In case you've forgotten, I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to travel to GREECE with one of my dear friends from high school during my short summer vacation. Chia still lives in Los Angeles, so we arranged to meet in London and fly from there to Athens. I had a very long layover in London while waiting for her, so I had the chance to go into the city to explore for a few hours. I loved wandering the city streets on my own, taking in the sights - Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, Hyde Park, Buckingham Palace, the Tower Bridge, to name a few. Here are a couple photos from the day's excursion:
[The Tower Bridge]
[Big Ben and the London Eye]I love cities that have convenient public transportation! The Underground in London is very easy to navigate, and I loved having time alone to explore the city. And I couldn't have asked for more perfect weather! It really was a wonderful way to start out the trip. We had a slight glitch in our scheduling... Chia's flight was supposed to arrive at 3:30, but a 5-hour delay at LAX put her in to Heathrow dangerously close to our departure flight time -- 9:00! We were a bit stressed out, but THANKFULLY she made it - 5 minutes before the gate was meant to close. We didn't want to dwell on what might have happened had she missed that connection, but it could have caused quite a chain of events that we would not have wanted to deal with.
Our first day in Athens was quite the whirlwind - we woke up (after only a few hours rest) ready to see the archaeological sites that Athens is most famous for, namely the Acropolis. We were blessed with comfortable temperatures thanks, in part, to a fierce wind that followed us throughout our trip. I've heard of miserable days spent atop the Acropolis with temperatures reaching 115 degrees... not sure how long I would have lasted in that! As I stood in the shadows of the monumental 2000-year-old structures, I was speechless and in awe. I love studying ancient civilizations, and this era of Greek history was one of my favorites. I tried to imagine life as the ancient Greeks knew it, and pictured walking the grounds of the Acropolis in the year 200 BC. Incredible. I was a bit disappointed to see the construction in process right now - they are rebuilding the Parthenon, to what extent I'm not quite sure... but I believe it looks more impressive in ruins, after all, it is 2000 years old! Can't expect them to remain in top condition after hundreds of battles and weather taking its toll... so I was glad to see it in its, albeit broken, glory.
[The Parthenon]
[The Erectheum]
[The Propylaea]After the Acropolis, Chia and I took a stroll through a more modern area of Athens, and then we made our way to the port -- it was off to Mykonos! I will spare you the boring details (haha) but the next few days we focused on relaxation by treating ourselves to various fruity drinks as we lounged by the Aegean Sea. Not a bad way to escape reality, I must say... and Mykonos was such a picturesque place to spend our time. White-washed walls with blue windows and doors contrasted against the deep blue of the sea... it was just what I had envisioned when I imagined visiting the Greek Islands. I loved wandering the streets of the small towns, and especially enjoyed the sunsets over the water every evening.
After our few days in Mykonos, we made our way to Santorini - famed for its cliff-side towns and spectacular sunsets. We enjoyed a trip out to the volcano island off the coast and a ride down (and back up) the cliff on the back of the famous Santorini donkeys! It was quite the treat. We ventured out to the black sand beach (black from the volcanic rock) and then marveled at the sunset from the town of Oia at the northern end of the island. I'm not sure what it is about sunsets that just bring a sense of peace and joy to my heart, but it was there, basking in the amber light of the evening sun, that I felt a wave of comfort wash over me. Couldn't have asked for anything more in that moment. The world stood still... but unfortunately not for long, as I found myself back in Athens the next day. Thankfully we had one more evening to decompress, and we made our way up to the top of Lykavittos Hill, the highest point in Athens, to watch our last sunset over the Aegean Sea. After, we met up with a guy that we had met in Mykonos (he had been on holiday, and lives in Athens) for a delicious dinner at a small restaurant. I must say, I am quite a fan of Greek cuisine -- my favorites were grilled octopus, Greek salad, and eggplant salad. Delectable. He had us try a few of his favorite dishes as well, and we were thoroughly satisfied. Then we drove to the original Olympic stadium from the games in 1896, and I was glad that I had the opportunity to see that before I left. That is one thing, of many, that I am truly grateful Greece introduced to the world! And then our final evening in Athens came to an end, and before I knew it, I was sitting back in my little corner nook of my rowhouse in Fells Point. Wow. I look at pictures and remind myself that I actually went... feels too much like a dream! I am so grateful for the opportunity to travel -- helps me find my center amidst the craziness of my reality. The world offers such unique perspectives, and I gain greater understanding of my place in it each time I immerse myself in the diverse cultures of the destinations I am fortunate enough to visit. Wonder where my next journey will take me... Australia? Dubai? Sweden? It all depends on how school goes this year -- next summer I will (hopefully) be doing my transitional program abroad, and I anxiously await the final list of options! But that is not something that I need worry about just yet... I still have two full semesters of class to finish before that decision must be made! So, I will leave you with a few final pictures, and then I must crack open the new textbooks and settle down for some quality studying this evening! Pharmacology - bring it on.
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