Third Highest Hill in Athens

The 10 hour plane ride from Philadelphia was not the most comfortable - it never is. We all tried to get some sleep with varying degrees of success. I managed 3 hour-long segments and tried various positions buttressed by 2 airline pillows and a travel pillow for my neck.

We got euros from the airport ATM and Dimitri, holding a sign that read Xavier group, shepherded us aboard a bus for the 45 minute ride to this Candia Hotel (now sporting a new Best Western sign) where XU has been bringing its students for several years. Here, away from the more touristy areas, Dr. Shannon Byrne gave us an orientation tour of our surroundings; the grocery, the laundromat, the local bar, signposts to help us get around. Then we walked a few blocks to the metro station where we received our metro passes, good for one week. Like a good tour leader, she gave us a number as she handed out our passes. This is for counting off, in Greek, when collecting the group before leaving a venue, to be sure she has us all in tow. My number is 14, dekatessura. Dr. Dewey is last, number 15.

Then she explained to us that she knew we were tired but we should try not to sleep until after dinner at 8:00, to avoid jet lag. And just to help us stay awake she said we'd go on a little walk around the base of the Acropolis. So, we took the metro a few stops and then walked and walked and walked. She wasn't kidding. She was not going to give us a chance to sleep. We saw Socrates'prison, Mars Hill and when we thought we'd had enough, we climbed to see the monument to Pilopappas on top of the third highest hill in Athens. The view was spectacular. I said to Dr. Dewey, fellow student in my Greek class, that no postcard or picture ever does it justice. Each time one sees the Acropolis it stops you- you just can't avoid it. It's a fantastic view. We took the obligatory group picture there. We will climb up to the Parthenon later this week.

We all dragged off to bed at 9:00. My writing in my journal (all the students have to keep one) kept getting smaller and smaller and finally my pen just wandered off the page. I was asleep the instant my head hit the pillow. It was a very long day -but we avoided jet lag! I was down for breakfast at 7 am this morning.