Athena Blogs

Two weeks until show time.

Everyday I get up and bounce back and forth between the painting studio and darkroom. Everyone is starting to feel the time crunch. It is a little stressful knowing that we only have that long to make our work for the final show, but also exciting to work in the studios with everyone. It helps that my photography project is something new for me. Even thought I am a photo major, I have never experimented with night photography.

I absolutely love it.

Even with all of the work we have to do, we still find time to make sure we are having fun outside of the studio and enjoying the last of out time in Greece. Even on rainy nights we grab our umbrellas and head out.

In some ways everything has slowed down, but it may just be the calm before the storm. Last weekend was my first weekend on Paros without some kind of trip to another island. With friends in Rome for a long weekend, I finally had a chance to relax.

I spent my weekend switching from the darkroom to the painting studio. It may be "work" but it is what I want to do. That is what is so amazing about being here. I "have" to do exactly what I want to do anyway, so it never really seems like work and I never dread class or what we have to do for it.

Although things are pretty calm right now, it is time to begin working on our pieces for the final show. I hope I can look back and see progress in my work here, so I started documenting my work. Since I am in painting and photography I have two projects to do. Let the fun begin!

Watercolor paintings in Turkey

The Orange Flash

Having unforgettable experiences on a weekly basis has now become my norm. Last Sunday, Halloween, was the 2500 anniversary of the Athens classic marathon.

The 42km marathon course takes the same route the Ancient Greek messenger, Phiedippides, ran in 960BCE from Marathon to Athens to bring word of victory over the Persians. The marathon finishes with a lap in the Olympic Stadium where the Olympic games were born.

Although I do love to run, a full marathon was too daunting. The 10km road race seemed like the race for me. Dressed in my bright orange spandex D&G boxer briefs and matching orange shirt from the Turkish bazaar, I line up for the start bursting with anticipation. We took the first 5km at a good steady pace, then switched being leaders and puling each other through the herd for the second half.

Finally, for the last lap in the Olympic stadium we gave it all we had left. Adorned with my medal, I walked away from the stadium of champions pleased with my time of 57min 49sec.

The Olympic stadium

The first leg of our journey to Turkey was to the Greek island of Samos. It seems the further from the Greek mainland I am the more I like the islands, maybe it's the farther I am from Athens. Samos immediately had a different feeling than other islands. The architecture is more varied with elements of Venetian and Turkish styles. Although I enjoy white washed buildings with blue shutters, it was refreshing to see more color variation.

Exhausted and hungry from the long ferry rides all we managed to do before collapsing into bed was walking to the waterfront to eat dinner. Our waiter was very enthusiastic about the island and drew all over the tablecloth map, showing us all the best places to visit.

That night the atmosphere spat out a storm with incredible force. Constant flashes of lighting illuminated the streets that were transformed into rushing rivers. The rain fell in sheets, rhythmically pounding on the window as the thunder rattled them.

In the morning the weather seemed to have calmed, so we walked to the Samos archaeological museum and saw among other artifacts, a 20 foot kouros. Then, we all hopped in cars and stared up the mountains for a drive around the island to see other villages and historic sites. We only made it as far as Pithagoria before the atmosphere started stirring again.

We took shelter in a café as the wind whipped the pouring rain and once again turned the streets into rivers. Then came the hail and stronger wind, snapping the awning off of the café. Once the skies calmed we decided to go back to the port town, Vathi, to wait for the ferry to Turkey rather than risking getting caught in the middle of another raging storm.

Breathtaking. The closest I can come to explaining the sunset and my feelings on the ferry to Turkey. Behind the ferry the sun forced rays through the clouds and a double rainbow hovered above the coast of Turkey.

Hotel Canberra welcomed Kate, Patricia, and me with an incredible pink room. That restaurant, run by a Turkish family, hosted our group dinner. All of the people that waited on us were obviously related, and just as equally welcoming. Once the food started coming it didn't stop. Baba ganoush, hummus, spicy tomato dip, and stewed eggplant in tomato is where I stopped but the servers kept it coming with stuffed mushrooms, mushroom puffs, fried cheese rolls, and skewered meats. The best part was the never-ending plate of steaming flatbread you could see them rolling out and baking in the restaurant.

Sunday morning we headed into the hills to Sirince, and old Greek village. Colorful shops selling with textiles, scarves, and jewelry, old women knitting next to their hand made crafts, and cozy rooms with fireplaces serving as tasting rooms for fruit wines lined the narrow cobblestone paths that seemed to get even narrower and disappeared the further up the hill you got.

