understanding of what their witnessing may be. Among my favorites, as is with so many others due to the massive line I waited in, was the Lupenare, the main brothel of Pompeii. Although it was the main one, there were at least a dozen more scattered throughout the city. Couple that with the artifacts displayed in the museum, and its easy to see why so many view Pompeii as being the sex capital of Rome. However, I tend to believe the Romans were just naturally sexual beings not just those from Pompeii. Anyway, the Lupenare had wall-paintings of all the different sexual positions, which were on the "menu". Then, I went to see the Garden of the Bodies, which had casts of some of the original bodies found during excavations. These people of Pompeii all died instantly without prior knowledge that a volcanic eruption was going to happen. Thus, we have a snapshot into the everyday happenings of a Roman city. Before I left for Rome, I grabbed dinner at a local pizzeria in Naples and had one of the best pizzas I've ever consumed. Naples is the birthplace of Pizza, and apparently they still know how to do it right after several centuries!

Tivoli

Today, we visited Tivoli, which is about an hours trek northeast of Rome, to see the beautiful villa of the emperor Hadrian. It was his own private "get-away" from the strains of being imperator. There are massive lakes, which he used to stroll around and get lost in deep philosophical thought. Hadrian was a cultured man, who enjoyed learning, so he had libraries spread throughout his villa. My favorite part is the Canopo, a massive lake which had statues, some of crocodiles, lined all around it. Hadrian formed the Canopo to give off the image of being the Nile River in Egypt. Afterwards, we headed back to Rome, and I went off on more independent exploration to see some of the most famous historical churches in Rome. First, I visited the Church of San Clemente, which has three layers dating to three different time periods. Pictures aren't allowed, but I was able to sneak some anyway, without flash of course. The first layer was a Renaissance church painted by Michaelangelo. Unfortunately, this place was too crowded, making picture taking almost impossible. The church was dedicated to St. Catherine, and it was quite beautiful. The second layer held a 4th century AD church, containing many mosaics and wall-paintings. The third layer was used during the 1st century BC for the cult of Mithras. Then, I visited the Church of San Giovanni in Laterno. This church was dedicated to St. John and originally was the seat of the papacy until St. Peter's Basilica was constructed in the 16th century. Outside the building was a massive statue of Constantine, the "father" of Christianity. Inside, the nave was lined with statues of the 12 Apostles. Among my favorites was Bartholomew, who was holding a knife and his skin, since he was skinned alive when he was martyred. Across the street is a little building which holds the steps that Jesus supposedly walked upon to receive his sentence from Pontus Pilate. These steps were said to have been transported from Jerusalem after Christianity became the official state religion of Rome. Then, I visited the Church of Santa Maria Maggliore. Outside the church there is a huge Corinthian column with a bronze statue on top of Mary holding the baby Jesus. This church was dedicated to St. Mary, and the great Baroque sculptor, Bernini, was buried here. He was honored with such a privilege because of his great masterpieces of art he constructed for several catholic churches in Rome, most notably his design of St. Peter's Square. Then, I visited the Church of St. Peter's-in-Chains, which supposedly housed the chains in which Peter and Paul were held in during their time in the Mamertine Prison and before their execution. Inside the church was Michaelangelo's statue of Moses. Later that evening we had lecture, and then we went out to eat for one of my classmates birthday.

Capitoline Museum

Today, we visited the Capitoline Museum on the Capitoline Hill. Not much archaeological sites are left on this very important ancient Roman hill but those that are have been incorporated into the Museum. As we entered the Museum, we saw a huge collection of Greek and Roman busts. One of my favorite exhibits was the Statue of the She-Wolf. Also, there are statues of Commodus posing as Herakles, the Equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius, the Dying Gaul and the remains of the colossal statue of Constantine. My favorite vase was that of Ajax and Achilles playing dice in full armor. Inside the museum were the remains in situ of the Temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus, the Tabularium (the area of Roman archives) and the Temple of Vejovius. That evening, after lecture, I took a walk through Rome at night to see the Colosseum, Pantheon and Trevi Fountain lit up as well as many other huge buildings.

Ostia Antica

Today, we took a train about 30 minutes southwest to visit Ostia Antica, the harbor of ancient Rome. It is tremendously large and an excellent site to explore if you want to get a grasp on the layout of a typical Roman city. Just like any other Roman city, Ostia had a a bath complex, a theater, a forum, and many residential buildings. The bath complex had this entricate mosaic of Neptune. One of my favorite things about the site, though, was the marketplace. Since Ostia was on the Mediterranean Sea, it was a very important commercial hub. Mosaics were used to label the type of stores. My favorite, an elephant (Roll Tide!), marked some sort of Eastern shop. There was a museum in the middle of the site, but it really wasn't anything special. After a thorough exploration of the site, we headed back to Rome. Then, I decided to do some more independent exploration. First, I checked out Piazza Navona, a "square" which actually is oblong in shape in order to maintain the original dimensions of the Circus of Domition, which used to be in that exact location. In the middle of Piazza Navona lies the Four Rivers Fountain with a huge obelisk stemming from that. It truly is a beautiful sculptual work of Bernini. Then, I proceeded east and ran into the Column of Marcus Aurelius, which was inspired by that of Trajan and also having reliefs of his wars. Finally, I made it to the Trevi Fountain, one of the most beautiful combinations of architecture and outdoor sculpture and relief that I have ever seen. Then, I called it a day and went back to the apartment, where I just hung out for the rest of the evening.

