What makes you visit the places you want to go? Is it the architecture, the culture, the food? For me, it is visiting the UNESCO world heritage sites. These places are unique and full of history. They carry thousands of years of our civilization in every stone.
With over 18 UNESCO world heritage sites, Greece encompasses the birth of modern civilization.
During my four week trip through Greece, the last island we hopped was Paros. I think the little island in the Cyclades is underrated as a spot to travel. The island, located nearby to popular Naxos, was my favourite island hands down. It has a laid-back lifestyle vibe on the island; it’s not a crazy tourist spot and its beautiful beaches make Paros the winner.
Day 3, our last day was enjoyable but sad. Elizabeth and I would be getting off the bus after lunch time to head back to Athens (I), while the rest of the tour was to keep going to Meteroa. Why we didn’t do the fourth day escapes me, and I really regret not going. We had to say goodbye to some really great friends.
In the morning we went five minutes outside of Delphi to the archeological site of Delphi (H). There are actually three parts to this site: The Sanctuary of Apollo, the Gymnasium, and Temenos of Athena. The Gymnasium site was closed because of damage caused by an earthquake last year. Our first stop was to the Temenos of Athena. This is where the iconic symbol of Delphi is.
The Iconic symbol of Delphi. Also known as a temple to Athena
The second stop was to the Sanctuary of Apollo. This is a cool site with an interesting history. According to tradition, Delphi was the geographical centre of the world, The Navel of the Earth. The story goes that Zeus wanted to know where the centre was, so he dispatched two eagles in opposite directions, and where they met was the centre. Here he laid a stone. The Stone was in the shape of an egg, and the top half actually still exists. (see picture below)
The Navel of the Earth
There are several building within the sanctuary, a temple, a couple of treasuries, a theatre and everything is uphill. It was definitely a sight to see. Lizzie was being smart and singing Hercules as she walked up the theatre part of the sanctuary, and she was whistled at. (BE QUIET!!!) What a goof!
Temple of Apollo
This sight was a major point in Greek history. People would travel here from all over to talk to the priestess, who voiced for the God, Apollo. The findings from this site were amazing. People would bring gifts and gold. They would ask a simple question, and they would not get a simple answer in return. An example our tour guide told us (Sorry I am butchering it) is when a King of some nation wanted to cross the river to invade another, he came to Delphi to ask Apollo whether he should do it or not. The answer given to him was this: If you cross the river, a nation will be destroyed. It turns out it was his nation that was destroyed.
Full view of the site. Foreground: Temple of Apollo, Middleground: The Gymnasium, and you can just make out the Temple of Athena. You can also see the aqueduct that is still in use
After lunch, Elizabeth and I had to leave our group, which was really sad. The tour was a great experience and we met some really amazing people.
I think if I were to come back to Greece, or if I was coming here without any knowledge, I would take tours. A day tour of Athens, a four day tour of classical Greece, and a 10 day tour of the islands. You meet great friends, learn some really cool things, and see a lot more than if you are by yourself.
Anyway, that’s it from our Classical tour. Bridget comes soon and then we are off to the islands!
Stay curious,
Olivia
On day two of our tour through Classical Greece, we drove through the country side straight through to the site of Olympia. On our way there, we learned of the great fire in Greece in 2007 and how it devastated this area. It consumed the Peloponnese, burning from June to September.
George, our tour guide, also told us the story of the oldest olive tree in Greece. The Tree was located in Athens, near the Acropolis, and dated back to 600 BC. THAT IS AN OLD TREE. Now, it wasn’t bearing fruit, but it was still a monument of the strength of an olive tree. This is how it died: last year, a man crashed his car into the tree, and it finally died. What a sad ending.
Speaking of olive trees, they are very versatile. They can grow anywhere, it needs little to no water, and can last for years. It is tradition to plant an olive tree on the day of a baby’s birth, then 5 or 6 years later, when the child starts school, the tree starts to bear fruit. When the child turns 18, the tree is ready to harvest. Olive trees stand for peace prosperity and glory. Its significance in Greece dates back 60,000 years. Amazing, I am proud to be named after an Olive tree.
Another thing we noticed, were hundreds – no, probably thousands – of shrines to the saints scattered through Greece. They are all along the sides of the roads. Some are built beautifully, others are plainer but they each are filled with offerings and prayers.
Greek tea, or mountain tea, thyme and oregano all grow in the mountains of Greece. And where there is Thyme, there are bees. Honey is a huge deal in Greece. It is used for sweetener because they don’t have sugar cane.
We finally arrived in Olympia (F), the place I have been itching to go to since we got here. It was more than I expected. It was big, and magical. I could picture what it was like a couple of millennia ago.