Wanting to spend more time with the landscape than taking the bus back to the hotel would allow, some of us decided to walk the 9 miles back. Other than the out of place wildlife we passed fruit orchards and rural Turkey. The walk took about 2 hours, and was worth ever second.

That night in need of some relaxation we hung out at Musa's drinking apple tea and playing with his costumes before heading out to eat. Turkish pizza and an Efes (Turkish beer), enough said.

A 1 hour bus from Selcuk to Izmir, 1 ½ hour flight to Kayseri, followed by another 1 hour bus to Cappadoccia seemed like nothing given the drastic change in the landscape. As our plane landed the buildings looked like colorful scattered legos, then as we entered Cappadoccia the rolling hills dramatically changed into stalagmites resembling elf houses. Our hotel room was in a cave with the selves carved right into the wall, and a roof top patio where we were served breakfast as we watched the hot air balloons take off.

To celebrate our first night, Kate, Patricia, and I found a cozy corner in Goreme Restaurant. We took off our shoes and settled onto out pillows next to the old man that was singing and playing his oud and violin. The atmosphere would have been enough, but the food made the night even better. Our wine came out in a clay pot, the bread was steaming, and the hummus was the best I have had since going abroad. We sat for hours eating, drinking, and watching the old man play and sing.

Tuesday we explored sites around Cappadoccia. Our first stop was the underground city where people use to take refuge during wars. The city went down eight stories and had everything from stables, to living quarters, to meeting halls, to churches. The farther down we went the narrower and shorter the hallways got, I almost had to crawl to get through. We stopped to taste the wine of Cappadoccia at a small wine tasting room, Kocabag wine from 2008. Then we visited a ceramics workshop where we watched a master spin a pot in less than 5 minutes.

The showroom was overwhelmingly colorful, with each piece differently patterned various colors. Our last stop was the Goreme open-air museum. We walked between various stalagmites that were mostly churches with frescos inside that had been partially destroyed by the iconoclasts. There were also kitchens black from smoke, and dining halls with the table and benches carved right from the rock of the cave.

That night we went to “Turkish night.” I was excited to see whirling dervishes and other traditional dances, but got a tourist show instead. The dinner was bland and some of the costumes looked like Halloween costumes from a department store. We still had a fun night, but next time I'm in Turkey I want to see a real ceremony.

For our last morning in Cappadoccia we drove out to Rainbow Ranch to go horseback riding. Seemed like the thing to do considering Cappadoccia means, “land of beautiful horses.” The horses were beautiful, and very spunky. Some of the horses seemed on the verge of being crazy, and had a lot of personality. I rode an Appalachian, who at one point decided he didn't want to wait for the rest of the group and would rather roll in the dirt.

At first I thought he was going lame, I managed to get off as her fell over with only a few scratches only to realize that her was gleefully rolling in the dirt. Jerk. Brushed off and hopped back on for the rest of the ride. They took us through a valley under pigeon houses that people had carved into the rocks and through a small village with cobblestone streets.

Back in Selcuk Thursday we went to Ephesus. Even more amazing than the huge stone theaters or the towering entrance to the library is the fact that what we saw was not even 15 percent of the ancient city. The rest of the city lies under the hills next to the excavated section, archeologists still haven't figures out how to uncover the rest of the city without destroying it or what they have already uncovered. For lunch we all went to a place they called the Tree House. We climbed up into an elevated pavilion where we all sat on pillows and ate Turkish pancakes.

The pancakes are more like tortillas with savory or sweet filling. After lunch Kate and me went to Hamami, a Turkish bath. After changing into towels that felt more like small tablecloths we went into a hot marble room. An old man pointed to a bench for us to sit, dumped buckets of water on our heads, then pointed for us to lie down on the raised marble in the middle of the room.

There were three guys there about our age chatting like they were at a café or bar. After soaking up the heat of the stones I was exfoliated with a rough lufah, I could feel the grime washing away. Then on another marble slab with another old Turkish man I was soaped up and rubbed down again. After a quick rinse in a cold shower I went upstairs for the oil massage. The massage was deep and felt good after a busy week. None of it was awkward or uncomfortable, but it is weird to say that the last time anyone saw me that naked was an old Turkish man.

After over 3 hours on a bus in a week already full of traveling, my expectations for Pamukkale were pretty high.

I was not disappointed.

Pamukkale, meaning “cotton castles” in Turkish, looks like it is covered in snow from a distance. The “cotton” was formed from calcium minerals left by flowing water.