Imperial Fora/Colosseum

Today, we went to see the Imperial Fora, which are a group of four different forums (Forum of Caesar, Augustus, Peace and Trajan) to the north of the Roman Forum that were added on during the Empire. First, we saw that of Peace, which was constructed by Nerva and connected the main Forum to that of Augustus. In the Forum of Augustus, we saw the remains of the Temple of Mars Ultor (Avenger), which Augustus erected after he regained the Roman Standard lost by Crassus back from the Parthians and enacted revenge on the conspirators of Julius Caesar. Trajan's Forum was the most impressive, in my opinion. He not only had a huge market place and library, but a massive Column which stood in the middle of it. The Column shows a pictorial account on a spiraling relief of his campaigns against the Dacians in the early 2nd century AD. On top of it is a statue of St. Peter (it was swapped out later by Pope Sixtus V for the original statue of Trajan). This definitely is one of the most impressive things I've seen thus far. Then, we went into the Imperial Fora Museum, which had some nice things but was relatively small and thus skippable. Finally, as we headed towards the Colosseum, we saw the Temple of Venus, standing in the Forum of Caesar. We then proceeded into the Colosseum, one of the most impressive sights in the world! It was simply breathtaking to view it from the inside. I only could imagine what it would have felt like to witness a Roman gladiatorial contest with all the gore and excitement encompassing everyone. Sitting between the Roman Forum and the Colosseum is the monumental Arch of Constantine. After our on-site class was finished, I walked back up towards the Forum of Caesar and entered the Mamertine Prison, which was Rome's maximum security prison that held prisoners, such as Jugurtha, Vercingetorix, Peter and Paul. The tour of the prison was very cool, because they incorporated sound effects and dimmed lights to give it that eerie, demoralizing feeling the prisoners would have had (except for the Christians, of course). Afterwards, I proceeded to the University. Tonight during evening lecture was our first reading quiz and I had yet to start any of the readings (as usual due to my exploratory nature), so I spent the majority of the afternoon catching up on reading and eating Gelato, my new vice.

Palatine Hill/Roman Forum

Today was my first day of class. We had a brief overview of the monumental Roman art and architecture we would be studying in these next two weeks. After class we had to take the bus south, almost outside of Rome, to register with the police department. The Rome bus system was quite confusing and overcrowded. I definitely prefer the Metro! Then, I grabbed lunch back near the University. I had a Padina, which is an Italian quesadilla thing stuffed with whatever you choose. In the afternoon we visited the Palatine Hill and the Roman Forum. On the way there we saw the Coliseum! That will have to wait until tomorrow unfortunately. The Palatine Hill was the residence of many cult temples and rich aristocrats. All of the remains left are in brick, which is one reason why I prefer Greek architecture. Marble is much more aesthetically pleasing than brick! The original Roman structures would have been cased in marble though, so they would have been just as grand looking as their Greek counterparts. Anyway, after scrambling through the Palatine Hill (we unfortunately didn't even stop for the Museum), we then proceeded to the Roman Forum, which is adjacent to its left. The Forum had many more marble objects, such as the Arch of Titus, marking its beginning, and the Temple of Vesta. As we exited the Forum, we passed through the massive arch of Septimius Servus. Afterwards, I split off from the group and did some more exploring of the city. After several hours, I called it a night and ate my first real Italian brick oven pizza. It was delicious!

