Day 26- Back from the Peloponnese.

Hey guys! Sorry I have been A- wall. But I have been on a trip to the Peloponnese! It was amazing. I really think everyone reading this has to add Greece to their destination list and go NOW! Screw everything you see on the media that makes Greece seem like a scary place it is the best place to be! I think I will be making it a point to visit someplace here as often as I can when I'm older. There is too much to talk about right now so my brain is over clogged. I have been journaling and sketching all week so excuse the lack on information I put here right now. Instead, enjoy the photos and add these places to your bucket list!!

Corinth Canal, put in place by Trikoupis.

Entry to the Theatre of Epidaraus

Sunset outside Agamemnon Hotel (A great hotel in Nafplion, Greece)

There was a great running trail outside the hotel that Danny and I ran one day and watched the sun rise... not the best idea because we hiked through the paths of Mystras later that day which took FOREVER.

Mystras with modern day Sparta at a distance.

Mystras: an amazing hike of medieval houses, palaces, mansions and monasteries. 

This is Sparta? So the movie 300 had me hyped up for the most amazing site visit ever, but sadly because of the economy of Greece all funs for archaeological efforts go almost everywhere but here! This photo shows most of what has been recovered in Sparta, and modern Sparta at the distance. There isn't much left at this Acropolis because a lot may have been used to build Mystras which is not too far. What is left is beautiful. 

Collumn in Olympia reconstructed by the Germans to show the scale of Zeus Temple.

We also ran the 200m of the original Olympic Track! (I did not come last!)

A fallen column of the temple of Zeus as a result of the earthquake that destroyed most of the site. 

Contrary to a Greek that approached my friend. The conversation went like this:

Greek: Can I give you some advice?

Tiara *eager to learn from the greek* : YES! What?

Greek: You shouldn't smile as you hug that column, instead you should cry.

Tiara: Why?

Greek: Are you Christian?

Tiara: ....yes

Greek: You Christians destroyed this site! *walks off*

Tiara: *jaw drop*

... I simple walked away. Not all Greeks are like this... he just was obviously a little loose in the brain. He later laid on an artifact and when shouted at to get off he waved at the guard.. haha Not really sure what happened after that.

The Trikoupis Bridge. If your into architecture or engineering this is definitely something worth while to research! The way the foundation is designed is amazing. This bridge was actually thought of somewhere between 1875 and 1895 and wasn't built until 2004! The first person to cross it was the Olympic torch bearer of the 2004 Olympics.

Hope you like the photos! I am going to bed now finally. Let me know what else you want to see. I have a few sketched in my travel journal I will upload later :) Kalispera! (Goodnight)

Kalispera = Good evening

So I have been on Aegina a week now and it has been one of the best experiences of my life. 

Life is pretty easy going here. Every morning I wake up at 8 o'clock, get ready, walk to the bakery, eat some bread with a cup of tea and head to class for 9 o'clock. I have Greek lessons every morning for an hour and a half and I can read the words in my head but pronunciation... no sir ree.. I'm pretty sure my teacher finds me hopeless, but maybe one day! 

After Greek we have another class, either about Greek culture and philosophy, or a global futures class. Then a lunch break and good ol' studio for 3 hours... Our teachers understand we are here to learn, but also experience the culture so our classes are compact and only until Thursday at 2! After that we can do pretty much anything over the weekend. My favourite is going in the cold sea everyday after studio! Another good thing is Siesta! Everyday at 2:30 to 5:30 the shops shut down and everyone on the island takes a nap. Talk about relaxing!

Here is a photo of where I live. 

I had a 3 hour Siesta today after class and then went to sit by the waterfront to sketch and enjoy a frappe. The sunsets here are so beautiful!  I know everyone wants to see photos but if I post them all on facebook then no one will want to look at my book once I'm back so here are just a few samples. I'll try to pick the best ones!

Doesn't the food look amazing?! Honestly I will move here just for the food and siestas! Today for dinner we shared leek pie, grilled mushrooms, and stuffed eggplants... we didn't eat that until 11:30pm! I guess I'm learning to fit in with the Greeks!

Greece..... Finally!

So I finally made it to Greece! 

Our trip took about 9 hours from Montreal, Canada on one of the crappiest flights ever. It's a good thing I can fall asleep easily on planes. Besides having the worst booking details (as a result of Expedia,) I ended up in one of the worst seats possible. I couldn't even fit a bag under the chair in front of me because of a random metal box! To top that all off I was sneezing for literally 20 minutes after using the eye cover they gave me. This made everyone around me annoyed... I guess it was a safe flight but all I can say is never fly Air Canada Rouge. We didn't even have our own television set and they took forever to turn the lights out!!! Free snack? FORGET ABOUT IT!

Once we got to Greece, we got lost. Typical tourist move! So there we were (five of us) rolling our suitcases down the cobblestone roads trying to figure out what the hell the symbols seemed to be saying. Finally we found someone who was able to help us and ended up at the hostel where our teachers were waiting. We were the first 5 to arrive so we got the run down of the city and where to go!

One the best was by far the Souvlaki hole in the wall a block down from us. For just 2.5 Euros I got this:

It's a pork Gyro! Man was it delicious! The Greeks actually put french fries in them as well but I opted out. I was already let down to find out that they don't actually eat lamb gyros here. That is more of an adapted meal... I don't know why they lie to me every year at the Greek festival but I don't think I can look at them as authentic Greeks anymore!

After we satisfied our stomachs it was time to go exploring! Seriously every street in Plaka (a neighborhood by our hostel and close to the Acropolis) looks like this:

Did you notice the Mercedes taxi?

Every building in Greece seems to be mixed use with AMAZING restaurants below! Tonight for instance I had stuffed Calamari with cheese and herbs. But I have also had slow cooked lamb which was delicious, stuffed tomatoes to die for, mousaka, and of course the traditional Greek salad which has no lettuce.... We do as the Greeks do and just share each others meals, definitely the best way to experience the culture! I haven't had to pay more than 9 euros for some of the best meals of my life!

What I don't like as much though, is the Greeks tend to eat very late... lunch is around 2pm and dinner between around 10pm. Breakfast is also pretty light all the time. We have two rolls and two boiled eggs with tea or coffee. I may miss my pancakes but eating healthy helps when your hiking up marble hills! If I ever need a snack though there are tons of fresh fruit markets.  

I haven't got to try any yet but dang they look good!

Well it's getting late and we are headed out to party pack. But here are some photos from the tallest hill in Athens... 

Island Time...

Ok guys so I have been seriously slunkin'. I should of had posts going up while I was home in The Bahamas for those who have never been... but like most people are when they visit, I was on island time.






This is a pretty neat definition I found on Urban Dictionary to explain the phrase 'island time':
The time vacuum created by the ocean's presence. Similar to stoner's time, everything moves nice and slow. This carefree aura even has the ability to travel with islanders and can engulf you in their presence.








So basically I was in a time vacuum because I was surrounding by the beautiful ocean!!
 I guess I will be like that also in Greece? I hope not though because I hate having to repeat myself over and over again and I know people will be asking me how I like it, what I did... blah blah blah.








So anywho, my friend Shelby came home with me. We went to the beach on most days, island hopping, and lived like the tourists. Except she had to suffer the heat of no a/c in the house during the day. On her last day we went for daiquiris, dinner at Johnny Rockets and of course she had to have a coconut out of the shell!






Until next time! Keep looking out for those Greece posts... I was going to make a post tonight but the internet at the hostel we are at must be dialup or something! It must be on its own island time.