Man! I was doing so good. I guess two in a row is all I'm capable of. Oh well! So I am still alive. For now I think I shall catch you all up when we get back to Athens, since we have a free day then which will give me plenty of time to name photos and update things and stuff... yeah. Internet has been okay here so far, but the days have been long, and right now I am too tired to do more than tell you I am still alive! Love you all, and I will try to update sooner! Also... we went to Nemea yesterday and we totally ran a race down the ancient track which was awesome. Right! <3

Oh look! Two in a row! Be excited! Ha. So today was a pretty slow day - as slow as things ever get with this high speed program, at least. Today we just walked around part of the Agora and then went to the Epigraphical Museum. They were both pretty cool. The epigraphical museum is interesting mostly because it has both lots of inscriptions, but also inscriptions that preserve paint, like this one:

For some reason they always seem to use red. We're not exactly sure why, or why some have it and others don't, but it is interesting, and certainly makes letters easier to read. This one was part of a pillar dedication. After that we just came back to late lunch at Loring. The cook lady here is named Vula, and she is so sweet and such a fabulous cook. The worst part about traveling around is that we don't get to take her with us. Anyways! Packing and organizing seems to be the rest of my day, and tomorrow we are taking off to the Peloponnese starting with Corinth. I shall try to stay caught up, but we'll see how the hotel internet connections are looking. Love you all!

Okay! So, I shall try to bring you up to speed right quick. And... yus, pictures. Those will appear sometime eventually/maybe/hopefully. >> So last I left you, we had been to Azorias and Mochlos and were staying in Siteia. The next day we visited the Siteia Archaeological Museum, which while mostly unlabeled was still rather cool. It had this in it:

Which, admittedly, doesn't look like too much. But! It's really very cool. It's about a footish tall, and made of hippopotamous ivory, and amazingly detailed. See!

All the little veins and tendons in the feet and hands are carved in, which is really amazing to see up close. And there was other cool stuff too ^^ From there we went to Palaikastro, which is where this gem came from. It was a cool site, though just a town. They are still searching for a Minoan 'palace' to accompany it, and hopefully will find one this summer. Then we went to Kato Zakro, another Minoan site with a small palace and surrounding town. Nearby is the Gorge of the Dead, where the cemetery was. Most of our group went swimming, but Laura, Chad, and I hiked the gorge for two hours. It was really pretty, and we poked around in some caves and scrambled up the mountainside, which was lots of fun. This was one of the lower caves we went to. That green bushy thing at the bottom is where the trail was.

 And this was the highest point we got to before deciding we weren't properly equipped to keep scaling. Everything was so beautiful up there though!

Let's see. After that we stopped by a little monastery and then went back to Siteia. The next day was Gournia and Malia (two palace sites) and the Iraklion Museum, which is mostly closed for refurbishment, but still has a single room of the 'big hits' for visitors to look at. Those were all really cool, and I got to give my second report at Malia, so those are all done, yay!

That night we stayed in Iraklion and then got up the next day to go to Knossos. Knossos is an awesome site, somewhat contested because of the reconstructions Sir Arthur Evans undertook, but still fabulous. Unfortunately, it was an extremely busy day as the cruise ships were in and it was hard to see everything. It was nice to have an experienced excavator talking about everything, but I think that I saw more the last time I was there. At least there weren't hoards of people about then! After that, we looked at a more modern museum of Crete, from Byzantine times on. Which was cool but... not ancient stuff ^^

The next day we visited Gortyn, which is famed for a giant, preserved law code, and Phaistos, which is probably my favorietest Minoan site ever. It's very pretty and fun to explore and also has the Phaistos Disc. Which is the awesomest mystery ever. We stayed in Rhethymno that night, and the next day visited a couple of smaller museums there and in Chania before we hopped on a ferry back to Athens.

So we've been in Athens the past three days, and in that time did a walking tour of post-antique Athens, which was rather interesting because we learned a bit about how/why the city is laid out as it is and some about the different types of architecture that are dotted about the city. That night we went and saw a performance called 'Socrates Now' which was really really good. It was a single man performance, and was a recitation of the Apology by Plato. It was fantastically done, the actor was fabulously expressive and it was impressive as all get out that he had memorized more than an hour and a half of monologue. Here he is with one of my favorite faces: ^^

Yesterday we visited more of the acropolis and the National Museum, which we have been doing in bits and pieces. On the acropolis we talked about the south slope and the Erechtheum (which I got to touch! We went up on the north porch, since the inside is too destroyed and robbed out to actually go in, but it was still so awesome!). Totally touched that doorjamb: ^-^

