Athens and Santorini

Here are a few pictures from my first two weeks:

Me in front of the old Olympic Stadium in Athens. I met a couple from Poland and they took my picture and gave me loads of advice about where to go and what to eat in Poland - they were also really impressed that someone from North America was visiting Eastern Europe and not just Western Europe. I wish I had gotten a picture with them as they were really cool.

This is a shot in front of a building in downtown Athens, I was taking pictures and I met Sergei, from Russia obviously, and we both took a picture for each other in front of this building which had beautiful architecture. We got to talking and agreed that even if our countries can't get along, there's hope for the average man!

The Parthenon on top of The Acropolis, in Athens. The reconstruction and preservation can be seen minimally in this shot, but it's a big project and was a bit of a bummer to have all the work going on while viewing it - but it was still remarkable and impressive and I would definitely love to go back!

This is one of my favorite shots, me on the island of Santorini, which I loved and never wanted to leave. This is in the picturesque traditional section of Oia (pronounced E-ah). It was so beautiful there. Met some Canadian guy there who took this shot for me and we ended up talking soccer - big surprise right?

This is one of many shots of the sunset at Oia I took 2 nights ago, my final night on that island before leaving for the island of Naxos. I thought this was a real nice shot, and came out better than most of my shots since my camera is less than impressive. It's still been one of the few sunsets I've seen while in Europe, but I'm hoping to have some nicer ones when I hit Austria and Switzerland as well. : )

Unbelievable

That's about the only word to describe this right now. Unbelievable. To think that my friends are back at school, or working away at jobs - and I'm going to stroll around in Greece today just blows my mind.

This picture is from the highest point in Athens, where you can look out over the city. It was an exhausting hike up to the top, but well worth it. I made the hike up Lycabetus Hill with my German roommate, Arne. He was out in Greece on holiday and was also looking to see more of the world and learn about some of Greece's history firsthand.

First Night

So I spent my first night ever in Europe, on a rooftop bar, looking up at the illuminated Acropolis in Athens, Greece while talking with people from Canada, Australia, Brazil, England, and a girl from California to boot! It was absolutely unreal. This picture came out so messed up that I found it pretty cool and opted to use it on the blog instead of a shot of scenery.

All my shots ended up coming out blurry that evening as well. Perhaps it was a testament to what was going on, but it certainly gave an accurate representation of what I was seeing. So perhaps it's for the best.

Bon Voyage

In two days, I leave the comforts of home and the USA behind indefinitely, for the simple pleasures of the road. With a one-way ticket, a backpack, and a thirst for knowledge and adventure I will confidently board that plane at 5:25 P.M. and head off to Europe, without looking back. Free to roam the continent as I please.