First Weekend in Rome

Yesterday, we went to visit Vatican City! It was absolutely amazing! First, we went through a guided tour of the Vatican Museums. Unfortunately, we either skipped the Etruscan and statue sections, or it was closed down at that moment. Alas, I will have to make it back! Anyway, the paintings that covered the wall and ceilings completely overwhelmed me. I couldn't articulate all the wonderful art that I was seeing at a fast enough pace. The works of Raphael were by far my favorite. When we entered into the room with the wall-painting of the School of Athens, I was completely taken aback. I had no clue it was a wall-painting! It was absolutely beautiful. Then, we proceeded into the Sistine Chapel. Unfortunately, pictures weren't allowed, but I snuck one of the Last Judgement painting that adorned the right wall anyway. After we sat there and gazed upon the wonderful art of Michaelangelo, we proceeded into St. Peter's Basilica. It was beautifully decorated, and there was an exquisite nave, which sits over the entrance to the tomb of St. Peter.  The dome above the nave was massive, as it can be seen from the outside a far away distance in Rome.  Then, we went out into St. Peter's square to check out the massive Egyptian obelisk in the center. Afterwards, the group grabbed lunch. I had some amazing seafood pasta, but it came at a hefty price. I shouldn't have eaten near the Vatican! Then, I separated from the group and did some individual sight-seeing. First, I checked out the Mausoleum of Hadrian (now called Castel Sant 'Angelo). It housed the tomb of Hadrian but later was turned into a medieval fortress. Then, I visited the Ara Pacis Museum. It housed the tremendous Altar of Peace constructed during the reign of Augustus. The Altar of Peace is aligned with reliefs of Augustus' royal family performing their duties to the gods, which is why they were able to maintain the peace. Then, I went and saw another obelisk at Piazza del Popolo. Then, I checked out a street performance on the Spanish Steps. Finally, I got off at the metro closest to my apartment, which was across the street from the Pyramid of Cestius and some remains of the Aurelian Walls. Finally, I decided to call it a day and I went back to my apartment. Today, I woke up really early again for my second free day of exploration. First, I stopped by the St. Paul's Outside-the-Walls Church, which is right near the university. Since I had been completely oblivious to the fact that it was Sunday morning, I was not able to explore the church, because a service was about to start. I would have stayed, but I was dressed improperly for church, and I also don't speak Italian...yet. Alas, I will have to come back and check out the church which was built on the burial site of St. Paul! Anyway, I then proceeded to the National Museum of Rome, which houses many Roman copies of Greek statues, which is wonderful due to the fact that many of the originals are now lost to the world. Of the entire collection, my favorites are the Seated Boxer, the Discus Thrower and Sleeping Hermaphrodite. After spending numerous hours surveying this exquisite collection of sculpture, I met up with a few people to check out the Jewish Quarters. On our way there, we passed the Circus Maximus, the famous oblong area where chariot races took place, and the temples of Vesta and Portunus in the Forum Boarium (the ancient cattle market). We also crossed the Tiber River, passing the Tiber Island, where an ancient healing sanctuary of Asklepius used to be located until a modern-day hospital was built in its place. Finally, we arrived at the Jewish Quarters, where the Jews were forced to live per mandate by the pope after the Counter-Reformation. Beside the Jewish Quarters, we saw the remains of the Portico of Octavia and the Theatre of Marcellus, which has modern houses built on top of it. I'm not sure how I would like living on an ancient amphitheater, but it would be really cool nonetheless!  Then, we went into the Jewish Museum and visited the massive Synagogue. Rome has been a place with a strong jewish presence dating back to the 2nd century BC.  Then, we grabbed lunch at a local Jewish place, and I had some falafel, which is fried chick-peas. It was so good! Then, we went to check out the Capuchin Crypt, a series of 6 crypts underneath a church, which houses the bones of over 40,000 friars collected from the 16th to the 19th century. It was very eerie but cool at the same time. Alas, though, no pictures were allowed! So postcards will have to suffice. A little bit south of the Capuchin Crypt we saw the Triton Fountain in Piazza del Barberini. Then, I separated from the group and made my way to the Baths of Diocletian, which now houses a Renaissance church. The cool thing about this church, though, is that it was built within the same dimensions of the baths, so one could see the outline and shape of how the ancient baths appeared. Also, Michelangelo painted the inside, so it was very cool! Finally, I called it a day and went back to the apartment. I'm about to pass out from two days of non-stop exploration in the Eternal City!

Athens/Rome Transition

Yesterday, I turned my final exam in and went off to spend one last day in the city. The strike was lifted, so I went to check out the Kerameikos Museum. It contained a lot of very cool funerary reliefs and vases which were placed on top of the graves. Then, I went home to do laundry and pack. That evening, we had a group dinner at a very nice restaurant with Daphni. She ordered food after food, and we just stuffed our faces. Afterwards, we went out to end Athens the right way; at the Gazi clubs! Today, we piled up into the bus and left for the airport. Our flight to Rome was about 1.5 hours. After we arrived sometime late in the afternoon, the guys checked out our new home and got situated. We had to move a bunch of furniture around, and it turned out quite comical. Let's just say someone got a table stuck diagonal in the doorway in mid-air. Anyway, it was eventually time to go to Rome's orientation dinner. The restaurant we visited may have provided me with the best meal I had ever eaten. Between the pasta, the wine and the ice cream, I thought I was in heaven. Having left the restaurant very content, we hung out for a little bit until it was time to get some rest. We are going to Vatican City bright and early tomorrow morning!

Kerameikos

Today started off quite interestingly and only increased as the day progressed. We intended to visit Kerameikos, but there was a nation-wide strike protesting the government, so the site was closed. John, however, worked his magic, and we were able to visit exclusively the site of Kerameikos, which sat on the boundary of ancient Athens and housed a tremendous cemetery. In fact, this is the location where Perikles gave his famous funeral oration during the Peloponnesian War. The cemetery, as expected, was lined with many tombs, but they had some very impressive funerary reliefs, kind of like a gravestone but instead an image on stone displayed propaganda of their best deed. We strolled through the site, looking at the many tombs and the houses which were built on the one end. Then, we saw the road which led to Plato's famous philosophical school, the Academy. Afterwards, we tried to see the museum, but that was completely off limits due to the strike. Bummer! John said it was pretty impressive, so I'm going to try and make it back before we leave Athens on Friday. The group then separated and a few of us decided to go shopping in Pagrati. I found out later that the protests turned violent as the demonstrators blocked the government officials from leaving the Parliament building and teargas was even fired, with a few of my fellow students breathing in the residue. Thankfully, they are all okay. This has been a very important day for Greek politics. Apparently, their prime minister is either stepping down or re-opening his post for re-election, which means either way that he probably won't have his job when it's all said and done. Anyway, we then went to our last lecture in Athens. John prepped us for the final exam, and as we were about to leave and everyone was feeling overwhelmed, he passed out a take-home exam. John is one sly professor! I had no clue at all. So I spent the evening completing my exam, anticipating my trip to Rome!

