| 2001 Travel Journal |
| 06/06/01:Alright, folks, here we go again. I write today as it is today the end of all my schoolwork here at UW. I took my exam and wrote my paper, and graduation is a scant three days away! My packing list is set, but I need to do more shopping. :) I leave in a week!!! |
| 06/12/01: Hey wow, we leave tomorrow. Graduation was last Saturday--woohoo!! Thanks to all who were at the ceremony and reception, plus other assorted friends and relatives who couldn't make it. I am a college graduate--is that scary or what? So today I packed, and I'm pretty sure I have everything I need. Got to go shopping and stuff this weekend. I seem to be all set. The temperature in Athens was 92 degrees today. Looking forward to that, I am. |
| 06/15/01: Day Three, but really only the end of Day One, at 9.45pm. Wednesday afternoon Mom and I flew to Vancouver and got a connecting flight to London. Thursday afternoon we had a nine-hour layover, so we took the tube into London. We went to the Victoria and Albert Museum, and sort of to the Science Museum (does the gift shop count?). Also had some dinner in Leicester Square. It was so fabulous to jaunt into town and run around. Good fun. I love London! Thursday night we flew to Athens, arriving at about 4.15 AM, local time (ten hours ahead of PST) today, Friday. A driver met us at the airport and drove us to the Hotel Oscar Inn, in the Omonia district. Oh, and Mom's bags somehow got sent to Copenhagen, boo hoo. I could't sleep when we got here, and I wanted to get an early start exploring. So I organized my stuff and finally got a shower and all that. Mom was not happy because I was waking her up or something. Whatever! A little later in the morning (my god, I can't believe that was just today! crazy), she finally agreed to get up and go with me on my expedition. So we walked through town a little bit and wound around the long way to get to the Ancient Agora, then climbing up to the Acropolis and the lovely, wonderful Parthenon. I still can't believe I'm actually in Athens! I was at the Parthenon! I've been waiting so long for this. Anyway, it was lovely up there, despite the construction and the ever-growing crowds of tourist groups. The sun shone brightly, and there was a refreshing breeze. I was surprised; in pictures the Parthenon always looked white, but of course it's not, it's kind of a marbly beige-type color. The view of Athens from the Acropolis is amazing. It spreads out everywhere, into all the corners that you can see. Four million people live here. The traffic is indeed crazy and insane and everywhere. It's sorta fun walking around, navigating the cars and shops and people. We passed a market area this morning, fish on one side, nuts and more fish and meat on the other. We bought some fruit and bread for our meal; after three days of business-class airplane food (pretty darn impressive stuff!), we don't need much! So we had a busy, long day. And we were back in the hotel by noon! Strange. Anyway, then I proceeded to sleep until 8.00 tonight. Ha! I hope I can get some sleep tonight. Tomorrow morning we meet up with a tour group. I'm very apprehensive of being an actual tourist, but I suppose it is the best way to see a lot of things quickly, and to learn something about them. I have decided that I really need to live in Paris. Not only will that be fabulous in itself, but I can visit London as much as I want. I also now know that after Paris, I'm living in Greece. Except probably not, because I know absolutely nothing of the Greek language, and I hate that. Actually, when we took the metro (very nice and clean and new! like a cleaner version of the Paris metro) on the way back today, I helped a French couple figure out where to go. French keeps popping into my head, because I'm in a foreign country and apparently French is my default foreign language. I'm weird. So I'll just say again, I love this! Athens is really neat-o, and I'm so thrilled to be here! I'm looking forward to seeing other parts of Greece too. So write me, y'all! I want to hear from you people. I don't know how many internet cafe's I'll find in the next two weeks, so write soon! |
| 06/17/01: Hey, thanks for the emails, guys! Nice to hear from everyone. :) You can email Mom at k_macleodus@yahoo.com, for those of you interested. So it's Sunday now. Day five I think. Currently we are in the town of Olympia. This afternoon we visited the museum and the ruins of the ancient Olympic site. It was really interesting! I love all this ancient history, and the sculpture is amazing. Yesterday we went several places, and stayed the night in Nafplion, in a gorgeous hotel built into ruins on a cliff overlooking the sea. It was so fabulous and incredible. I really wanted to just move in and stay forever, looking at the town spread below us. Sigh. I still can't believe I'm in Greece. Greece! At last. I am loving it. I wish I had more time to visit more of the country. Alas, I'll be moving on soon. As much as I loathe "tourists" and being stuck in that category myself, it's certainly convenient. We've seen a lot of things in just two days. Mostly of parts of the Pelopponese. And the guide is great. Hidden bonus: this tour is in both English and French! Go figure. So not only do I get to learn stuff, I can listen to French. Of course, then I try to speak it and remember that I am in Greece. Today I learned to say "good morning" (kalli mera). I am able to sound out most of the words, which is fun. I wish I understood some of them! Maybe later. I can't wait to show you all pictures and things. Ask me about the art on postcard stands. Especially you, Kristin. I'll give it away by proclaiming it "interesting." Ha. Anyway, must run. The one street of Olympia is probably shutting down soon. Do write more, I enjoy hearing from everyone, even if I can't write back just yet. This country is amazing! And my trip has "only just begun." |
| 06/21/01: Phew. I have just arrived in Rome. Yay me! The train arrived at Termini (in Rome) about an hour ago. I have a hostel for four nights, all paid up, so that's a great thing to get done right away. After this, I am thinking about exploring a little. Maybe not too much, so as not to get lost too much immediately. :) So, what's happened between then and now? Let's see if I can remember... Saturday was the biggest day, actually, and I skipped that. We drove over the isthmus of Corinth and saw the canal, then drove down the Pelopponese and first visited the Ancient Mycenae site. The ruins were smaller than I thought they'd be, but fascinating nonetheless. That's where the famous Lion's Gate is, and the whole thing dates from before the '12th century BC. Can you believe that? I have a hard time getting that through my head--several thousand years ago! The so-called Mask of Agamemnon was found here by that phony Heinrich Schliemann, but it's too early to be really Agamemnon. His brother was Menelaus, away from whom the infamous Helen ran away with prince Paris. The two Mycenaens then began the Trojan War, after, of course, the wind didn't blow for two years and the daugher Iphigenia was sacrificed to the gods. (Actually, I have heard conflicthing accounts as to whether she was actually sacrificed or saved at the last moment by the warrior Achilles.) Plus, the view from the acropolis that the ruins are on is amazing-a large valley and mountains all around. Greece is second only to Norway in most mountainous European nation--25% of the country is covered with mountains. We drove up and around some of them on the two stroy tour bus, which was an adventure in itself! |