Hot springs and travertines are scattered all along the cliff and have some of the smoothest mud I have ever felt. If I didn't have my camera I would have smothered myself in it, I had to be satisfied with squishing it between my toes. Yet another surreal experience in Turkey.

Our last day in Turkey we went to the huge Saturday bazaar. There was pile after pile of fruits, vegetables, nuts, and spices lining the streets. Further down were stands with heaps of clothing, scarves, and other textiles. The sights and sounds, the hustle and bustle, the haggling, the vibrancy of the colors, all combining to form a rhythmic harmony, this is Turkey.

To say our farewell to Turkey we had a group dinner at the Old House Garden restaurant. I wanted to keep eating stuffed eggplant boats, not get a real boat and go back to Greece.

Even after all of the Cycladic islands I have been to by now, I always end up coming back to Paros thinking it's the best…until now. Even though I only spent one night there, Naxos has taken over as my favorite. It immediately felt less touristy, even at the port. Then as we made our way through the winding streets its unique character began to show even more.

Our first night we were free to wonder. Walking along the coast we saw the most amazing sunset, better than Ia. After that, our first night we were not very Greek. We went out for Mexican food at Picasso. The food was amazing, maybe in part because I haven't had Mexican in over a month, but it definitely hit the spot. After eating at least a couple meals worth of food we made our way to a Mexican bar. Pablo, a Brazilian server, tried to teach us how to salsa…tried. When we got back to our hotel, even though it was 3am, me and Kate sat out by the pool for about an hour getting life advice from Moses, a little grey kitten. Sunday we got to see more of Naxos's vast landscape. First our bus winded its way to the temple of Demeter, the goddess of grain. Demeter and Dionysus, the God of wine and fun, are the most glorified deities on the island due to its dependence on agriculture. Then we visited Apiranthos, a little village nestled inland among the rolling hills. The village was slow paced and peaceful, not at all a tourist destination.

A few friends and I broke off from the group to wonder. On one path we met an old woman carrying some apples. She got really excited when Patricia wanted to take her picture. She grabbed Kate by the arm and lead her up the path so they could sit by some potted flowers for the picture. She was grinning from ear to ear. Then she asked for a pen and disappeared into her house. She wrote down what I think is her name and address. After disappearing into her house again she returned with pictured that other travelers must have sent her, I now have a mission to uncover what she wrote and mail her a picture. Up another path we decided to try some of the grapes that were growing over the path, delicious. Back to the bus, our last stop was to see a giant kouros.

Naxos is definitely a place to return to.

A Greek sunrise.

Studio classes are really starting to pick up. We had our first painting critique last week. I surprised myself at what I could produce if I put enough time and effort into it. Our first assignment was a triptych. Other people’s work inspired me rather than making me feel intimidated.

Our first photo critique was also last week. It was interesting getting used to a new darkroom, but I finally found my favorite enlarger and got back into the swing of things. It was extremely rewarding to actually print after all of the shooting I have been doing. Our next assignment, due this Friday is two different themes with 4 photographs each. I thought I was on top of my game and went to Naussa Sunday to shoot. Not so fast, my film was blank. Trying to make up time I got up before the sun on Monday so that I could at least make up so shooting time in Parikia. Tuesday morning back in the lab at the crack of dawn…blank. I WILL NOT LET MY CAMERA BE BROKEN! One more roll. Finally whatever I was doing wrong, or what ever was happening with my camera is better. I missed out on three rolls of film, but feel better knowing my camera is ok. Besides, it’s a good excuse to go back to Naussa!

A Greek cave.

Last Friday, me and three friends decided to get up at 6:30am and climb a mountain. We left whe it was still dark and the sunrise was incredible. At first it was subtle and simple started to get lighter, than the sky turned a delicate pink and orange casting its majestic glow all across the island. The hike was definitely worth all of the bushes that look like they have needles in them.

On Saturday we went to Antiparos, only 15 minutes from Paros by ferry. It was chillier than it has been; the air felt crisp and refreshing, not cold. Our first stop was an amazing cave with a twisting staircase going down into its depths. After the cave we stopped by some of the few taverns on the coast where we catching our boat. Our boat driver was an old man with very short shorts a tied up shirt, and a red bandana. He drove us to sea caves where we all jumped off of the boat to swim around. Before heading home, we all fell asleep on the beach from exhaustion. All in all, a great day.

