A Moment to Breathe

So I have just a moment now between lunch, finishing my Archaeology essay and the beginning of my History class, so I'll try to be about as thorough as I can about last week in the next ten minutes. Will post photos as soon as I get a chance.

Monday
For Archeology we went to the Keramiokos cemetary again. Not much to say. After a while even I get sick of looking at old rocks, which is primarily what is left of the Keramiakos.

In history we had midterms (yay). At least it was an essay exam.

That night I had to work on a presentation with Consuelo (one of two other English majors on the trip and just a nifty person in general). We were at CYA until 8 or 9 pm, but on the way home she showed me this place in our neighborhood that makes gyros to go for 2.50 euro that are super tasty. I've been going there every chance I get since then.

Tuesday
We spent 4 hours at the National Archeological Museum looking at pots. Again, there are only so many pots a person can handle. Consuelo and I gave our presentation on women in vase painting, and our whole group got yelled at by an angry Greek man for sitting on the floor during a presentation about Panathenaic vases.

Our history professor seemed to notice how exhausted we all were, so in his class we ended up just watching a really terrible 80's vintage Greek film about mosaics and the emperor Justinian.

Wednesday
After nearly three weeks in Athens, we finally made it to the Acropolis. It was apocalyptically hot and humid, but nifty nonetheless to be on the acropolis. Except of course that you aren't actually allowed to touch anything and they're reconstructing the Parthenon to what it would have looked like in the Classical era (a decision I'm not exactly sure I agree with, reconstruction is a delicate science).

Thursday
Acropolis, episode 2. We finished discussing the Parthenon, etc, and got to climb up the Areopagus hill where murder trials were held in ancient Greece.

For History class, we went to the museum of Islamic art, which is the best museum of it's kind in all of Europe. It was pretty nifty, but they didn't let us take any pictures at all, which is really too bad because the stuff there is gorgeous.

That night Gussi convinced me to go out with her and we had a good time with a group of LC students and CYA students at a bar in the neighborhood of Pangrati.

Friday
Hardcore essay writing time at CYA all day. That evening Young Chris and Gussi and I went in search of a dance club and discovered the nightlife of the Monastiraki neighborhood which is amazing. We failed at finding a club, and missed the last metro back home so we walked around for like two hours and eventually found our way home. Then Chris and I climbed up to the monastary again for the view, but it was too windy and cold to stay for long. A good night overall.

I suppose I'll cover the weekend in the next post. Now it's time for class.