Athens: Part One – The Acropolis

February 8, 2015 by MLTours ·

At 4:15 p.m., January 24, I boarded my first international flight. The Baylor study-abroad group I joined is organized by Millennium Tours (a travel company based in Austin, Texas) and accompanied by three professors/guides/pseudo-parents. All bright eyed and hopeful, the students excitedly stepped aboard our first plane, all trembling hands and tapping toes.

Fourteen hours and one layover later, I woke up in Athens. Despite the population of roughly five million, buildings never exceed twelve floors, a rule ensuring that no structure in the city blocks the view of the Acropolis, our first major destination on our tour.

We had the rest of the day to settle into our home for the week: Hotel Electra. The hotel staff was exceedingly accommodating, from readying rooms as soon as we arrived, but also providing us with clear directions, restaurant recommendations and (as we realized what we’d forgotten at home) extra toiletries for our stay. I will stay here in a heartbeat if I return to Athens.

My roommate and I immediately opted to take in the view from our eighth floor balcony. An expansive view of Athens stretched into the distance past the rows of shops and restaurants that closed in Ermou St., giving way to a sunset that painted the Grecian sky gold and magenta in celebration of our experiences-to-be. A hint of the lightly salted ocean breeze reached us there, cutting across the warmth of baked breads and fresh coffees mixed with the common after-dinner cigarette. Couples filled the streets below us, all walking arm in arm. I haven’t visited Paris yet, but after seeing the affection and kindness in people as they dote on each other in Athens, I have a hard time believing that there’s any city more worthy of a label of love.

After a sleep heavy with jet lag and caffeine deprivation, our group of 46 rose with the sun for a protein-packed breakfast and set off to our introduction to Ancient Greece. First, we visited the city’s stadium; a surprisingly narrow structure only 200 meters long, designed for ancient athletes to practice for their careers in both sports and warfare. A gate kept us from getting too close, but the sparkling marble view was a wonderful warm up of what we would experience in the following hours.

We took a charter bus provided by Millennium Tours to the base of the Acropolis, chosen in ancient time for being the highest point within the city that also contained a water source (water was stored in the porous limestone and accessible by breaking through the stones with taps). We first passed the crumbling Theater of Dionysus and though the marble seats have been stolen away by both nature and ancient builders, the checkered floor and Roman influenced arches still stand. We passed slowly in awe, excitement building for the looming Parthenon. And then we climbed the stairs.

The Parthenon provides feelings of security and assurance to the people of Athens to this day. Standing next to columns as wide as three people standing shoulder to shoulder stirred reverence for a figurehead I’ve experienced only through mythology. The architecture, along with an incredibly detailed frieze, was ahead of its time concerning perspective and illusion. Before our excursion and our tour guide Helenē’s instruction, I had no idea that the floor of the Parthenon was purposefully bowed and the massive columns (non-monolithic, keeping it stable through earthquakes) varied in both size and tilt towards the temple’s center to give the illusion, from any angle, that the Parthenon stands straight, sturdy and sound. Preservative reconstruction of the temple is ongoing, but manages not to distract from the majesty of the mammoth structure shadowing both the temple of Nike and the Erechtheion. Both temples are incredible stand-alone pieces of art but work flawlessly to unite the center of worship that is the Acropolis.

Surrounded by open sky and the seemingly equal stretch of the city of Athens, understanding of the power of the Acropolis as a religious center was overwhelmingly clear. Given the chance to once again stand in the middle of centuries of history, art and literature, I would take it every time.

Link to article: https://mltours.com/athens-part-one-the-acropolis/

Athens Part Two – The Islands and Mycenae

February 19, 2015 by MLTours ·

After growing accustomed to Athens over a span of two days, our cozy group of 46 rose with the sun to embark on a small cruise to the islands of Hydra, Poros and Aegina. We joined two other tour groups on a solid little ship that set sail out of an Athenian port and sailed straight on to our first stop, Hydra, an island known for its luxurious accommodations set in the middle of unmatched landscape and history, preserved from degradation by both temperate climate and the nurture of locals.

Initially, light rain showers dampened our voyage, but it turned around quickly as the island came into view, all glittering whitewashed homes. The first strip of shore was a little touristy, but I quickly split off through the overgrown paths that cut up the cliff-side of the island, hiking between thick trees and ground cover. I attracted a small group of cats that followed me like ducklings, meowing softly, asking for bits of food that their round bellies certainly weren’t lacking. Cats stood guard of the island, going as far as sitting atop cannons pointing towards the sea; the same sea that Homer wrote about, the same sea sailed by ancient soldiers, merchants and artists alike.

Too soon, we were called back to our little ship to sail on to Poros. The port was filled with some of the smallest boats I’d ever seen along with a plethora of motorbikes lining the shore. We didn’t spend more than a twenty minute walk there due to a tight schedule.

Next, we headed to Aegina, the largest and final island on our tour. There, a group of us ventured away from the crowd and to a small beach. There, we stood in the glow of the setting sun and listened to the crash of waves against sand and rock. We breathed in the fresh air, heavy with residual raindrops. The five of us bonded with each other and the land there, grateful to connect to both each other and the island in a way few of us ever thought possible in our small hometown of Waco, Texas.

