Field Trip To Vergina

Victoria Goofing Off On Bus Ride

September 18th: Today, we went to visit the archeological site in Vergina, which is approximately an hour and a half from Thessaloníki. Why is this place so important? Did you know that Vergina holds the tomb of King Philip II of Macedonia, who was, funny enough, the father of Alexander the Great? He and his family are buried in the mounds surrounding the village (that might or might not include Alexander, mind you). On the bus ride over, we were given a short lesson on the historical and mythological significances of Greece. Fascinating subjects!
I thoroughly enjoyed the museum and village - the frescoes in the exhibit were cool, for instance. I didn't know that, compared to the Egyptians, who took decades to build tombs for their dead (not to mention the mummification process), the Greeks literally created a fresco in the course of a couple of weeks, if that. It was a hurried process - that is why the blue pigment had to be placed on last. Its color faded first when it was mixed in with the water and plaster. Besides the frescoes, you had Greek artifacts, jewelry and remains of columns of marble.
After the museum, we had a traditional lunch (4 course meal), consisting of pesto pasta with bread and olive oil on the side, followed by a simple cucumber and tomato salad, chicken, rice, fries, and finally a cornbread substance soaked in honey. Not the best meal I've had, but, after a long morning, I'll take it!

St. Demitrius Church, Thessaloniki

We drove back to Thessaloníki and spent the next couple of hours on a driving tour of the city, learning the history behind the city. We got out twice - once, to see the wall surrounding the city (what a great view!) and twice, to explore the church of St. Demetrius, who is the patron saint of Thessaloníki. They say that, once upon a time, the king challenged young men to defeat his prize champion. St. Demetrius poured a blessing over a young man named Nestor, who went straight to the arena and defeated the gladiator. The king, not happy about losing his star, demanded the heads of Nestor and Demetrius. Both ended up dying as a result. Demetrius, long since dead, has appeared before as a ghost for battles to defend the city. After the church, we headed home for some well deserved rest.
September 19th: Most of the group went to the beach today - Halkidiki, to be exact, because, in Greece, all the shops close from Saturday night through Sunday. Since none of the shops were open, everyone wanted something fun to do and the option of eating. I stayed behind and fixed up my room, waiting for Mom and Tucker to arrive back from Delphi in one piece. Mom came over well into the evening - apparently, she and Tucker had been in an accident because of a hidden stop sign (propped up behind an overgrown bush). I was not happy to hear this news AT ALL. However, I think I hid my worry well, because I remember the last time Mom had been in an accident and she was shaken for months after it...after we said our goodbyes, I got ready for bed, hoping that my first day of college classes wouldn't be too excruciating.