And then today! Oh my gosh, I think I am kinda almost caught up. Today we took a day trip out to Eleusis, which was awesome, save for the part where the lady stopped to talk to us for nearly a whole hour in the sun with no shade. I think I only heard the first part of her talk, because by the time we were halfway through I was more preoccupied with calculating the temperature at which a human body would physically melt. But still! The site was cool :) After that we stopped by two border forts which were used to control key passages, but one side or the other, between Attika and Boiotia or Attika and the Peloponnese. They were actually really cool, though you could really only see the walls, because the walls were preserved to such great heights. Like this one:

That little shady spot about halfway down the wall is probably about as tall as I am. They certainly knew how to build a fort! So those were awesome. And now we are home again and about to have dinner. Hope all is well! I shall try to go back and add pictures to some of the previous posts. Love you all!

Hello all! So, I am still alive. Unfortunately, the availability and workability of internet connections while we are traveling is relatively slim. I shall try to update you all on what has been happening, as we've returned from Crete and will be in Athens for the next four days, but it's highly likely that the ten day trip to the Peloponnese after that will bring more silence as internet might not be available again. So! I am going to organize pictures and my thoughts and hopefully get back to you all soon! Hope all is well, love you!

Hey guys! So I know I've missed a few days. I got sick and then was busy and had to write reports and do things like sleep. I do like sleep. But now I am here! I shall catch you up quick and see if I can fill in later. Pictures... yus those, they shall show up! Soon/eventually! We've moved on to Crete for the week, so the internet here might be a bit more iffy than it was in Athens itself. But let's see. I left off on Thursday. Friday was like... the coolest day of my life to date. We went up to see the Parthenon. And then we got to go -in- the Parthenon. I touched it! This would be me: Totally and legally leaning up against a Parthenon column. ^-^

 It was so cool, I can't even describe it and have like a bajillion pictures. Most of the inside was actually full of stuff like cranes because they are still in the process of doing reconstruction, but it was still so unbelievably awesome! Then we visited the National Archaeological Museum and saw some awesome pottery. And... let's see that was about it for that day. We were going to see the Thessoloniki State Orchestra in the theater of Herodes Atticus which is at the base of the Acropolis, but I only saw two pieces before I scooted home because I wasn't feeling well. The next day was almost equally awesome, as we got to go inside the Propylaia, which is the giant gate entrance thingy to the acropolis where the parthenon sits. I also go to touch that ^^ This is actually the inside of the so called 'picture gallery' which is in the north wing of the propylaia. Not too much to look at, but it was exciting to go inside since they don't let most people do that.

 And... these were all the jealous tourists who didn't get to touch the marble, hee. (There are signs allll over the propylaia, since you get to walk so near to columns going through it, that say 'Don't touch the marble!')

Then more museum! Then came Sunday, which was a bit slower. We went to see the temple of Olympian Zeus and the Roman agora, where I gave my first site report, but none of the archaeological sites were open that day because of the greek election. And then that night we hopped on an overnight ferry and came to Iraklion in Crete. We arrived early this morning and offloaded to go see the INSTAP center, which is a center that does lab work and conservation for finds in East Crete, and then went to see Azorias and Mochlos, which are a 7th century and Late Minoan site, respectively. This is the view from Azorias. It's situated pretty far up a mountain, and is mostly low stone foundations now. Getting there was awesome, though. Our bus couldn't make it, so we all piled into the back of three pick-up trucks and took a dirt road up the mountain.

 And this is Mochlos. If you squint at it, lol. It's on the island, right at the shore there. Which is unfortunate, because the region is slowly sinking because of the way the plates are set up. The site is about a meter further down than it was in the past when the island was actually connected to the mainland by a little isthmus thing. Going out here was an adventure, too.

 The seas were a bit rough because it was windy, and we went seven at a time in this little boat there and back, which was rather exciting in its own way. :)

It was very most awesome. Tonight we are staying In Siteia, and then tomorrow doing... more fun stuff ^^ I shall update later, for now I just wanted to let you all know that I was still alive. Love you! <3

So I missed a day, but not to worry, I still did things! Wednesday was another day with some introductory bits, but it was awesome, too. We were introduced around the second library at the American School, the Gennadius library, and then around the agora excavation people. But we also had John Camp show us around the Hephaesteion, and then we got to go inside! This is a temple dedicated (probably) to Hephaestus and Athena and is one of the most complete still standing temples in the world. The inside was totally awesome. Looking out towards the Parthenon...

 Inside. That big door in the back was made by Christians when they switched the orientation of the temple to make it into a church. Their reuse of the building (despite the giant door they made) is what helped preserve the temple so well.

