My Travels to Athens and Rome
Whoosh! It’s summer already and I’m late posting to this blog. Yes, I have reasons…my son graduated high school (as Valedictorian - moms are allowed to say these things) and there was so much preparation for the group party (we had a Greek themed party with flatbread, grilled chicken, and tzatziki). But before that,
I WENT TO ATHENS AND ROME!!!
My husband and I were asked to be chaperones, and let me tell ya, that’s a great excuse to take a trip with some really outstanding young people. Boy did we walk a lot, see a lot, taste a lot, and soak in a lot of culture, and every minute was so worth it all.
My son goes to a christian classical school, and this trip is the capstone of their education. Having studied years of ancient history, culture, literature (the classics and writings of philosophers and theologians), six years of latin, and 1 year of greek, the students get to embark on this voyage to see the architecture and ruins of what used to be the leaders of the known ancient world.
My biggest packing question was which camera lens to pack. I ended up going with my 35mm prime, which I did and did not regret. My 24-70mm lens is quite heavy, and I knew my shoulders and back would ache if I carried my “big” camera around all day. For this reason I’m glad I didn’t bring it. But, because I really, really like to create pleasing compositions in my viewfinder and crop in closer, I could not do this with my 35mm. For this reason I was really sad. Sure, I can edit my pictures now that I’m home, but honestly, who has time for cropping 5,188 photos or editing 333 video clips?
Of course I would love to have brought along a sketch journal, but I know myself better. I rarely make time to sketch when I travel - there is just so much to see that I don’t want to miss. I don’t know how you all do it. I save sketching for when I get home.
Our itinerary was roughly as follows…leave on Wednesday, fly all night and arrive on…
Greek Artist Shop
Church Paintings
Greek “bagel”
Thursday, Day 1: Arrival in Eleftherios Venizelos Airport. Toured the city by bus, learning about the important Parliament election to take place on Sunday - every single seat is up for re-election, every single time!! Stayed up and walked through city at our leisure. We ate delicious gyros, baked eggplant, and walnut honey salad at a local restaurant.
Friday, Day 2: Olympic Stadium, Acropolis Museum, Acropolis, Mars’ Hill, Place Shopping District. Wow! The Acropolis was just as majestic as you think, and our guide was incredibly knowledgable about the history, and we learned so many interesting things such as Greek medicine has always covered the entire human psyche and body, rather than just treating an isolated wound or ailment. Lunch at a local restaurant did not disappoint - in fact we all agreed that the food in Greece was the BEST!
Saturday, Day 3: Visit Sarconic Gulf/Corinthian Canal, Ancient Corinth, Chenchrea beach, evening dinner at a family run Olive Oil Plant/Restaurant/Greek Folklore Show. Corinth was my favorite place to see in Greece, as it was amazing to see the place where Paul lived for 18 months while establishing a church. He also defended himself there at the Bema, aka judgment hall, the foundations which remain today. After another great lunch and some shopping we stopped for a “brief” view of Cenchrea, where Paul left Greece to further his journey. Pillar remnants of the marine wharf remain in the water, as well as foundation stones, and we all lingered much longer, wading in the water and collecting a few tiny pebbles of all colors. In the evening we attended the Folklore Dinner - and these people know how to put on a show! The trained dancers got everyone involved in the easy 2-step circle dance (and some of us they conscripted into wearing the traditional national costumes - moi), and we grew louder and more celebratory as they handed us stacks of pottery plates to throw on the floor, just like a greek wedding! As if that weren’t enough the food was out-of-this-world! First we watched a demonstration of how olive oil used to be made and is today, then tasted the freshly pressed and bottled olive oil (and bought some to take home), then helped ourself to a buffet style smorgasbord of authentic and amazing Greek food - more than we could possibly eat. Our guide, who was many moons old (and may have been wearing just a wee too much blue eyeshadow, with 40 rings on her fingers, and a long blond, high-ponytail braid), had us in stitches with her off-the-cuff sense of humor.
Sunday, Day 4: Our new guide was a lot of fun - she didn’t look Italian, and indeed she wasn’t. She told us her heartwarming story of being adopted at age 16 by a couple from Rome. Having grown up in an orphanage in Belarus, she had never seen the outside world. Imagine the fun she had going to live in Rome! Though barely 30, she speaks 5 languages and is working on a sixth! We toured Peter in Chains (San Pietro in Vincoli)(oh my… I saw the statue of Moses - the one with the horns!!! It was beautifully sculpted), Palatine Hill (where Rome was founded), Colosseum, Arch of Constantine, Roman Forum & Arch of Titus, Mamertine Prison (Acts 27-28). This day was packed with so many wonderful things to see!
The splendor and power of Rome is on full display in the Forum, and I imagined what it must have looked like in its heyday. On the walkway of ancient attorney offices on the way to Mamertine Prison - where Peter and Paul both were kept before their execution by the emperor Nero, I thought about what they must have felt waiting for their punishment. The actual prison is below ground, and is just a dark, stone cell where food was thrown in from a hole in the ceiling. We drove past the ruins of the Circus Maximus - just a portion which has been uncovered - it is mostly grass today. All I could think of was Ben Hur racing his chariot against Messala. Each afternoon we walked through the city, stopping inside little shops and pausing for more gelato. In the evening we returned to the Colosseum and Arch of Constantine to see the lights.
