The second day of our trip started with sleeping in as late as possible before our 8:15 am check out time. I can't speak for everyone else on this study abroad program, but my roommate and I are definitely not morning people.
After a quick breakfast at the hotel, we were back to the site of Delphi. This time, we were visiting the Sanctuary of Apollo, aka the main attraction at Delphi that once housed countless treasuries, statues, and temples dedicated to various city-states in Greece, as well as a theater. Most importantly, however, was the Sybil who lived and worked here. This young, virginal woman would proclaim divine oracles that people from all over Greece would travel to hear, especially before making big life decisions (cue Croesus and Alexander). We spent a total of 2 1/2 hours wandering around this amazing site (and constantly getting yelled at by a grouchy security guard to stop climbing on the ancient ruins), taking pictures of ourselves, and absorbing the inspiring atmosphere. The weather was perfectly warm and clear, which hadn't been the case for this particular class trip for several years. We really lucked out. After an hour-long tour through the museum at Delphi, we took a quick bus ride to Arachova, a nearby town, for lunch. Archova looks like it belongs in the mountains of Northern Europe. Snow covered peaks stood in the distance and cobblestone streets lined the town. Unfortunately it took awhile to find food, let alone eat the food, so we didn't get to explore the area much. 5 of us eventually found a little hole-in-the-wall crepe place, where a classmate and I split 1 savory crepe (mozzarella, sausage, and green pepper) and 1 sweet crepe (apple, chocolate, and whipped cream). It was delicious and really hit the spot after a long morning of standing in direct sunlight and touring crowded exhibits. On the way back to Athens, we stopped at a Byzantine-era monastery. The place was built in an absolutely breathtakingly beautiful spot. The view of mountains and olive tree-filled groves was fantastic. However, I thought the actual church and crypt underneath it were, honestly, a bit creepy. While I could admire the architecture, the super ornate, gold flecked ceilings, and the frescoes of various scenes from Christ's life on the walls/ceilings, finding a real skeleton lying clothed in a glass box did me in (I told you. Creepy). Back on the bus, I plugged my headphones in and listened to music as we passed by scenic view after scenic view. I noted that the natural landscape was being used for a variety of alternative energy forms, including windmills and solar panels. The flatlands were utilized for solar panels, while the mountains supported several windmills at a time. I eventually fell asleep and woke up about an hour before reaching Athens. Let me tell you, coming back to Athens and feeling like you're home is really cool. I've gotten so much more accustomed to this place since our first day here. Calling Athens "home" is still crazy amazing, and I probably won't get over it the entire time I'm here. - Hannah
1 Comment
Becky Bisbing
2/19/2017 04:32:37 pm
Love reading your blog. What a wonderful experience for you.
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Hannah BisbingStudent @ Penn State. Figure skater. Writer. Traveler. Coffee fanatic. Foodie. Semi-professional people watcher who recently returned home from backpacking around Europe. All photos taken by me, unless otherwise noted.
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