This Greek lady yelled at us when we started to step over the barriers, but Dr. Camp came back out and shooed her away, which was a bit amusing. That evening there was also a garden party, which was partly to welcome us and partly because there are a bunch of trustees visiting just now.

And then today was fun. We did a day trip and went out to see Brauron first. There was a temple to Artemis there which seems to have been connected with rites of passage for young girls. Unfortunately the site itself is closed because they are doing reconstruction, but we did get to go into the museum, which was awesome. There they have the oldest wooden idols in the world, which were preserved in muddy pits. Ta-da!

Brauron is rather wet, because there is both a river and a spring there. Then we stopped by Thorikos, and we hiked up a mountain to look at a tholos tomb and a trigangular tomby thing... This is looking down into the Tholos tomb, which is open to the sky, though in antiquity it would have been finished in a dome and covered with earth to keep it from falling in on itself. Also, that doorway is nearly person and three-quarters sized.

And then we looked at the Laurium silver mine opening and a theater. From there we went to Sounion, which is on the coast, and looked at the temple to Poseidon which is perched up on the peak. We also took a look at a sanctuary to Athena which was located below that. And then we went swimming, which was fabulous. The temple to Poseidon: It's like asking to be made into a postcard, with the white marble and the blue sky and all that. So pretty!

 I'll see if I can get the pictures up tonight, but if not I shall come back and add them later. (And look, I did it finally! ^^) Love you all!

And so on to the second day! This morning we had an orientation session, mostly dealing with the way things work in the American school, at the Blegen Library and in Loring Hall. Then this afternoon we took our first Athens trip and saw three big things.
The Areopagus:

Which is where, supposedly, open air homicide trials were held. It's mostly a big hunk of rock, that has now been worn to glassiness by the number of people who have been on it. In this picture you can see the original steps carved into the stone (now also like glass).
Then the Pynx:

This shows the second phase steps of the Pynx and the third phase cyclopean retaining wall which was built atop them.

This was where general gatherings of the Ecclesia were held, and the second photo shows the Bema, or speakers platform, where the person talking could stand to address the gathering of people. On the wall behind it you may be able to make out niches, which are remnants of a later cult to Zeus Hipsystos which was established after the pynx fell out of use.
Then to Philopappos Hill:

 This is the monument which sits atop the hill, commemorating Philopappos, who was not even an Athenian citizen, and may also have held his sarcophagus. Today the monument - which was once a perfect square - has been robbed of much of its stone, particularly on the backside.
And that is probably it for today, more tomorrow! ^^

Hello all! So today was the first 'real' day as it was. It wasn't too difficult. I tagged along with the agora dig people for their orientation, and had lunch with them before we wandered home. Then I came and checked into Loring Hall, which is where I will be staying while in Athens. After unpacking we had tea time, which was time to meet everyone. Then we trekked up Lycabetos (or some spelling near that) Hill which is almost right behind the school. It is the highest point in Athens, so the view from the top is fabulous.

The view of the Panathenaic Stadium from partway up the Hill. Though built to match the original plan, this version was rebuilt in 1896 so that the Olympic Games could be hosted there.

Look, I figured out pictures! Here's some more ^^

This is the view of the Acropolis from the top of the Hill. I think only the Parthenon is really visible there. Yay Parthenon! It survived most of history intact, until it was used as a munitions storehouse in the conflict with the Turks. The Turks managed to take it out, and also blew up the middle of the Parthenon, which is why it is in the state it is today. Or was... restorations are taking place presently.

Me! Look you can almost see the Parthenon in the background!

This is the adorable little chuch on the top of the hill. It's rather modern, but very pretty.

 Let's see... after that we came back down and wandered about a little before settling in for dinner. They give us fabulous food, and lots of it! We didn't do much else today, though. Tomorrow we are getting oriented in the American School itself and then visiting the Aereopagus, Pynx, and Philoppapos Hill, which is where the Turks blew the Parthenon up from ^^ We'll be here in Athens until Sunday, which is when we hop on an overnight ferry to Crete. Hope all is well back home, love you!

Well! I made it! There was no internet the whole way here and/or I spent my whole layover getting from gate to gate, so there are no airport pictures. Aw... The connection here is a bit tenuous, and I haven't done anything exciting yet, so there will be more later! Like... tomorrow. ^^ Yay Athens!

So tomorrow's the big day! I'll be leaving in the evening and traveling for a dayish before I make it to Athens. I am supposed to be finishing my packing just now >> But this is more fun! I feel like you guys will have lots of updates and pictures of each airport while I sit waiting for flights... so stand by! ^^