We were greeted upon arrival by the sultry heat which was to peak at 41 degrees Celsius; even the locals were complaining about the Hellenic heat wave. For the first afternoon we visited the National Archaeological Museum which hosted many of Greece’s ancient treasures including the famous funeral mask of Agamemnon. The girls were then treated in the evening with a visit to an open-air cinema where we saw The Two Faces of January, which coincidentally happened to be set in Greece, braving the metro, which had been upgraded and extended in time for the 2004 Olympic Games.
The following day we were taken around the city on a bus tour of Athens and then made the trip up to the busy Acropolis where the group marvelled at the pride of 5th century Athens: the Parthenon. We had inadvertently chosen the busiest day of the week as cruise ships dock at Piraeus, Athens’s port, on a Thursday to view this favourite honey-pot site. We all learned about exceeding the visitor carrying capacity whilst negotiating tourists from every angle. In the afternoon we visited the brand new Acropolis museum which housed parts of the Parthenon art works as well as amazing reconstructions. The five Geography A Level students undertook a variety of surveys in raging temperatures, earning their refreshments before the long journey to the Corinthian Gulf.
Having made our way to the sleepy town of Galaxidi, the group ventured to the ancient oracle of Delphi where great men from ages past used to travel to find out their future from the god Apollo. The girls learnt a lot about the nature and the power of prophetic knowledge and were impressed by the grand architecture of the temples, theatre and stadium as well as the grand art work including the famous Delphic Charioteer. Once again, the Geographers undertook their transects and data collection for comparison of the effects of tourism but this time at the ancient rural site of Delphi and then the old fishing resort of Galaxidi.
After some rest and relaxation in the sea and by the pool on the last evening, we made our way back the next morning to Athens airport, stopping en route at Ossios Loukas, a peaceful 8th century monastery where the girls were slightly shocked to find the preserved relic remains of Blessed Luke himself. Our last stop was at the town of Eleusis, where we investigated the ruins of the Eleusinian Mysteries, an Athenian cult which believed in secrets that would guarantee its initiates a happy afterlife, away from all the gloom of Hades. The panoramic view at the top of the site gave all a clear view of the conflicts facing the Saronic Gulf: sailing trips to pretty islands, oil refineries, docks, urban areas and of course the ancient archaeological site showing a lack of conservation in the modern development of the area.
The trip was a great success and the girls will be able to complement their studies by putting their learning into context through the variety of locations, ancient sites and museums. An extension for all.