After our return, three of us strolled down to a downtown restaurant called Piazza Duomo to try out authentic Greek souvlaki. This consisted of thickly cut pork filets with a side of tzatziki (blended yogurt, cucumber and lemon/lime zest) and pita bread, placed carefully beside a traditional salad of cucumber and tomato topped with goat cheese. It was hearty, filling and fresh, a perfect end to a full day.

The next day, we boarded a bus heading for the ancient city of Corinth, once described as gaudy by the ancients who inhabited Greece at the time of its construction. In the ruins, traces of ornate carvings and attention to detail are hidden beneath overgrown earth. The scene was breathtaking. The outlines of shopping malls, homes and temples remain, indicating a community full of life and artistry. After soaking in the lighthearted Corinth, complete with its mountaintop acropolis, we drove to Mycenae, supposed home of Agamemnon and one of the starts of modern civilization.

The city now lies in nearly total ruin, blending into the mountainside even more so than originally intended, but the magic of what is left remains. The Lion Gate stands as strong as ever at the front of the city. A circular grave holding keys to the past holds as much somber spirituality as ever. The imprint of a palace is carved into the countryside, stamping the mark of the royal family into the earth, claiming Mycenae.

Its impression on me was nothing short of magical, breathtaking. To spend a day in the ancient city is enough to see it all, but I don’t think one could ever fully take in what the construction and preservation of Mycenae has meant to history without living a lifetime within the heavily stoned walls.

Greece left me with a thirst for history and lingering knowledge that what we consider ruins are still a part of every day life for so many. In Greece, I walked over marble streets that were carved from the mountains crossed by men who may have fought at Troy and trained as the first Olympians. I stood in the home of the king of Mycenae. I sailed Odysseus’s path. The land and tide of the Mediterranean will forever beat on and for that, I am thankful.

Link to article: https://mltours.com/athens-part-two-the-islands-and-mycenae/

Student Group Travel: London, England

March 29, 2015 by MLTours ·

When I think of London, a million lights and sounds flood my mind at once. I was fortunate enough to travel there with three lovely girls for a two and a half day adventure which transitioned quickly into a go-with-the-flow trip after we immediately got lost when trying to find our hostel. So it goes for young American travelers. We stayed in the fun and quirky Clink 78, established within a renovated courthouse.

After getting ourselves situated, we headed out to hunt down dinner. Our destination: Piccadilly Circus. In true English fashion, gray storm clouds rolled in, drenching the town in an off and on shower just cold enough to warrant hats and gloves. Undeterred, we four trudged on through the heart of London, passing apartments, boutiques and more fry (or chip) stands than I could count.

We walked for nearly 30 minutes before finding, hidden just behind a corner closed off by massive white buildings, the glowing Times Square-like Piccadilly Circus. A massive video screen cast an LED glow over people wandering about below, weaving through street performers, waiting in mile-long lines to get into clubs and dodging the speeding cars and buses that (be warned!) absolutely will not stop for you. We found an excellent restaurant on the edge of the center: a quaint diner with perfectly fried fish and chips served on cute wooden blocks. We sat in suspended swinging chairs painted in pretty pastels and shared fries over a healthy bout of self-deprecating storytelling.

That night ended too quickly, but we got up early enough the next morning to visit the impossibly huge British Museum which was an easy 15 minute walk from our hostel. The structure is tucked away next to government buildings and blends in surprisingly well. Its white columns and boxy yet elegant architecture distinguish the structure from its surrounding, less glamorous buildings. We did not sign up for a tour with a guide or by audio direction through the museum and, if I have the chance to visit again, I would definitely go about that differently. Wandering through the museum at your own pace is captivating to say the least, but it’s easy to get distracted and sift through every single display, pulling you away from what you may have initially had in mind for your visit. That said, what I did wander through aimlessly was astounding. The collections of all art, artifacts and texts is easily double what I imagined and the building’s flowing layout and glowing natural light throughout common areas is as welcoming as it is interesting.

After spending an hour longer than anticipated there, our group walked through the crowded, but beautiful Covent Gardens for a quick burger at Punch and Judy's Pub, then headed on to see Westminster Abbey and (of course) Big Ben. The church is far larger than I thought and Big Ben much less…well…big. Despite this reverse of expectations, both were absolutely stunning in design and prompted us to scurry across the packed bridge to wait for a ticket on the London Eye.

For anyone visiting the city, I cannot recommend a trip around the Eye enough. I rode the eye at dusk and as my group's little bubble reached the top of the wheel, the sun set over London. I had an almost ethereal 360 view. It is difficult to find the words to describe just how stunning this experience was and it is, by far, my favorite London experience.

The next morning we took a long detour through the quiet and picturesque Hyde park on our way to Victoria Station that was complete with a full English breakfast at the small café just overlooking the river running through the park. It was a perfect send-off.

London as a whole demands your full attention and admiration. The buildings are beautiful, but still scarred by bombs and gunfire from World War II. People bustle about in a rush, but still stop to stare at their city’s landmarks as the sun paints them gold during the sunset. In two weeks I will be returning to take in more of this incredible city. Once a visitor, it is impossible to stay away.

Link to article: https://mltours.com/student-group-travel-london-england/