Some of Emma's friends live in Athens, so we got the pleasure of having tour guides around the whole city. They did a great job of showing us the main attractions and taking us to some of the locals' favorite places as well. We got to Athens on Tuesday afternoon and went to a huge rock that overlooks Athens and the Acropolis. The view was absolutely amazing and gave me a slight idea of how big Athens is. After the view, we walked around the city center, saw the changing of the guards at the parliament building, and went to a famous local restaurant for supper. Then her friends drove us up to a very high spot in the city where we climbed a rock and could literally see the entire city of Athens lit up at night. It was beautiful and a great end to a very tiring but exciting day.
The view of Athens from the rock.
The Acropolis.
Right before the changing of the guards...we couldn't get him to smile for the picture. :)
On top of the city at night.
On Wednesday we went up the Acropolis and got to see the Parthenon and the other ruins. It was crazy to be among ruins that had been there for centuries. We also got to go through the museum which does a great job of explaining what the original structures looked like. After the Parthenon, we got to see the Marathon Stadium where the first modern olympics were held. It is now still the place where the marathon runners finish their race. It was a beautiful structure. At night we got to go down to the port and see the HUGE boats lining the water. It was a good preview of the ferry that we would take the next morning to get to Santorini.
The Parthenon.
The marathon stadium.
The ferry from Athens to Santorini was quite an experience. For the first couple hours I thought it was the best form of transportation possible. It had comfy seats with tons of leg room, restaurants, and lots of tables on the deck to see the different islands that we stopped at. But, then the wind picked up and the boat started to sway so much that I was practically bouncing off the walls as I tried to walk around. After about an hour of swaying, I decided that I still prefer the AVE to the ferry. :) Even with the seasickness, it was still a beautiful ride that let us see 4 different islands on the way to Santorini. We landed in Fira, the capital city of Santorini, and we spent the rest of the afternoon exploring the town. It is very small, with a beautiful view of the water, lots of white houses on the cliffs, and plenty of cute shops and Greek restaurants.
Our ferry. It was huge.
On the deck. It was fun to be able to go outside during the 8 hour trip.
The view of one of the islands from the ferry.
What all of the streets are like in Santorini...tiny, cobblestone, and steep.
Fira. Absolutely gorgeous.
Enjoying some traditional Greek food...no idea how to spell the name of it, but it was delicious. :)
After exploring Fira on Thursday, we decided to head to Oia on Saturday. Oia is another town on the island of Santorini and it is famous for its sunset. We spent the day exploring, walking down to the harbor, riding some donkeys, and watching the sunset over the water. The town was absolutely adorable, and every corner we went around we found a new and beautiful view of the Mediterranean Sea. Oia is definitely one of the most beautiful places I have ever been. The combination of the architecture with the landscape makes it one incredible city.
One half of the view from Oia. Amazing!
The other half of the view.
The view from the town looking down to the harbor. (notice the very small and windy steps..we walked down about 300 of them).
Then instead of walking up the steps...we decided to take a different means of transportation. :) It was quite the ride!
The very traditional white church with a blue roof that can be seen all over Santorini.
I couldn't go to a Greek island with tons of fishing without finding John a fishing boat. :)
The houses beginning to change colors as the sun set over the water. It was beautiful.
We had such an amazing trip, and we were sad to say good-bye so soon. Emma and I had so much fun together, and we were both so thankful we got to travel to Greece. It was another amazing adventure that I have been so blessed to have while studying abroad. It's hard to believe that the next time I get on a plane to fly to another country...I will be flying home!
Getting excited to see all of you again soon!
Love,
jana
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