Greece Trip! <3

Well, the Greece trip was AMAZING and WONDERFUL! I had a great time and it was definitely an experience that I will never ever forget! It might be a long entry but I figured you guys wouldn't mind!

We left for Greece on Friday the 6th. We had to make about a 6 or 7 hour drive to Bari to set sail on the ferry called the BlueStar. Along the way we stopped at the Basilica of St. Nicholas. It was basically Santa's House! he But it was pretty cool. But I was very sidtracted at getting to Greece!

The Ferry ride was SO much fun! We all went to the Disco on the boat and it was pretty fun! We just danced the night away and had a blast! We didn't have curfew, which was AWESOME! he But we drove through some BIG storms and hit some big waves! Kurt and I walked to the front of the Ferry (well, not the front but as far up as we could go) and it was very windy! But I laughed so hard watching us trying to walk! It was like skydiving but going parallel and not up and down!! ha But it was a blast!

We spent the night on the Ferry and so many people got sea sick and were throwing up but thank goodness it didn't phase me AT ALL! I was happy!

We arrived in Greece on Saturday. We were pretty delayed but we finally arrived about noon I would say. Once we arrived we departed for Olympia. It was kind of disappointing at first because it was rainy but we were in Greece! So, I couldn't be that upset! We got settled into our hotel, had some dinner, and then after we watched some Greek dancing and even tried it out! It was pretty fun and I learned some more dance moves! It wasn't much of a ride and we were all tired from the boat ride so we went to bed kind of early but that's okay!

In Sunday we went to see Olympia and thank goodness the sun was out and shining! We had a visit to the Museum of Olympia where there were just statues and helmets from wars way back when. It was pretty cool though! After that we headed to Olympia's Archaeological Site and it had a temple to Zeus and Hera (I think!) I don't really remember to be honest! ha But it was just a bunch of ruins and we also saw the very first Olympic Stadium where they raced. We even had a great race of our own. There was a guys race, a girls race, and a mixed-doubles race. Just to let you know, I won the girls race! It was pretty cool I even got a flower crown! But Kurtis got third, and on the mixed doubles it was me Kurt, tucker, and Hannah (all soccer players...except me!) ANd we got second...which was upsetting but that's okay! But it was pretty cool! After that we had lunch and headed to Delphi. It was about a 4 hour drive and we saw the suset driving through these mountains and hills and it was SO BEAUTIFUL! I can't even describe how beautiful it was! After arrival we got situated in our hotels and went to dinner where they had the best desert EVER! It was like funnel cake...but it was in like dough balls and it was DELICIOUS! A great start to Delphi. After that we just walked around. It was a small town only about three streets big! But we just got a shopping idea!

Monday came and we went to visit the Archaeological Site and Museum of Delphi. It was pretty cool and we walked the sacred walk and it was pretty cool! After all the there was an optional tour of the Greek monastery on a mountain and it was kind of cool...not as cool as I thought it would be but it's okay! The drive back though was BEAUTIFUL! We saw the sunset driving down a mountain and it was SO pretty! We got back to Delphi and we went shopping and I bought a couple of bracelets and a cool little Bronze spartan helmet but it's really small...no worries, but it is pretty cool! We then had dinner with the awesome dessert again! And then just hung out and headed to bed before curfew was over!

Tuesday we departed for Athens in the morning and it was another 4 hour drive. We had sack lunched once we got there and they weren't that great but that's okay! It was food (but overall the Greek food was AMAZING and i LOVED it!) We checked into our hotels and visited the Pnyx and the Areopagus. It was basicall just a meeting place and you could see the whole city of Athens down below from the hill/mountain and you could also see the Acropolis and the Parthenon on the mountain to the left. It was a cool view! After that was dinner and then we just hung out and did some shopping! I got me my first soccer jersey! It is really cool! The team is Panathanaikos and the jersey is Green and has a clover on it (I wore it for St. Patricks day!) But I was excited! We also got some Gyros which is a good Greek food that they eat over here. ANd it was DELICIOUS! It was basically just pita break with meat, tomatos, onion, french fries and sour cream. Just take my word...it was GOOOOOD!!!! That was about it for Tuesday!