Roman Monuments/Sounio

Today, we visited the Roman monuments throughout Athens, which were either built or finished under the rule of Hadrian, a Roman who loved the Greeks. First, we saw the Library of Hadrian, which was an important center of learning in Roman Athens. Then, we went through the Roman Agora which was close to the Athenian Agora. Inside, we saw the Tower of the Winds, which was a large building that used the sun's reflection to tell time. The monumental arch at the entrance was very impressive and actually began with Augustus. Then, we went to the boundary of ancient Athens. Old Athens was separated from Roman Athens with the Arch of Hadrian. Behind the arch was the Temple of Olympian Zeus, which began during the 6th century BC and was finished by Hadrian. A series of earthquakes caused significant damaged to it, but the one side still has enough columns to give you an idea of how impressive it would have been. We then grabbed lunch and hopped on a bus to visit the site of Thorikos, the location of the silver mines which Athens exploited financially to build up their fleet during the Persian Wars. It also has a rectangular theater, which was very rare in ancient Greece. Then, we continued to the southernmost tip of Attica to Cape Sounio, the site of the Temple of Poseidon. Afterwards, we relaxed on the beach, soaking in the sun. I had one of the most amazing fish I had ever eaten that night. Since we soon will be leaving Athens, I decided I'm going to go out and enjoy Athenian nightlife again at the Gazi clubs tonight.

Corinth

Today, I arrived back in Athens around 6 AM. I hurried back to my apartment to shower and get ready for class. I was extremely tired due to staying up on the ferry to watch another LeBron James loss! In honor of Nowitzki winning a championship, I had to wear his jersey today. We visited the ancient site of Corinth. It was about an hour and a half bus ride from Athens. Before we arrived, we stopped at the Isthmus, which separates Attica from the Peloponnesus. It was first started during the 6th century BCE and not completed until the 19th century CE! The site of Corinth was pretty cool. Mostly all the remains there were from the Roman period, because the Romans had burnt Greek Corinth to the ground in 146 BCE for resisting Roman control in Greece. The massive Temple of Apollo still stood tall with about 7 columns remaining. Since Corinth was a big commercial center, we saw a lot of shops as well. I gave my on-site report on the Peirene Fountain. It went okay. I typed up my report on my Ipad, because I had forgotten paper on the ferry and the sun was blaring at the screen, making it hard to read. So I basically had to wing it. Then we checked out the museum, which had a few interesting things, such as the Phrygian caryatids and the busts of Roman emperors. Later this evening, we took a walking tour around a local district of Athens, learning about Greek nationalism and modern-Greek history. It was interesting, but to be quite honest, I find all modern history rather boring, so it definitely didn't excite me.

Crete

Yesterday, my ferry arrived around 6 AM at Heraklio. I immediately headed to the bus station; I have no patience and wanted to see Knossos right away. After about a 20 minute ride, I found myself standing in front of the palace complex of Knossos, where legend says that the Minotaur ate young Athenians each year, if you believe the myth. Since I arrived there when it was opening, I would have probably had to wait 30 minutes or so for enough people to accumulate for a guided tour in English. Thus, due to my impatience, I bought a book and went off on my own, already having a high level of knowledge about what I would encounter. All the stories I've heard about the place are true; walking around the complex seemed as of I were in a labyrinth. After about an half and a half of exploring, I called it quits and took the bus back to Heraklio to visit the Heraklio Archaeological Museum, which houses ancient artifacts from all over Crete. The museum is currently being renovated, so they had to put all the main items in a temporary exhibit. Among my favorites are the Bull-leaping fresco from Knossos, the Phaistos Disc (inscriptions of Cretan hieroglyphics) and the statue of Persephone, Hades and Cerberus from Gortyn. Afterwards, I took another bus but this time I headed south about 1.5 hours to Phaistos, another impressive Minoan archaeological site. Since I knew very little about this site beforehand, I opted for the guided tour, which was amazing. It was led by a Greek man who had a British accent, which was quite awesome to hear! By the end of the tour, it was 3 PM, the time when Cretan archaeological sites close. Thus, I couldn't make it to my third and final stop, Gortyn. So I took the bus southbound and stayed at Matala beach for the night. Coincidentally, there was some sort of hippie festival going on and the beach was crazy. To end the evening on the beach, I drank some Raki, a very sweet Cretan liquor, as well as Cretan wine. Both were exquisite. Today, I woke up early to catch a bus back to Heraklio. On the way, I hopped off at Gortyn to see the ancient Greco-Roman city which held prominence over the island during the Hellenistic and Roman periods. Gortyn is known for it's legal code, which is the first of it's kind found in the Western world. The Code of Hammurabi, which dates much, much earlier, obviously is Eastern. I had heard about this inscription, but it blew me away when I saw it. I had no idea it was simply written on a large wall behind the theatre! Afterwards, I took the bus back to Heraklio, where I spent the afternoon exploring the Venetian Castle and hanging out at the harbor. Then, since Crete is known for their fabulous seafood, I ate some swordfish (Ξιφιας in Greek) for dinner. It was tremendous. Anyway, my ferry soon will be leaving for Athens. Since we go to Corinth in the morning, which is where I selected to give my on-site report, I will be spending some time finalizing that tonight on the way back.

