Our day started out with a breakfast at our wonderful hotel, The Crystal City. It was a buffet style meal, featuring croissants, Nutella, eggs, and bacon! Then we headed off to the Acropolis and learned the history behind this remarkable Greek marvel! We took lots of pictures after our well informed guided tour and before we knew it we were off to our next adventure…..Delphi!
Delphi was a two hour drive away, but we stopped for a nice lunch, which was free choice! Many people decided to order kabobs, and some pork, beef burgers, or fish. The restaurant also featured a small shop, and many students chose to pick up some souvenirs!
Our tour guide filled us in on interesting facts during our two hour journey to Delphi. We learned that some residents put shrines in the forests and along the roads to signify a lost loved one. Also, there was a fountain in front of the gate to Delphi to purify oneself before going to see the sacred oracle. We abruptly realized that the stones placed to walk around the ancient artifacts and temples are extremely slippery.
One thing separates Greece from other countries is the fact that we were completely submerged in the artifacts, and we could touch them and take photos with them. Tracing the real marks of lettering edged on the stones made us have a greater connection to the places we visited, especially Delphi.
A major part of our day was the two hour bus ride to Delphi. This ride, one which would have been a tremendous bore in the United States, became a captivating adventure of its own. As our bus drove through Athens, we admired and took photos of the wide range of street art—something which is abundant in the city—and admired the unique architecture. Leaving the city, we entered the Bob Ross-esque environment which are the mountains of Greece.
These mountains, which seemed to tower over us like the Gods, were unlike anything which can be found in New Jersey. Driving through these mountains was something out of a road trip movie, as we weaved around tight corners and navigated the roads which so tightly hugged the mountainside. This ride ended with our arrival to Delphi, but the same beautiful scenery was waiting for us on our three hour bus ride back to the hotel. Tomorrow… Greek Independence Day!