Olympia
Although the temples are almost completely destroyed both by human intervention and natural, you can still see how grand it used to be. The temple or Zeus was massive, and so intricate. It is really unfortunate that it no longer exists. Instead, I pictured Zeus from the Disney movie Hercules. Elizabeth and I started singing Where I Belong. (I will find my way/ I can go the distance/ I’ll be there someday/ If I can be strong/ I know ev’ry mile/ Will be worth my while/ I would go most anywhere/ to feel like I belong). That was the best thing ever.
The ruins of the Temple of Zeus
Temple of Zeus.
What the Statue of Zeus would have looked like. Absolutely beautiful
The Bases of Zanes
So Olympia, the source of the Olympic games both ancient and modern, was a major religious, cultural, and sporting centre. Men from all over Greece would come to the games. It was a men only affair, although they had the women’s games afterward. Hera’s alter is now where they light the Olympic flame. On the way to the Stadium, there is the Bases of Zanes. It is basically Cheater’s Row. There were 14 cheaters, each having to pay the fine to build it, and have to watch as they write their names and how they cheated.
Lion spouts of an ancient fountain
Looking back at the Starting gate
Artistic version of the Starting Gate
Noah crossing the finish line
Pedestal for the Priestess
Group of people we met being goofs
There is also a giant stadium that could seat 45,000 men. Again, no women allowed. However, there is one pedestal for the goddess Demeter. Here, a priestess, the only woman allowed, would stand to watch over the games.
We left Olympia and headed north along the coast to the Rio–Antirrio bridge (G), the world’s longest multi-span cable-stayed bridge. It gets pretty windy here, and it is prone to Earthquakes, but the bridge should be able to withstand it.
The Bridge
Then we headed to Delphi (H), a beautiful town in the mountains. This leg of the journey gave me a headache. The roads twisted and turned, went up and up and up, with a mountain to your left and a sheer drop to your right. I thought we would never make it. on our way there we passed the largest Olive Grove in Greece consisting of 4 million olive trees. It took 15 minutes to drive from one end to the other.
We finally reached Delphi and went for a walk with our new friends in the small town. This was Elizabeth’s favourite part.
Our view from the Hotel
Part III coming soon.
Stay curious,
Olivia
Well, it has been a while, and here’s why: Elizabeth and I took a last minute bus tour to Olympia and the sites in between. So instead of one long post, I’m going to break it up by the day.
We signed up through CHAT tours, which we didn’t expect a lot, but I was IMPRESSED. The bus was great, the tour was amazing, and the hotels were fantastic. Our tour guide, George, was a sweet man and we made many friends on the trip. The tour included everything from meals (save lunch), entrance fees, and hotel costs.
We set out from Hotel Amalia in Athens (A/I on the map attached) right near the National Gardens, from there we headed west to stop by the Corinth Canal (B). It is an amazing feat of construction. What is so genius about it is that the man-made canal connects two gulfs saving hours of travelling time. We stopped at a small cafe and made some jokes out of the souvenirs.
Corinth Canal
el dalizarardbreath. liz channeling her inner musician
Next we headed to Mycenae (C), a UNESCO site. It was one of the most important strongholds in Greece during its time. I didn’t climb to the top of this site because I forgot to put on sunscreen, and I didn’t want to ruin the trip by getting burnt. Instead I headed into the museum, and I read all the legends of the place, including how the walls were built by the Cyclops. Honestly, just standing there on the mountain, looking out to the olive trees was breathtaking. I never thought Greece was this mountainous, I thought there would be hills but I never expected the view. This site also included the beehive Tomb of Agamemnon.
Mycenean
Tomb of Agamemnon
Next stop was a detour to Epidavros (D), another UNESCO site. Epidavros is in a place believed to have healing springs, so the Epidavrians built the Sanctuary of Asklepios. It is the most brilliant centre of healing in the ancient world. Basically, it was built as a hospital and a place to worship the Gods. There was even a hostel and school. The ruins were fantastic but the jewel of the site was the Theatre. This Theatre is the most well preserved ancient theatre in all of Greece. Another tourist got up on the “stage” and sang a Greek lullaby. It was the most soothing thing I have ever heard.
The Theatre
Being Drama masks
We stayed the night just outside of Nauplia (E), but first we stopped there to stroll in the town. Cutest town ever. It is right by the sea, and it seems so quiet and lovely. All the flats had balconies and beautiful flowers growing and the sea was a bright blue. It was my favourite town on the trip, I would love to go back.
Nauplia and the Fortress
Nauplia is a port town
Doors of Nauplia
It was a great first day, and other than the fact that both Elizabeth and I slept through the drive to these places, the tour was very enjoyable.
Part II and III coming soon!
