The Road Less Traveled...

From Athens, to Corinth, to Epidaurus, to Mycenae, to Olympia..... Today was a full day of travel through lush landscapes, iconic landmarks, and short stops and visits to an ancient theater, palace, tomb, and modern Grecian pottery shop!

our first stop was at Epidaurus - the most complete example of an Ancient Greek amphitheater that still exists... It was amazing to walk up and down the stairs, relax in the seats, and listen to the acoustics that the Greeks had designed so many centuries ago!

Our next stop was in Mycenae... We visited the Acropolis of Mycenae - the palace and stronghold of King Agamemnon. This site dates back to the 14th century BC!!! The surrounding landscapes were unreal. At one point, Ellie turned to me and exclaimed that there was so much incredible farm land in every direction. I smiled and thought - that was a very thoughtful "Wyoming" -like observation to make! We had quite the lesson grounded both in history and mythology by a clever local guide where we learned that Morgan has quite a bit of background in Mythology... :-) When we finished touring and learning, we had an opportunity to enjoy the best fresh squeezed orange juice imaginable! We then ventured on to Agamemnon's father's tomb where we faced a swarm of bees head on to enter the dark, swampy-smelling cave/tomb. We then ate lunch at a rather posh Greek restaurant in Mycenae and said goodbye to our local guide, Theodore - who Garrett, Jack, & Jer seemed especially attached to... :-)

After leaving Mycenae, we ventured forwardtoward Olympia, stopping along the way to visit a lovely artisan shop full of handmade pottery and statues where we also observed a brief Greek pottery demonstration! We are still in the bus, closing in onOlympia where we will stay for the night, and we are surrounded by beautiful landscapes out of every window!! When we arrive, we will enjoy another dinner together and settle in for the night!