Monday, June 2, 2008
Becky's Blog has MOVED
Hi all! I am safe and home if anybody reads this anymore. :) Just wanted you all to know that I have moved blog sites so if you want to catch up on my life back in the states... the web address is www.becky-talesfromthebeach.blogspot.com!
Thursday, April 10, 2008
More ancient ruins!!
After flying into Izmir, we visited the old sight of Pergamon. It was pouring down rain and so we were all soaking wet. Our group buddied up and had one umbrella between two people. Quite the sight. We even had to climb down the steep steps of the acropolis. In Pergamon we also saw the Asclepion and Archaeological museum. We stayed in Kusadasi for the last two nights. It was a gorgeous seaside town and home to many cruise ship ports. Fortunately, there were no cruise ships when we were there so it was not packed.
My favorite day was our trip to Ephesus. This city is one of the most stable and present ancient cities I have seen. There were lots of interesting pieces and I got to capture them all on my camera which was part of the fun. There was the medicine symbol in marble that caught my interest. Also a great picture of Medussa, which reminded me of Starbucks. The library there was two stories and it was beautiful. The theater there is still used for concerts and many well known artists perform there! After the ancient sight we also stopped at the Temple of Artemis which is one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. From this stop we could see the Temple (Pagan), St. John Basilica (Christian), and a Mosque. St. John's Basilica was also an interesting stop. It was up on a hill and really windy. But they had the tomb of Saint John which was pretty incredible. For our final night in Turkey, we all went out to a 'karaoke bar" it was very interesting but really fun because our professors came with us!
Early the next morning we headed back to Greece. But first, of course, we had to fit in one more ancient ruin visit to the Agora of Smyrna. I really enjoyed my trip and it was really eye opening to be in such a drastically different country. I cannot wait to see you all soon. I am heading to London tomorrow to meet my parents and Daniel!! Opa!
My favorite day was our trip to Ephesus. This city is one of the most stable and present ancient cities I have seen. There were lots of interesting pieces and I got to capture them all on my camera which was part of the fun. There was the medicine symbol in marble that caught my interest. Also a great picture of Medussa, which reminded me of Starbucks. The library there was two stories and it was beautiful. The theater there is still used for concerts and many well known artists perform there! After the ancient sight we also stopped at the Temple of Artemis which is one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. From this stop we could see the Temple (Pagan), St. John Basilica (Christian), and a Mosque. St. John's Basilica was also an interesting stop. It was up on a hill and really windy. But they had the tomb of Saint John which was pretty incredible. For our final night in Turkey, we all went out to a 'karaoke bar" it was very interesting but really fun because our professors came with us!
Early the next morning we headed back to Greece. But first, of course, we had to fit in one more ancient ruin visit to the Agora of Smyrna. I really enjoyed my trip and it was really eye opening to be in such a drastically different country. I cannot wait to see you all soon. I am heading to London tomorrow to meet my parents and Daniel!! Opa!
Sunday, April 6, 2008
Istanbul!
Hot off the plane in Turkey, we headed straight for St. Saviour Church Chora Museum. This church, created in the Byzantine style, was converted into a mosque in the 16th century and then to a museum in the mid-20th century. Inside, there are several mosaics and frescoes. After our visit, we drove to our hotel. This place must have been hopping in the 80's but hadn't had a recent face lift. After a traditional Turkish dinner, consisting of weird salad, cheese pie, beef, french fries, vegetables, and bread soaked in honey, we explored the city of Istanbul. The main strip near our hotel was awesome. It had tons of people and showcased the western influences on this city. There were even 3 Starbucks!
The next morning we headed out into the city. Istanbul is known for their tulips and I was very impressed. They are beautiful and everywhere. We explored the Dolmabahce Palace. It was huge and tightly secured. We even had to wear little booties on our feet to protect the ancient carpets. A highlight of my trip was the Egyptian Spice Bazaar. It was an indoor market filled with tons of shops selling lots of spices, nuts, fruits, and random Turkish souvenirs. There were loads of samples, especially of Turkish delight. Istanbul is surrounded by water on three sides and we took a boat tour on the Bosphorus. We saw the Asian part of Istanbul and many other cool buildings and sites. After our boat trip, a group of us headed to a carpet store. We saw amazing wool, silk, and cotton rugs. The owner showed us how they make them and then gave us a 'show' on the different kinds, prices, and uniqueness of the rugs. Seriously, these things were gorgeous but ridiculously expensive. There was one locked in a closet that was priced at one million dollars!
