Acropolis
I was looking through pictures today and I found a hidden nice one! I love that feeling!
Check that off the bucket list-
Swimming in the Olympic Pool
I had heard rumors that the 2004 Olympic Stadium in Athens was pretty unguarded, so this week my friend and I decided to venture out to it. The metro station and complex were ghostly quiet and as we walked in we waved to the only security guard stationed at the front gate. The modern, white buildings looked untouched until you got up close and saw that the seats, floors and ceilings were falling apart.
We walked around for a while and then decided to check out the swimming pool. Compared to the rest of the complex, it was pristine, and there were still diving blocks and lane lines. Someone had told us that the pool was for members of a fitness club only, but there was no one around. It was hot and we stood next to the pool for a long time, waiting for someone to come stop us. But no one did. So, we had to test it!
Things you should do in Athens-
Visit Bretto’s Bar, located in Plaka. They serve about 30 flavors of ouzo, from cinnamon to watermelon! The bar itself is really cool because it is filled with multicolored bottles of ouzo!
Goodbye study abroad family.
I knew from the beginning it would be hard to say goodbye to you, but I did not ever expect it to be this hard.
Also I cried when saying goodbye to my favorite kiosk man. I think he was weirded out but he was nice about it.
My semester in Greece in 5 minutes or less.Lots of fun shots of all of our adventures!
I pretty much cried every time I edited this video. Greece is so wonderful and it is hard to think of leaving my new home. The whole country just has such a fun personality and spark, even when things are going wrong you can’t help but laugh about them. As my economics professor says, “Greece does not know how to work, but it certainly knows how to live.”
The things I should have done:
After spending 4 months in Greece, I have been kind of beating myself up over all the things I didn’t see. I guess the easiest way to get rid of this guilt is to make a list and promise myself I will see it all next time!
-Crete. Woops.
-The butterfly migration on Rhodes
-Ancient Olympia
-Halkidiki- The beaches here are supposed to be to die for.
-Mount Olympus- It’s a two day hike, but I would have loved to do it.
-The Ionian Islands- I have heard nothing but lovely things about this chain of islands.
-Delos- A good day trip from Mykonos, this island is in the center of the Cyclades. It was very important in ancient worship and there are so many awesome ruins on the island!
-Marathon— I originally wanted to run from Marathon to Athens and be all historical about it. Then I remembered that running is terrible.
-Greek easter- Oh what a celebration I missed! If you are in Greece around easter, try to befriend a Greek family, invite yourself over, and eat lots of lamb!
-The olympic torch running through Greece- I have been kicking myself for this, if you are in Greece before the olympics, look up when the torch runs through. The run it over the top of the Acropolis and through Ancient Olympia.
-Meteora (I know, what is wrong with me?)
A graffiti artist has some fun with the Greek economic crisis. In Plaka, Athens.
Full Moon and the Acropolis
Lake Vouliagmeni
About 45 minutes outside of Athens, this natural “hot” springs (the word hot was debatable when I went swimming in it) is a deep salt water lake. Old people go here a lot, because the water is supposed to cure aches and pains. I had fun diving and exploring the small channels in the back that led to a mysterious cave. I didn’t venture in, though, because someone tried to swim to the end of it once and they were never seen again.
Rebecca Rice, abroad.