South Slope of the Acropolis

Today, we visited the south slope of the Acropolis. On the way there, however, we checked out the Lysikrates Monument in Plaka. It was a commemoration monument for Lysikrates' performance in a music competition in 334 BC. It's notable, though, because it's the first Greek monument to use external Corinthian columns, which ironically was the favorite of the Romans. When we arrived at the south slope, we went to the Theatre of Dionysus, the first theater in the western world. Here, ancient Athenians would have been captivated by the masterpieces written by Aeschylus, Sophocles and Euripides. Then, we proceeded up the slope to see the Thrasybullus Monument, which was built in front of an entrance to a cave. Currently, restoration is being made, and thanks to our professor, we had exclusive access inside the cave. Then, we went to the Asklepeion, a healing sanctuary established after the plague ravished Athens during the Peloponnesian War. We also had special access to the cave behind this one, which was later turned into a Christian shrine during the Byzantine Empire. It was lined with icons of Jesus. Finally, we saw the Odeion of Herodes Atticus, which we already had been inside to see an opera. Afterwards, we grabbed lunch and I had Pastitsio, a casserole having egg, minced meat, noodles and cheese. It was very good. Then, I retired to my apartment to finish reading for our evening lecture. Afterwards, since we have the weekend off, I hopped on a ferry at 10 pm heading southbound to Heraklio, Crete to check out the Minoan sites and the excellent Cretan beaches. My ETA is 6 AM on Saturday. Unfortunately, nobody wanted to make the 8 hour trek with me, so I'm traveling all alone. However, I actually enjoy my independence, so I'm not worried. Here's to a great weekend! 

Delphi

Yesterday, we left for our 2-day excursion to Delphi, which is about a 4 hour trek northwest of Athens. After we arrived, we checked into our hotel and then grabbed some lunch. I was still feeling ill, so I only consumed some fruit. Afterwards, we proceeded to the Sanctuary of Athena Pronaia, the southern and secondary sanctuary of the site. There, we viewed the foundations of the three temples to Athena with the second one still having impressive columns remaining. Most of this sanctuary had been hit at some point in history with large rocks which fell from Mt. Parnassus. Afterwards, we walked back uphill and passed the Roman gymnasium. I had barely eaten anything all day, so I consumed much carbs for dinner in preparation for a hike up Mt. Parnassus. That was such a horrible decision, and I struggled hiking up the mountain. The view was absolutely tremendous though, so the pain was definitely worth it. After we got back to the hotel, I passed out from exhaustion. Today, we visited the Sanctuary of Apollo. As we climbed up the site, we noticed the treasuries dedicated at Delphi. The Athenian treasury has been reconstructed and is very impressive. The Temple of Apollo, where the Pythia would have given her oracles, still had about four or five of its columns remaining. We climbed even higher and passed the theater and finally reached the stadium, where the Pythian Games were held. Afterwards, we went to the site's museum. Our instructor, Dr. Leonard, got into a hilarious altercation with another tour guide who was very territorial of the site. Anyway, the museum had some very impressive finds; the Naxian Sphinx, the statues of Cleobis and Biton, and the Bronze Charioteer. Then we grabbed lunch and headed back to Athens. The rest of the evening was spent preparing my on-site report for Corinth, which is this Monday. I will not be able to do it this weekend, since I'm planning on independently traveling to Crete.

Acropolis Museum

Today, we visited the New Acropolis Museum. It's a fascinating view, but it's only downfall is the fact that pictures are not allowed. That's extremely disappointing, because the 1st and 2nd floors house many of the Archaic and Classical sculptures from the various temples on the Acropolis. The original Caryatids, the maidens used as columns for the Erechtheion, are placed on the 2nd floor. The top floor displays all the friezes and metopes in the manner they would have been oriented on the Parthenon. In place of some of the originals, which are housed in either the British or Louve museums, there are casts. The Greek government is trying to recover these, but the British and French are being stubborn. Afterwards, I came back and rested. I'm still feeling under the weather. Hopefully, it's just a 24-hour thing.

