June 24: Travel to Nafplion

So my worst nightmare happened this morning, we woke up late for our trip to leave and almost missed the bus. We had to leave at 7:45 and Perri and I woke up at 7:55. I got the initial alarm to get up at 6:30 put I tur

ned that off knowing that my alarm clock would go off in about a half hour. Well my alarm clock went off

but for some reason I just didn't want to get up. Like at all, and I guess I was just tired from the night before staying up late packing and sitting on the roof talking to everyone that I just turned my alarm off. Only to be woken up by Bronson knocking on our door at 5 till 8. Well frankly I was pissed off that I had slept in that late and second that Bronson was laughing as Perri and I are walking around with our heads cut off like chickens with sports bras and soffees on. But we made it. We were late and super hungry but all in all we were okay.

Now the bus trip sucked. Our first pit stop was at Eleusis where the Eleusisian mysteries took place. The

harvest goddess Demeter collected many offerings there. One of the reasons the Elusisian Mysteries are a well mystery is because no one knows what took place there. The mysteries were present for 3,000 years and yet not one person leaked. Or if they did it must have been considered a huge ordeal and

quickly put to a stop. Nothing is known about the initian process but that anyone who wanted to be included in the mysteries was accepted on the condition that they spoke minimal Greek. Even children and Roman Emperors were inducted. It seems there was a profession of faith that took here for what else could keep thousands making that hard, arduous pilgrimage to Eleusis?

I get car sick easily…enough said but I pulled through and we arrived at the Corinth Canal 40 minutes later. The canal was so deep!! I definitely didn't expect that. We got kebabs for 1.20 Euro, by far the cheapest lunch I have ordered. I ordered in Greek too! Boro na eho ena kebab parakolo. It was great. Although the guy asked me what part of Greece I was from and I was pretty much lost after that. The ride to Acrocorinth was slightly dizzying, but enjoyable nonetheless. Imagine a mountain…and then having the locals call it a small hill..I thought they were crazy. This was for sure a mountain in the States, but I guess the Ancient Greeks definitely knew how not to be killed: build a fortress on the highest hill in one area, build walls that are feet thick, then a huge sanctuary and town to go along with it. Presto, now you have the old city of Corinth. Now climb this hill in 30 minutes.

Ready, set, go! Well we did it in 30 minutes flat, go team! It was so windy but the view was worth everything. WJ, (McCoy) lectured on the old city of Corinth and its vast occupations that took over the city. As well as the wealth of Corinth and how they established there name through trading and exports. We were then given free time to climb all over the rocks and you can be sure that we did. Bronson and I climbed several cliffs and even the top of the castle walls! The views were righteous!! And so breathtaking. Kodak moments for sure. We visited the Glauke fountain in Corinth were the water supply of Corinth was maintained as well as the bathhouses, shops, and stadium starting blocks for races. We were so tired when we finally arrived at Nafplion that I wanted to take a nap so bad!! But instead we got all situated and decided to take an hour to get ready and eat at the Narapiou taverna. It was a traditional Italian and Greek cuisine and I ordered pasta Arabiata. It felt good t

o be out of Athens and the hussle and bustle and be able to experience the life and culture of a city that was just as vibrant if not more on a smaller scale. Oh in our hotel we found out that McCoy's Colleague is also taking students on a

study abroad trip from Texas tech. They have been in Nafplion for 15 days. We went to an internet café with them which was super sweet. I am in it now writing this/ watching the world cup/putting up pictures. Anddd some of them are really cute!! After dinner we got ready to go out, we thought that we would see if we could find a dance club to go to since Athens was too congested and after walking around for an hour we found a light house type gizmo and sat as a group and talked about well everything, how much we loved this city for three days and how we wished that we could stay longer. Although the hotel was freezing I slept well that night, mush better than at Nafplion.