Monday, Day 5: Though the night was late, we woke at the break of dawn and reached the airport by 6 am to fly to Rome on Aegean Airlines. After a 2 hour flight we arrived at Leonardo da Vinci-Fiumicino airport and met our guide who took us on a walking tour to Piazza Navona, the Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, and Spanish Steps. Everywhere we looked we saw other tourists, as well as locals. It truly is a tourist destination. But, I love the way Rome looks - there are Roman ruins on every corner, faded stucco buildings, and cobblestone pathways. You feel the warmth of the people and land, and the history of the worn stones. When we reached the famous Trevi Fountain, there were crowds of people, AND lots of police. The day before, climate activists had thrown charcoal into the water, turning it black. It had already been cleaned by the time we got there, but there were soooo many people! We did manage to toss our coin over our shoulder, and finish off with a nice cone of gelato to escape the heat. The circle of light inside the Pantheon was really worth seeing, along with the floor drains which allow rainwater to dissipate. In the evening we returned to the Trevi Fountain to see the lights.
Tuesday, Day 6: After a lovely breakfast we went to the Old Appain Way and Catacombs. Having never seen catacombs before, these had a huge impression on me. The bones were cleared away in the portion opened to the public, but my imagination didn’t do justice to what I thought the wall-shelves looked like. Basically, catacombs are tunnels and tunnels of pathways with carved-out niches from floor to ceiling where bones were laid. There are small side-rooms called crypts, of which the richest displayed beautiful wall paintings much like frescoes. We weren’t allowed to take photos inside, understandably, so you will just have to imagine them yourself. Our guide said that there are 64 known catacombs in Rome, and more expect to be found! In fact, she said when the plumber came to her home to fix a pipe under her house, he hit stone, and said he couldn't do any more work because it was clearly archeological. She says all of Rome is built upon ancient ruins, and I believe her! We toured Paul’s Basilica outside the Walls (founded by Constantine in 324 AD, supposedly over the burial place of Paul). Next was the Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran - the oldest church in the Western world and the place where all popes were crowned until the late 1800s. There is some dark history behind this church, as the Laternus family palace was confiscated by Emperor Nero and some people didn’t live to tell the tale. Later on Constantine gave the property to be used as a residence for popes, which it was for 1,000 years. We shopped again, and I found a beautiful leather journal in a stationery store called Manufactus (there are several in the city).
Wednesday, Day 7: Tour the Vatican Museum!! After passing through security we were all given headsets to be able to hear our guide speak, as the crowds were plentiful. On the grounds we saw the tower where the Astronomical Tower, built in the 16th century - where the Julian calendar was adjusted into the Gregorian calendar we use today. After walking through splendid rooms filled with treasures, and Raphael’s rooms filled with gorgeous paintings AND the “School of Athens,” we made our way past the Hall of Maps (one of my fav. rooms) into the Sistine Chapel to see Michaelangelo’s masterpiece ceiling. It was extraordinary to gaze at what I’ve longed to see all my life. The colors were vivid, and I didn’t expect to see all the beautiful wall paintings, as not much attention is given to them in school. Everyone stood in a center mass like sardines, and my feet hurt. There were benches along the walls, but no one gave up their spot. Guards kept barking at people to move on - and if you were in the pathway next to the benches, you would be pushed along by the river. And that’s exactly what happened to my son. He went left, and we all went right - into St. Peter’s Basilica. When we realized we lost him, we tried calling (phones didn’t work inside the Vatican), and then one chaperone who had already visited St. Peter’s before, volunteered to go to the front gate to try and find him. Upon entering St. Peter’s Basilica, I had one goal, and one goal only - to see Michelangelo’s famous Pieta statue. Why? Because ever since I was a child and read From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, I wanted to see this famous statue. Sure - her statue was named “Angel” and was actually a da Vinci masterpiece, but the kids thought it was Michelangelo’s. This lovely depiction of Mary and Jesus after he was taken down from the cross is every bit as delicate and magnificent as I had imagined. One interesting fact is that after Michelangelo made his statue and delivered it, he crept back inside to carve his name on the front because people didn’t believe a 23 year old had made it. In St. Peter’s Square (the one with the tall *Egyptian obelisk) we found my son. Since we were famished (it was 3 pm), we ate at the first cafe we found.
Thursday, Day 8: After an early breakfast, we left the fascinating city of Rome. I will remember it as a people-filled city of untold stories, archaeological ruins, motorcycles, good food, time-worn patina, and beauty. I would love to return, as Rome was not built in a day, nor can one discover all her secrets in just the few days we had there.
If you’ve read this far, you probably want to go to Greece and Rome. I hope your dreams come true! When the kids went back to school, the art teacher, who was along on the trip, arranged a painting day. I joined them and attempted to paint this girl from Raphael’s room. It was fun but challenging as I’m not trained in portrait painting.
Anyways, go make some art today!
*Incidentally, there are 8 ancient Egyptian obelisks placed all over Rome (plus 5 ancient Roman ones). The first was brought in AD 37 because Emperor Caligulus wanted one in his Circus Maximus. Others soon followed from the conquered city of Heliopolis. Interestingly, God had told the prophet Jeremiah that those obelisks would not remain standing in Heliopolis, when he complained about God’s people disobeying by leaving the ruined city of Jerusalem and going to Egypt to live when they were supposed to return and the exile and rebuild Jerusalem. (Jer. 43:13)