Acropolis

Today, we visited the Acropolis. Since the metro station was on strike until 4 PM due to the political demonstrations that have been going on (the Greek government is simultaneously lowering wages and increasing taxes...brilliant), we had to walk to the Acropolis. As we ascended the steps to the Propylaia (the entrance gate), I couldn't help but be amazed at the spectacle that laid before my eyes. Even though I had seen the Acropolis last summer, I was still dumbfounded with awe and amazement at the awesomeness of what stood before me. My awe was quickly curtailed, however, by a crazy British jogger, who thought it was a genius idea to train on the Acropolis. An altercation arose between him and a Greek security officer. I won't get into too much detail about how funny this was but I will say that when the security officer told him to "shush himself", I about lost it. Anyway, the group, witnessing this moment of epic hilariousness, was completely taken aback. After a few moments, we recollected ourselves anad proceeded to the Parthenon, where we had a chance to do something that is usually reserved for only graduate archaeology students and members of the Hellenic Ministry of Culture; a private tour of the inside of the Parthenon! We were given a guest lecture by an archaeologist/architect about the restoration efforts. Then, we walked around the inside and even climbed the medieval bell tower to have a bird's eye view on the inside from above. Then, we saw the Erechtheion, the religious center which held shrines to many gods, goddesses and mythological Athenian kings. Many people mistake the Parthenon to be the main building because of its size, but in actuality the Erechtheion was held in higher regard in antiquity, because of its religious significance. As we descended down the acropolis, we noticed the Areopagus Hill where crimes were tried and punishments enacted. Afterwards, we walked up the Nymphs Hill to see the burial monument of Philopappos, a man who was both a Roman consul and Greek archon in the 2nd century AD. Finally, we walked up the Pynx Hill to see the location of where Athenian democracy took place. Politicians would speak there and citizens would vote on bills that were finalized in the Agora. The day was just so long and so hot, but it was entirely worth it. Then, I came back and rested until we had lecture at 7 PM. The topic was Archaic and Classical Athens. Unfortunately, afterwards I came down with an illness and was bed-ridden for the rest of the evening, probably due to the amount of sun exposure and incredible amount of food I had devoured today.

Weekend Shenanigans

This weekend was free for some independent exploration and trouble. Yesterday, I woke up early and hit up some museums which aren't covered with the program, such as the Byzantine, Cycladic Art and Numismatic. The Byzantine museum was pretty cool but slightly disappointing, because the entire section of the Icons was blocked off. The lady told me it should be open sometime next week, so I'll have to check it out again. The Museum of Cycladic Art was really interesting. I've never seen so many Cycladic figurines in one area. The Numismatic Museum was okay. I'm not a diehard coin fan, although some of them were really awesome. The fact, however, that the museum was inside the mansion of Heinrich Schliemann, the discover of Troy and Mycenae, was what intrigued me to check it out. Afterwards, I roamed through Plaka, shopping for souvenirs. Then, I met up with some of the people from the AL in Greece trip, who were in Athens for the weekend. We went to find Stavros, "the poet sandal-maker". He prepares custom-fit brown leather sandals and has prepared them for many celebrities, most notably John Lennon. The pair I got is of the "Julius Caesar" style. Afterwards, we all went out to dinner, and I finally was able to get the Moussaka that I had been craving. Moussaka is like a lasagna, but with eggplant and minced meat. I'm not a big eggplant fan, but it works very well in this dish. Then a few of us decided to enjoy some Athenian nightlife at the Gazi clubs. Hands down one of the craziest evenings of my life. It was so nice to see my fellow Classicists from Alabama again. I'll miss them next year when I head off to UCLA. Then today, a group of us went to Monastiraki, because it hosts a big flea market on Sundays. I was slightly disappointed to be quite honest. I saw nothing I deemed of value, although I'm sure others didn't feel the same way. Anyways, it was good to walk around and sweat out all the toxins from the night before. This afternoon has been pretty chill. I have a lot of reading due tomorrow, and I haven't done any of it since the last quiz, which means I will be reading all night! Things could be worse. Thankfully, I really enjoy the stuff that I am/will be learning this summer!

Eleusis

Today, we had a half-day excursion to the site of Eleusis, about a 45 minute drive west of Athens. It held the Sanctuary of Demeter, the goddess of the Harvest. The site was unique in that it is one of the few that allows you to walk through and physically touch everything. We saw the foundation of the Telesterion, the building where the rites were performed of the cult of Demeter, known as the Eleusian Mysteries because of how much secrecy this cult maintained. Then we checked out the site's museum, which had a few cool things, such as the massive head of the Caryatid that held up the Lesser Propylaia, constructed during the Classical Period. Then we came back to Athens and I got lunch at a cafe in Syntagma Square. I was finally able to find a location which served salads with lettuce. Greek salads are not for me. I can't stand cucumbers or tomatoes! Afterwards, we just hung out for a bit until it was time to go and watch an Italian opera in the Odeion of Herodes Atticus, an ancient Roman theater from the 2nd century AD that still is in use! I enjoyed sitting inside an ancient theater, but the opera itself was a let down. I would rather have watched an ancient Greek drama or comedy but, alas, those won't be showing until after I leave Athens.