Looking at Greece's beauty

Every day here seems to last an eternity…in the best way.  Last weekend was the long awaited trip to Santorini.  Even though we only spent one full day there, we did as much as I might expect if we had AT LEAST a week.  The ferry ride only took 3 hours.  As we approached the island the cliffs of brick red and gold shimmered above the turquoise waters.  After driving the never ending switchback up the cliff we arrived at our little pastel colored Villa Popi in the town of Fira.  Of course Brittany and me ended up with the only room with one bed, it seems we always end up in strangely romantic situations.  I guess its just unavoidable no matter who you are with in Greece.  After a little exploring, the whole crew went out to dinner.  The fava melted in my mouth, the best I have ever had. 

Saturday was the epic day.  We started out walking down the cliff on a rock and donkey poop switchback.  The donkeys don’t seem to notice if anything or anyone is in their war, or they just want revenge for having to carry oversized people up and down the mountain all day, and plow right by you.  When we got to the bottom we boarded a boat that looked like a pirate ship with Mama Santorini as our guide. 

Santorini

Out first stop was the Nea Kameni volcano, undoubtedly still active from the smell of sulfur and the smoke rising out of various crevices.  As we struggled to follow Mama Santorini up the rocky mountain she assured us that she was no super woman, she had just been up the volcano 3000 times, knew every rock, and happened to be a mountain goddess. After stomping around the volcano for a few hours we boarded our pirate ship and headed for the hot springs.  Since there was no port, we jumped off the boat and swam to the springs and their glorious, smelly, brown mud.  All of the sights are breathtakingly powerful; feeling pity for anyone who doesn't have good enough eyes to see everything I left my glasses behind at the bottom of the Aegean Sea for a nearsighted mermaid.  I can only handle so much beauty. 

Our stop for lunch was Thirassia, another small island left abandoned after the volcanic eruptions.  We decided this was the place for our donkey ride; we hopped on and rode to the top.  My donkey seemed to be racing and would not let any other pass him.  We got back onto the pirate boat one last time to head for Ia, the city of the sunset.

Back in Ia we went cliff jumping.  From the water and even from the top of the cliff it really didn’t seem that high.  Like jumping off the high dive, right?  Wrong, the fall seemed to go on forever, it was fantastic!

Cliff jumping!

Walking up the switchback from the water to Ia was exhausting, no donkeys this time.  Too salty and exhausted to do much we went back to our hotel to shower.  Second wind!  After waiting for more people to get back and shower, me and some girls went out to eat around 10 to a little place on a rooftop.  After dinner we decided to go out, and danced all night.  Eventually, about 3:30am, we went back to the hotel where we jumped in the pool for an early morning swim before collapsing into our beds. 

I have not even been in Greece for a month, but as I walked off the ferry in Parikia towards Jimmy’s apartments, I felt like I was going home.

Fun with friends!

It's fascinating how different some of the Cycladic Islands are from one another. Sunday we went to Delos and Mykonos. Delos is an extremely sacred place to Greeks, being the birthplace of Apollo and Artemis.

They myth goes that Artemis and Apollo were born on Delos because their mother, Leta, was the victim of Hera's jealousy. Hera's husband, Zeus, became obsessed with Leta and convinced her to have sex with him. When Hera found out Leta was pregnant with Zeus' children she kidnapped the goddess of childbirth and threatened anyone who offered Leta any help giving birth.

One myth claims that Poseidon felt sorry for Leta and stuck his sword into a rock he fetched from the bottom the ocean forming Delos Island for Leta to give birth on. Artemis, knowing that her mother could not give birth without help emerged from her as a grown woman, proceeding to help her mother give birth to her brother, Apollo. In the 5th century all of the graves were dug up in one of the steps taken to purify the island for the proper worship of the gods. To this day it is illegal to be born or to die on the island.

Delos is an island of ruins, with a spectacular view of the surrounding islands from the top of Mount Kynthos where it is believes that Homer went to to write. On the top of the mount there are numerous small rock sculptures, of course I had to get in on it too and left my mark.

Mykonos was another bustling town with even narrower winding streets than Paros. Supposedly there are pelicans there that can get over 200 pounds, but none that I saw. There was, however a spectacular line of old windmills on a bluff. We walked the winding streets exploring the little shops before boarding the ferry back to Paros.

Mykonos

Delos

Never did I think that my life could be so affected in 10 days. I arrived in Athens on the 6th after an 11-hour flight from Atlanta, running on about 5 hours of sleep over the past few days. I got my passport stamped, got rid of my American dollars and my adventure began. I opted for the metro to get to the Dioskouros Hostel, wanting to be engulfed by the city and the people.

