Getting Ready for March 2009

As we get started on the 08/09 school year, we have also started final planning for the March 09 trip to Italy. Please look back through the posts from our 07 trip to Rome and Athens while we prepare information for the upcoming trip.

Delphi

The trip to Delphi today was spectacular. We finally had a chance to see the Greek countryside and it was beautiful. After we got out of Athens, we were quickly surrounded by fields ringed with mountains. As we got close to Delphi, we stopped for lunch and then took the winding mountain road through a little village to Delphi.

The site itself was remarkable. The museum had some famous statues and it was great to get up close with things we only see in Art History books, especially the Charioteer, a fifth century bronze is wonderful condition - the bronze eyelashes are still there. We next started the hike up to the sacred area and saw the Temple of Apollo, the Theater and the Stadium. The kids ran a quick race; I sat and watched.

We'll be on the flight from Milan to Boston by the time most of you wake up tomorrow. You can follow our progress again using the Alitalia website.

I look forward to seeing you at Logan tomorrow.

One Day to Go

Today we spent on board the good ship Georgios, sailing the Saronic Gulf with stops at the islands of Poros, Hydra, and Aegina. While the stops ashore were nice, with time to stroll and shop in some very charming seaside towns, some among the group found the time aboard the ship long and uncomfortable. However, A fine dinner in the Plaka, along with the accompaniment of traditional Greek Bouzouki music, restored our energy. We look forward to our visit tomorrow (our last day) to the awe-inspiring site of Delphi---home of the famed Oracle of Apollo.

Last Day in Athens

Today is our final day in Athens. Tomorrow we go on a cruise in the Saronic Gulf (Egina, Hydra and Poros). While everyone is excited, they have just realized that we'll need to be up and out by 7AM, so we'll have breakfast checkin at 6:30. There is a bus ride to the Piraeus, so people can sleep a bit, but then we'll be on the cruise until 7PM.

Today we visited the Agora where Dr. Hartnett read from Plato's Apology and Mr. O'Donnell talked about Athenian democracy and ostracism. Before we climbed the Areopagus, Rev. LaMacchia talked to the group about St. Paul's time in Athens. We also visited the Stadium and Ms. McCann talked about the ancient and modern Olympics. We had lunch and had some free time in Plaka after watching the changing of the guard at the Parliament Building.

This afternoon, we had a rest before the trip out to the new Olympic Stadium for a soccer game tonight. I don't know much about Greek soccer, but everyone is very excited. I'll let you know tomorrow afternoon how the trip went.

Sunday

We've gotten tickets for a soccer game tomorrow, so even though we're going to the Agora in the morning, the highlight of the day will be at night when we head out to Olympic Stadium for a Panathenikos game against a team from Crete. We'll go by train and plan to leave a bit early to avoid the crowds on the way home.

You may have read about some riots here in Athens. While they are close to us, we have avoided them. Most have been scheduled for later in the evening, after we're already at dinner or back in the hotel.

Here's a picture of the group addressed by Dr. Hartnett at the theater in Ostia, our last site in Italy. More pictures will go up as soon as we get back.

Acropolis

Today we visited the Acropolis and while it was remarkable to walk up to the Parthenon and look out over Athens, the weather has changed and it is quite a bit colder than it was in Rome. The students enjoyed an afternoon in the Plaka for lunch and shopping and right now, they are taking a break before dinner. We'll be eating at 8, which is late for us but early for the Athenians, who prefer to start at about 9.

Everyone is doing well, although there are some blisters and general tiredness. I hope that the cruise on Monday will revive everyone for the trip to Delphi Tuesday, our final day here.

Safe in Athens

We're all in Athens. The trip from Rome, while early (we left at 6AM), was easy. We have a nice hotel here and after a few minutes at the hotel to drop off our bags, we had lunch (most people had Greek salads) and set out. Dr. Hartnett took the group to the Pnyx for an orientation to the city and now we're going to the National Archaeological Museum. Dinner is at 8 for an authentic ancient Greek meal with no utensils, arranged by Mrs. Tamvakologos.

The students are excited about tomorrow's trip to the Acropolis, in part because we'll have a bus (no more walking).