National Archaeological Museum of Athens

Today, we visited the National Archaeological Museum, which houses some of the greatest ancient Greek artifacts in the world, minus those which the British, French and German had looted off with. Unfortunately, due to Greece's economic instability, which I have been told is worse than that of the United States, several exhibits of the museum were not accessible because the Museum needed to cut back on guards, who watched over these priceless artifacts. Fortunately, I was able to briefly see these exhibits (Neolithic, Egyptian, Bronze and Pottery) last summer or I would have been extremely disappointed, although I am still slightly. Anyway, the Cycladic, Thira, Mycenaean, and Sculpture were nonetheless extraordinary. As you walk through the museum, you can trace the development of art in front of your own eyes, beginning with the Cycladic Period (ca. 2800 BC) to the end of the Roman Period in Greece (ca. 300 AD). After I went through the museum's main exhibits, I wandered upon a special exhibition in back entitled "Myth and Coinage". It was a special exhibition partnered with the Numismatic Museum to represent mythology and all its stories through vases and sculpture but mostly coins. This was by far my favorite, probably because it wasn't available last summer. After the museum, I made my way back to Pangrati to read about 50 pages for my first quiz. Then, we had a lecture at 6 pm, focusing on Bronze Age civilizations; Minoan, Cycladic and Mycenaean. Afterwards, the group just hung out on my balcony and succumbed to the joys of Athens, most notably its beverages.

Athenian Agora

Today was our first official day of class with a brief overview of Greek archaeology and geography. Afterwards, we made our way across Athens through Monastiriki (the market area) and Plaka (the old town with a lot of tourist shops) and finally to the Athenian Agora, which sits at the foothill of the Acropolis. As we strolled through the Agora, we noticed the bases of structures that were crucial to the average Classical Athenian, such as the Bouleterion (meeting place of the Boule, Athens political body) and the altar which held the statues of the Eponymous Heroes. On the far east sat the Hephaistion, or Temple of Hephaestus. It is one of the best preserved temples left. On the far west sat the Stoa of Attaloos, a rectangular structure which served as a sort of courtyard area for the Athenians. It has been reconstructed since the 50's and now houses the Agora Museum, which we checked out. Although it had a few cool objects, such as the broken pottery chards used to osctracize Themistokles, it was just like most other small-time museums in Greece, having most of its important artifacts shipped off to the National Archaeological Museum. As we exited the Museum, we walked down the Panathenaic Way, which is the main road that leads up to the Acropolis. Our group then headed back to Monastiriki to grab lunch. On the recommendation of Dr. Leonard, I tried the Kebabs and they were delicious. Then our group walked through the meat market. Although dead animals do not bother me in the least, It was shocking to see so many carcasses (with heads mind you) just hanging freely. Different strokes for different folks, I suppose. Anyway, I wanted to buy a goat so bad, until I realized that I didn't know how to do anything with it. Alas, I left the meat market empty handed. On an exploratory route back to the apartment, I came across a large Byzantine church, called the Church of Panaghia Kapikarea. Then, we made our way to Syntagma Square again. but from a different angle and passing Hotel Electra, the hotel I stayed in for 3 nights last summer. I hopped on the Metro back to Pangrati. It was my first time on the Metro in Athens and it sure makes exploring the city in the heat so much better. I spent that evening catching up on reading but I did divulge in one of the best concoctions ever created; a crepe filled with strawberries, bananas, nutella, peanuts and coconut. Delicious!!!

Orientation/Mount Lycabettus

Today, we had our orientation bright and early at 8:30 AM. Afterwards, we walked from the Arcadia center towards Mount Lycabettus. On the way, we saw what little remains were left of Aristotle's school where he taught his philosophy and a facade of the emperor Hadrian's reservoir. After ascending up Mount Lycabettus, we enjoyed a beautiful panoramic view of Athens. Class was dismissed so we all grabbed some lunch. I ordered the "veal with beer", which was exquisite. Afterwards, I proceeded to Syntagma Square, which is the location of the Greek government building, to watch the Changing of the Guard. Two soldiers stand completely still for a half-hour guarding the Tomb of an Unknown Soldier, which is a symbol for all those who died in Greece's fight for independence against the Turks. Every half-hour they are relieved from their post and perform a ritual movement to pass the duty to a fellow soldier. This is considered to be a very honorable duty for the Greeks. Anyways, after watching this ritual unfold, I was attacked by a swarm of pigeons, which gather around the square in large numbers, because some guy thought it was funny to throw bird seed on me. Then, I walked through the National Gardens, which houses beautiful trees and animals. We stumbled upon some ancient Roman baths and colonnades in the National Gardens as well. Finally, as I was making my way back to my apartment, I realized that the stadium was, in fact, open to the public. Thus, I entered and walked through the Panathinaiko Stadium, which was originally used during Roman times and then reconstructed to house the first modern Olympic Games in 1896. Getting back to the apartment was a breeze. I was surprised at how quickly I was able to get my bearings straightened out.