I got off at the right stop and eventually found the hostel after wondering the wrong way for a while. I was ready to get away from my bags but eager to get back out to explore Athens. I recognized some girls I thought were a part of Athena Abroad introduced myself and had lunch with them. That night we went out to a fancy restaurant for appetizers and wine before we went out for dinner. The charming Greek waiter gave us each a glass of free wine.

The most gratifying part was seeing people’s faces as they ate food they had never had. Many felt as if they had never really tasted before. The restaurant brought all of their small dishes for you to choose and share at the table, foreign to some, but felt like home to me.

The Acropolis

Only having a few days in Athens, I made the most of every minute I had. My first day started at the Acropolis. I was a little disappointed by the herds of tourists at first, but forgot all about them as I gazed in amazement at the monument I had learned about but only ever saw in pictures. The view from the lookout is a breathtaking panoramic of all of Athens.

Our next stop was the few remaining pillars of the temple of Zeus. Then we managed to live crossing a few streets to get the original Olympic stadium. We kept our clothes on, but kicked off our shoes and ran on the track of champions. After lunch and a short rest we ventured out again. We made our way through the national gardens to the Parliament building to see the changing off the guards.

Racing at Olympic Stadium

Guarding the tomb of the Unknown Soldier is an honor and it showed in the guards as they stood completely still in the hot sun as crowds of tourists gawked at them and took their picture. That night we went back to the same restaurant for dinner with 16 people. Two of the professors arrived as well as more students.

Pulled my Chaco straps tight and set out for day two of taking in as much of Athens as I could. First stop was the acropolis museum, just as breathtaking as The Acropolis itself. The top floor is set up in the same way and with the original dimensions of the Parthenon freeze on the wall, and the freeze with the metopes and triglyphs above. They even have the pediments set up with some original pieces and some reconstruction. Seeing the set up only added to my amazement of the immense scale and detailed craftsmanship of the temples and sculptures.

A short hike from the museum is the Ancient Angora, resembling more of a rocky tree scattered field than a once bustling market, and the birthplace of Greek democracy. Similar to the other ruins I visited, there was beauty in the mystery of what could have been and the attempt to preserve what little is left. Venturing further from the Acropolis we visited the ancient cemetery. The cemetery, however, was quite alive... with turtles.

After fulfilling the art historical dork in me, I got to see more of contemporary Athens cultures I watched a street performer blow enormous bubbles for gleeful children, scavenged for treasures at the flea market, and walked through winding back streets as the sun started to set on my last day in Athens. That night over 20 people from the abroad program had dinner together. Then a few of us ventured back into the winding back streets to a little restaurant where there was live music and people dancing.

Once the music was done we found a bar down the street with a sprawling outdoor space in the back. After meeting some locals and talking to them for a while we decided we should head back. 4am, back at the hostel with enough time for a one-hour power nap before getting up to catch the ferry to Paros.

The ferry to Paros was 4 hours of perfectly clear turquoise water, brilliant sunshine, sleeping travelers, and smoking Greeks. A 10-minute walk from the port and we arrived at Jimmy’s apartments, our home for the next three months. I couldn’t be happier. I have a little kitchenette, a bathroom, a bed and wardrobe, and a patio with a lemon tree. What more could I want? After a quick look around I rummaged through my suitcase for my swimsuit, walked the 2 blocks back to the beach with a few other girls, and purified myself in the crystal clear waters of the Aegean Sea.

Showered, unpacked, and in an untouchable state of bliss I met up with the HISA group for a walking tour of the city. They showed us the art studios and the classroom at the school before treating us to dinner.

I decided to have some time on my own with the island in the morning, and found a bakery and vegetable stand that I will likely visit quite frequently. The bread was fresh and aromatic, and the vegetables were full and colorful. As much fun as it has been eating so much, I was looking forward to cooking for myself too.

Paros Island

Sunday we took a tour of Paros Island. Kolibithres beach had magnificent smooth rocks. Then we visited the next big town, Naussa, where we saw a 17th century Venetian fort. Next, we went to the old capital of Paros, Lefkes, which now has more people in the cemetery than living. Finally we rounded out our tour at Piso Lavadi beach.

Classes finally started this week. It feels good to look forward to going to my classes. I had a hard time deciding, I want to take them all but know I need to limit myself in order to get everything I can out of each class as well as enjoy all that the island has to offer. I decided on black and white photography, painting, goddesses, and historical sights. Photography was a given, but I decided to try painting even though it intimidates me.

This trip is all about learning about myself and having new experience, so decided to push myself out of my comfort zone and try something new. Sara, the professor, is one of the most passionate people about her craft I have encountered and seems to have a lot to give.