On Wednesday we tried to visit the Agora, Acropolis, and the Theater of Dionysos but strange things occur. There was a lightning stike on the Acropolis because the workers wanted to actually get paid and have a good job ha But we got to see the Agora and the National Archeological Museum. They were both pretty cool and I wish I got to see the Parthenon but that's okay...it didn't ruin my trip that is for sure! So instead we went to this little park and got to see the unfinished temple of Zeus. It was pretty cool and relaxing and it was a beautiful day outside and just all together lovely! After that Kurt, Tucker, Me, Cesar, and my suite mates went to go see the Olympic Stadium from the Olympics in Athens in 2004. It was SWEET going to see that! It was so cool!!!!!! The cool thing was that I could remember seeing some of these things on TV watching it back then. But it was so cool seeing all of it! It was SO big! We had dinner on our own that evening and we went to get some gyros. It was delicious and we also went to go watch a soccer (or futbol) game as well! But it was fun!

Thursday we departed Athens and headed to Nafplion which was the most beautiful place ever! It was rainy when we arrived so that was a bummer but it stopped a little bit but we just walked around and just scoped the place out. There was lots of shopping places but they were all closed early and weird stuff so I didn't have a time to go shopping there but that's okay. There was also the beach about two minutes walk from our hotel. Didn't do much on Thursday basically Nafplion was our relaxation trip where we didn't have much to do and we were able to relax a little bit.

On Friday we went to Ancient Epidaurus and it was a HUGE theatre and it was pretty cool. So we spent all morning there which was cool and then we had lunch at a restaurant (no meat) but it was still pretty good! The afternoon was free with no lectures so we put our suits on and went down to the beach and let me tell you that the water was FREEEEEZING!! haha It was so cold! But I'm definitely glad I got in because I almost chickened out when I was halfway in! But we hung out there for a while then went back to the hotel and got all cleaned up and warmed up and then just went walking around. After that we went to see the sunset on the beach and it was the most BEAUTIFUL and romantic thing ever! And I won't ever forget it but it was so pretty and my camera died on me about halfway through so I didn't get all the sunset pictures but it was still beautiful and Kurtis has some good ones for the later sunset so it was awesome! I LOVED it! But that night was crazy. One of our guys got stuck on the mountain nearby and Kurtis and I were walking back and we had to run and get help and it was crazy! It was very scary but luckily he was safe and it was his own fault and stupidity that got him there so it wasn't anything dangerous about the place but it was just his own fault! But that night was wonderful! Kurt and I hung out and then we met up with some poeple and got some Gilatto and just relaxed on our last night in Greece!

On Saturday we woke up and went to the Upper Palamede and it was GORGEOUS! It was the same mountain that the guy got stuck on but he got stuck because he scaled the mountain in the dark instead of going up the stairs! ha But whatever! but it was gorgeous and absolutely wonderful! We then went to Ancient Corinth and it was our last stop and they closed up the trip and it was kind of sad! But that's okay! It was such a wonderful trip and I loved it and had a blast! We headed to our Ferry and boarded up and then were homeward bound! The ferry ride home was so much more smooth and it was just as beautiful and kind of as fun but we were all exhausted to we hit the bed about midnight!

Sunday we just got up and traveled back to campus! We got back to campus early afternoon and just unpacked and rested up for classes for the coming week.

The Greece trip was awesome and wonderful and I had such and great time! Definitely a time to remember and that I will never forget! I got closer to so many of my friends here!!!

But I won't drag this out any longer but that's about it for now! Sorry it was so long and I will update yall on the week a little bit later so it isn't as much to read!

Miss you all and hope all is well in the states!

Kel