Stay curious,
Olivia
Day four and five of our trip have been so relaxing. We have been going pretty hard with excursions so we wanted to take it easy these two days. Yesterday, we read on our balcony for most of the day and headed to the beach for sunset and some shopping. Glyfada, the city we are staying in, has beautiful beaches and nice shopping.
So, we found a seaside cafe to watch the sunset, ordered some delicious cheap food and (of course) Frappe. It was a bit chilly (the wind really picked up), but the sunset over the water was gorgeous.
Glyfada is made for the shopping scene, and fashion-conscious Elizabeth found some redonkulous pants. Actually, I have noticed a really nice trend here: flowy, bright, patterned pants and a plain top. It quite beautiful, and I am on the lookout for pants of my own.
Today we decided to spend the day at the beach. Heleni (family) brought us to a beach a bit farther away from the city centre, but it was worth it. We spent nearly all day there swimming and relaxing.
Off to Athens now, staying at Elizabeth’s cousin’s place and heading out really early for a three day excursion to Olympia!
Stay curious,
Olivia
When you are still awake when the birds start chirping, you know you need to go to bed. But when you are still awake when Elizabeth’s Papou gets up, and you have enough energy to climb the Acropolis, you are jet lagged. Here is to Elizabeth and me who couldn’t fall asleep until 6 AM and hiked the next day.
Okay. So I climbed to the top of the Acropolis. You say, Olivia, big deal, tourist do it all the time. NO. It’s a feisty walk and when it’s hot as hell, it’s hard to do. Also, Marble is SLIPPERY. Elizabeth and I took it very slow, we paused to take a drink and take pictures. It was probably the best day. It is only a mild 30 degree day, the sun was behind clouds/haze, and the wind brought a nice refreshing breeze.
So more about the Acropolis. Honestly, when I first saw the Parthenon, I could imagine Ancient Greeks walking here to pray. Although it is under construction, it still held the character of a temple of great wonder. We really lucked out with the weather. I have included some pictures, and more are to come once I have more time.
We then wandered around the Monastiraki and bought some souvenirs for friends. Everyone is so laid back and walking around the cobbled streets in the day time was wonderful.
Food was another great thing about today. We are spending so little money, especially on food, and each meal is enough to get you through the day.
My new favourite drink: frappe and new favourite food: fried zucchini.
Stay curious,
Olivia
Reflection in Elizabeth’s Glasses
Wow. Day two is a win.
Stuck my feet in/ went swimming in the Mediterranean. It was cold but refreshing. It was hard to get into because of the rocks, but Elizabeth and I had an awesome time lounging on the hot lava-like beach. I learned that hiding your phone from the sun will not protect it from the heat and that phones can have heat strokes. The water was refreshing from the hot steamy day, and we actually managed to find ourselves in a Starbucks, which was a moment of comfort.
This afternoon we met up with Elizabeth’s cousin who said she wanted to take us to her favourite spot in Athens. First, we walked around the Monastiraki, which is a bunch of pedestrian streets with vendors selling all sorts of things and trinkets. Walking along those cobblestone streets was a tremendous experience! Once the sun set, it was like magic as the lights came out and everything came alive. We decided to grab a couple drinks and walk hike up the hill to sit under the Acropolis. I don’t know what I expected, but it definitely was not this. A 360 degree panorama of Athens, with the ruins scattered across the city all lit up and the majestic Acropolis standing guard over it all. No pictures will ever be able to capture the beauty that I saw tonight. (Although, I have tried to include one to show.)
One heartbreaker is that it looks like visiting Meteora and Olympia are not in the cards for us. We are desperately trying to find somewhere else to go to get the sightseeing in before we go island hopping.
Here is a taste of what I saw tonight, which does not do it justice.
Stay curious,
– Olivia
![This weekend I'm in Almonte, Ontario, a small town near Ottawa.
🌿
This place is very near and dear to my heart because I used to come up to my grandmother's house and swim and paddle in the Mississippi River.
⛲
That was at least 20 years ago. This weekend I'm exploring all the beautiful things to do in this lovely town. Keep watching my IG stories for more fun!
🌿
@lanarkcounty
[Sponsored]](http://scontent-iad3-1.cdninstagram.com/vp/ed69fc9bdcade80ae203ef29aa65bebb/5DAE35E7/t51.2885-15/sh0.08/e35/c0.135.1080.1080a/s640x640/60992693_2685727201502138_212194897936123872_n.jpg?_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.cdninstagram.com "This weekend I'm in Almonte, Ontario, a small town near Ottawa.
🌿
This place is very near and dear to my heart because I used to come up to my grandmother's house and swim and paddle in the Mississippi River.
⛲
That was at least 20 years ago. This weekend I'm exploring all the beautiful things to do in this lovely town. Keep watching my IG stories for more fun!
🌿
@lanarkcounty
[Sponsored]")
