Lesbos, Greece

Kalispera!
That means good evening. Its about 8:45pm here and about 1:45pm in NC. I still think that's crazy. Anyway yesterday we arrived in Mytilini, Lesbos, Greece from Canakkale, Turkey by public ferry. Yesterday we got to see Pergamon, the first hospital ever, and the first brick building ever(a temple for the egyptian gods). It was really fascinating. Today we had a free day here and it was very relaxing. We got up a little late and went to eat at this beautiful restaurant outside overlooking the Aegean sea for lunch. I feel so spoiled. Sarah and Kelly and I tried to go shopping and buy some greek clothes, but apparently the whole town shuts down from 2-5pm for a siesta. They never opened back up!! We walked around a bit and practiced our Greek. I know thank-you, please, hello and goodbye in Greek already. I am really picking up these different languages quickly. One of the challenges here is the completely different alphabet. In Turkey at least they had the same letters! The scenery is so breathtaking here. One of my favorite things about this area is that it is a tiny town. Most of the streets are cobblestone streets and the houses look like they are from an old movie. This area is so enchanting and I really love it. I do miss everyone at home a LOT though. I can't wait to come back to NC and see everyone. I have been able to get some great presents. Shopping is great here. Even though I never doubted it wouldn't be. Although you can't barter in Greece like you can in Turkey, it seems as if the clothes and items are cheaper here. I have yet to drink some ouzo, but I am sure it will be an experience when I do. Another great thing here and in Turkey too is the animals! I have seen SO many cats and dogs running around. I guess they are homeless but they are so friendly. Many of them are skinny and it is sad to see that but Kelly, Sarah and I have been able to sneak some food to them recently. We have been naming the dogs because we see the same ones running around the streets of Lesbos. I think I have more pictures of dogs and cats than I do of Troy and the Blue Mosque! haha. Not just kidding. I must get going to work some more in my journal and read some of my math homework tomorrow. Tomorrow evening we will be going to another island by ferry in Greece called Chios. I have a feeling that this location will be just as beautiful. Talk to you soon! I love you all!

Sapphotastic!

Hooray for Greek keyboards which have Greek but under the English letters and are much easier to negotiate.

I am typing in a cafe some 20 yards from the sea on the harbour of Mytilene in Lesbos. Lots of hotels/squares/shops called after Sappho, which is only right and proper - so far Alcaeus and Pittacus have only got slightly manky streets named after them! In an hour's time I am off to Skala Eressos to explore Sappho's birthplace and see how the tradition lives on. I am slightly nervous because there is only one bus and I will have to return tomorrow morning at 6.15 am (!) and I hope very much that all will be well with our group during their much-needed day off. We are generally well but tired and I for one am happy to have a couple of days off from classwork, much as I love it. Yesterday I taught a class on Greek lyric poetry on the ferry which I managed, but it was not ideal!

It is very good to be back in Greece. More soon.

Last night in İstanbul

And much as İ love Greece İ am going to be really sad when we leave Turkey on Tuesday evening - it really has been a great start to the trip. Highlight of today was definitely going to a 300-year old hamam (Turkish bath)where the women and men were borne off ın separate directions and we went into a huge marble-lined room full of arches and steam - I could see neither with my glasses on or off - and we were squeezed and pummelled and slid all over the slıppery marble floors and doused with hot and cold water alternately. We emerged pink and gleaming and wıth a great sense of well-being. Tomorrow to Troy...

Saturday nıght

And some Turkısh football team is very triumphant and very loud. After a whole lot of messing around and occasional cursing İ managed to get into this account via an ancient keyboard half of whose letters are rubbed away and some of whose letters do not exist ın English but no matter. İstanbul is a wonderful city, part western part Muslim, and full of interesting sights and people. Hearıng the call to prayer 5X a day really makes you feel that you are ın a foreign country. I was last here over 20 years ago and ıt has become much bigger and more prosperous but still surprisıngly friendly for a big city. Highlights of the day for me were - in high culture - seeing the remains of a bear 400000 years old and the bits and pieces Schliemann found and Troy and left in Turkey rather than distributing round his friends and in slightly less high culture buying a beautiful sleek black reversible suede/leather jacket in the grand bazaar. Nikole if you are reading this, you will like it very much...

In Turkeyyyy!!!!

It ıs now day 3 ın Istanbul and Kelly and Amanda (me) are bloggıng together, just so you know. We went to the Basilica Cıstern, the Egyptian Market, and Istanbul Archeological Museum, and the Grand Bazaar. The Cıstern was so amazıng. It was buılt ın 1450 BC and ıs now deep under ground. It was very cold down there! The Egyptian Market was very busy. We sat on tıny stools on the street and ate lamb kabobs for lunch. We then saw skeletons of ancıent people at the Museum. We fınıshed today's adventures by barganıng at the 4000 shops ın the Grand Bazaar. Kelly dıd a great job wıth her poker face! haha. They had beautıful sılk and cashmere pashmına scarfs. Our roommate (sarah) and Amanda (me) got some beautıful ones. They had theır fırst epıc class and ıt was very ınterestıng. We are now lookıng forward to the turkısh bath (wıth a possıbılıty of a massage :)) and the prıvate cruıse boat tomorrow! Love to you all!!! Amanda and Kelly!xoxox

Arrived in Istanbul

Well, we have arrived safely in Istanbul and had our first full day of sight-seeing. We visited the hippodrome, the Blue Mosque, and the Aya Sofia this morning. After lunch, we went to the Topkapl Palace. We got back to the hotel around 5:30 pm and had our History of Science and Math class until dinner time at 7:30. Everyone is now enjoying free time until curfew at midnight.

We have a little trouble with using the internet here. It seems even my blogpage directions are automatically translated into Turkish and I can't figure out how to change them. So, I may not be able to upload pictures yet, but will keep trying. Hope everyone is well back home!

On not knowing (modern) Greek

Note the Virginia Woolf reference - clearly I have way too many literary pretensions! Seriously, though, I have been resurrecting my modern Greek vocabulary, slowly and painfully, and sincerely hope that it will come back to me the moment I set foot on Greek soil. It's the romance of fragments, I guess - that just as somehow the Parthenon looks romantic and impressive, all bare and part-ruined, and we'd probably be appalled at the gaudy, excessively painted building that the 5th century Athenians created and saw every day, the same is true of mapping ancient Greek onto modern Greek - that somehow communication just wouldn't be as fun if I had a really sound knowledge of modern Greek syntax...

I am longing to be gone now - I have acquired my first digital camera, a cell phone and an MP3 player - never have I been so hi-tech on a trip, being a rather primitive sort of traveller by inclination, so this is quite a new departure for me in many ways...

All ready to go!

I am so excited about heading over seas! I have gotten a new backpack that will be perfect for a carry on and I am still able to stay under the weight limit with my other suit case. At first, I have to admit it thought it would be impossible for me, personally, to stay under the weight limit, but with a little compression, I was able to fit in all the stuff I need. The liquid requirements are a little difficult, but I guess I will be able to manage. I can't wait to see new buildings and take tons of pictures and have fun with this great group of people. My camera is ready. Two more days!!!