The Whirlwind that was Day 1

Yesterday was absolute madness. The plane ride was extremely uncomfortable but I expected that, especially when one considers the cheap price I paid for the ticket. I couldn't maintain a successful sleep on the 10 hour flight but I did continuously doze off enough that my contacts gave me a killer migraine. Anyway, we landed in Athens at about 10 AM (3 AM EST). To say I was feeling jet lagged would be an understatement. Thus, I went to a Cafe and succumbed to one of my addictions; Iced Coffee. Now the Greek's version, called φραπέ (or Frape using the English letters), is much stronger than its American counterpart, so I almost instantly was wired and ready to tackle Athens. After meeting with the others in the program, we took a bus back to our own apartments. I'm living with three other guys in a suite-like style apartment amongst locals that overlooks the street called Χρεμωνίδου, which is in the Pangrati District of Athens, south of the government building and the eastern part of the city. At this point, we dropped off our stuff and went out exploring. Quickly, we found ourselves lost in the winding streets of Pangrati. So we decided to christen our new experience together the Greek way; with a large glass of Ouzo, which is a licorice-flavored liquor that is a common element amongst Greek meals. Later that evening, we had an orientation dinner at the Arcadia center, the place where my classes will be held. Here, the entire group met for the first time and exchanged pleasantries over one of my favorite Greek entrees; the Pita Gyro, a flatbread Pita stuffed with either pork, lamb or chicken with tzatziki sauce, tomatoes and french fries. After dinner, I was tired but not yet ready to call it a night, so I decided to head east and view the 2004 Olympic stadium. The stands were made out of stone, harping back on Athens ancient roots. Much to my disappointment, there currently is construction going on, so alas, I was unable to walk inside the stadium. A picture from the outside will have to suffice. It was truly a beautiful stadium. Getting back to the apartment was quite an adventure. I'm not sure if three weeks is long enough to get me completely comfortable with my surroundings. Thus, I had to succumb to the number one tourist tip-off; a map. Hopefully, tomorrow will better my ability not to get lost! If not, well I will have to take solace with the fact that man's natural state is one of confusion, where their greatest achievements derive.

T-Minus Four Days Until I Travel Back to Antiquity

The purpose for this blog is so that I can keep a travel journey and doing so will keep my family and friends up to date with my travels. I plan to update it at least every other day or so while I have steady internet connection in Athens and Rome. With Syracuse, though, there are no guarantees! Also, if anyone would like for me to send them a postcard from any of the locations I will be visiting, send me your address in a Facebook message or in an email at rmstitt@crimson.ua.edu. My planned itinerary is as follows:

May 29: Departure Philadelphia airport at 4:20 PM for Athens, Greece.
May 30: Arrive in Athens at 9:10 AM (1:10 AM EST). I’ll proceed to my apartment which is located in the Pangrati district, on the eastside of Athens. Later that evening at 6 PM, there will be an orientation dinner at the Arcadia center.
May 31-June 17: 3 week program on the Archaeology of Ancient Athens
June 4-5: I am hoping to meet up with the AL in Greece folks, who will be in Athens during this weekend. Since the tornado abruptly ended my last semester at Alabama, it will be nice to see everyone one last time and say goodbye. Also, I plan on hitting up a few of the Athenian museums which are not part of the itinerary, such as the Byzantine, Cycladic Art or Numismatic museums.
June 11-12: My second free weekend in Athens will not be spent in Athens. I plan on taking a ferry from Piraeus to Heraklio, Crete (about 8 hours) to see the ruins of the ancient Minoan palace at Knossos and explore the archaeological museum as well. Afterwards, I will catch a ferry from Crete to Santorini for a day and then catch a ferry back to Piraeus. I had so much fun on the island of Santorini last summer that I must go back, albeit for a day!
June 17-29: 2 week program on the Archaeology of Ancient Rome
June 18-19: Although this is a Classical program, there is no way I could go to Rome and not see Vatican City, arguably housing some of the most iconic buildings and artwork of western civilization. Thus, I have scheduled myself to be part of a group tour of the churches and museum at 9:30 AM, which eliminates the two-hour long lines!! The rest of the free weekend will be spent taking in the glory that was Renaissance Rome and viewing some of the Roman museums not on the itinerary, such as the National Museum of Rome and National Etruscan Museum.
June 25-26: My second free weekend in Rome will be spent throughout Campania. First, I’ll arrive at Naples via train to visit the archaeological museum which houses the remains of Pompeii and Herculaneum…and also to enjoy the birthplace of Pizza! Then, I will visit to the ancient cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum, which and eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in 79 AD has preserved, giving us a glimpse into Roman city structures. Also, I will climb up Mt. Vesuvius (an active volcano) and peer over the Bay of Naples. Then, I will visit the ancient site of Paestum, which has some of the oldest and well-preserved Greek temples. Finally, I will catch a train back to Rome.
June 30 – July 23: 3 week program on the archaeology of Ancient Sicily
July 23-26: My independent travel continues, as I head back to Campania to spend a few days on the beautiful island of Capri and explore Naples a bit further.
July 27: I leave Naples at 6:40 AM to Munich, Germany, where I will have a 4 hour layover and then arrive in Philadelphia at approximately 3:30 PM EST