Day 7: Olympia

Up and at em today earned us being the first group into the site of Olympia!! So peaceful & quiet...and a bit magical!!
Our guide showed us all the amazing sites: the gym, bath house, Zeus Temple, losers row , even where they light the torch every 2 yrs. We ended in the stadium and had a sprint to the finish line, winner getting am Olive branch wreath. Congrats to Logan who smoked all the competition!
Did a scavenger hunt thru the Olympic museum, stopped at an Archimedes museum as well, grabbed lunch, and on tge road we headed as well. 4 hour drive to Delphi with a stop at the amazing Harry bridge and a delicious bakery. We drive along the coast before winding our way up the hills to get to Delphi. The town is 2 one-way streets, so our mini-van blocked traffic to unload the bags.
Just one night here as tomorrow we head to see Delphi and the oracle.
Stay tuned!!

Day 6: Epidaurus, Mycenae & a Birthday

We left the quaint town of Nafplion and headed to see the ancient theater of Epidaurus.  So beautiful!! Even more spectacular because we were the first ones there. The acoustics were phenomenal and our guide showed the kids through a variety of examples, even Dr. L joined in the fun!
We then headed to the citadel of Mycenae, nestled in the hills, and checked out the ruins as well as the beehive (literally) Treasury.
Our last activity,  just after lunch, was a pottery workshop. We made little clay dolls and designed them to our own tastes . Sadly didn't get to keep them, but a creative, fin outlet!
Our afternoon consisted of a 3+ hr ride to Olympia...siesta time! Another quaint town of little stores and delightful people.
We celebrated a big milestone today!! Sophie turned 18 today!!! So along with 40 French kids at our hotel, we all sang her Happy Birthday and got to watch her blow out her candles in Greece!! What a special memory for all!!

Stay tuned for more adventures tomorrow!!

Day 5: On the road...

Today we left Athens, heading south to Cape Sounion & the Temple of Poseidon.  Today we completed the Triangle of Temples!! The Acropolis, the Temple of Aphaia on the island of Aegina, and the Temple of Poseidon create a perfect equilateral triangle. Those Greeks were/are pretty impressive!!
Enjoyed a most spectacular view from up on the Cape as well as along our drive. We then headed for a quick stop at the Corinth Canal as we headed to our stop for the night, Nafplion. What a beautiful town on the sea!! We just enjoyed free time wandering the narrow streets. I think we were the only tourists in the town.
Tomorrow we keep moving and enjoying our absolutely gorgeous weather, so stay tuned!!

Day 4; Cruisin'

Today we were up early so as to catch our boat. We sailed around the Saronic Islands, visiting Hydra, Poros, & Aegina. Hydra is a beautiful island without motorized vehicles. They use donkeys...or pack horses...and you can pay to ride them. Good times
Poros was a quick stop after lunch on the boat to climb up to the clock tower for some stunning views. Last stop was Aegina, where we did an excursion to see the island, visit the Cathedral of Nektarios, and the well-preserved Temple of Aphaia. Got our pistachio ice cream,  and cruised back to Athens. The weather was perfect and a good time was had by all .
Tomorrow we're heading out of Athens to see more of Greece, so stay tuned!!

Day 3: Athens: Conquered it

What an amazing first full day in Athens! The weather was beyond beautiful today, thankfully, as we had a busy day.
First did a city tour with our local guide, Nina. Saw the Olympic Stadium, toured around the city, and then came the Acropolis. While it is a hike up,  the cool breeze felt delightful. The Acropolos is just as amazing as you'd think it would be. Just standing there, you just marvel at this wonder. Lunch is the Plaka district, followed by some shopping, and ending at the impressive Acropolis Museum.
Our evening was topped off at a dinner at a Greek evening with Greek food & dancing.
A long day, but memorable beyond words!!

#26: Grecian Odyssey

Today we spent a long day traveling, but it's all worth it. Our Spring Break trip 2018 takes us to Greece with 8 adults & 7 students. It's going to be a whirlwind week, but it's gonna be amazing!!
All our flights went well: MLI - MSP - AMS - ATH. GOOD alphabet soup fun!!
We were greeted in Athens by our lovely Tour Director, Maria, with whom I worked 4 years ago. Checked into our beautiful hotel, ate dinner, and headed for ATMs & ice cream....great finish for a really long travel day.
Tomorrow is all Athens & we cannot wait!!