Our first stop for day three was the Hippodrome. This was used as a chariot race arena in Roman times. There are four main monuments on its premise including the Obelisk of Theodosius, Constantine Column, Serpentine Column, and a German fountain. Blue Mosque is one of the many mosques we saw, it has tons of beautiful blue tile on the inside. The second religious building we visited was Saint Sophia Church Museum. Like other museums it was a church converted into a mosque and then into a museum. It mostly resembled the church except for huge wooden circles with Islamic sayings. The dome had to be supported with the highest scaffolding in the world, but you could still see the beauty of the place. Another stop we made was at the Underground Cistern. It held water for the palace originally but is now a creepy eerie underground experience. It has a wooden walkway and is a huge room/pool with many columns. The columns are lighted with orange and red lights and they showcase two columns with the head of Medussa. After four major monuments our day is only half over. Our next stop, Topkapi Palace, has several rooms/exhibits. One of the rooms claimed to have the staff of Moses, turban of Joseph, and hand of John...so weird. All and all we were getting tired of soaking in information, but we still had one last stop. The Archaeological museum which contained the Treaty of Kadesh and the Sarcophagi of Alexander the Great was a short stop. We were all pretty tired and Thomasina (our London assistant) and I got lost finding our way back to the bus!
More to come about Izmir!!
The next morning we headed out into the city. Istanbul is known for their tulips and I was very impressed. They are beautiful and everywhere. We explored the Dolmabahce Palace. It was huge and tightly secured. We even had to wear little booties on our feet to protect the ancient carpets. A highlight of my trip was the Egyptian Spice Bazaar. It was an indoor market filled with tons of shops selling lots of spices, nuts, fruits, and random Turkish souvenirs. There were loads of samples, especially of Turkish delight. Istanbul is surrounded by water on three sides and we took a boat tour on the Bosphorus. We saw the Asian part of Istanbul and many other cool buildings and sites. After our boat trip, a group of us headed to a carpet store. We saw amazing wool, silk, and cotton rugs. The owner showed us how they make them and then gave us a 'show' on the different kinds, prices, and uniqueness of the rugs. Seriously, these things were gorgeous but ridiculously expensive. There was one locked in a closet that was priced at one million dollars!
Our first stop for day three was the Hippodrome. This was used as a chariot race arena in Roman times. There are four main monuments on its premise including the Obelisk of Theodosius, Constantine Column, Serpentine Column, and a German fountain. Blue Mosque is one of the many mosques we saw, it has tons of beautiful blue tile on the inside. The second religious building we visited was Saint Sophia Church Museum. Like other museums it was a church converted into a mosque and then into a museum. It mostly resembled the church except for huge wooden circles with Islamic sayings. The dome had to be supported with the highest scaffolding in the world, but you could still see the beauty of the place. Another stop we made was at the Underground Cistern. It held water for the palace originally but is now a creepy eerie underground experience. It has a wooden walkway and is a huge room/pool with many columns. The columns are lighted with orange and red lights and they showcase two columns with the head of Medussa. After four major monuments our day is only half over. Our next stop, Topkapi Palace, has several rooms/exhibits. One of the rooms claimed to have the staff of Moses, turban of Joseph, and hand of John...so weird. All and all we were getting tired of soaking in information, but we still had one last stop. The Archaeological museum which contained the Treaty of Kadesh and the Sarcophagi of Alexander the Great was a short stop. We were all pretty tired and Thomasina (our London assistant) and I got lost finding our way back to the bus!
More to come about Izmir!!
Greece update
Sorry for the delay, it has been pretty hectic over here in this part of the world. My stay in Athens has really been enjoyable. I have visited several ancient sites including several in Athens. We also visited Corinth as a Pepperdine group. We stopped by the Corinth Canal and took lots of breathtaking pictures as well as heard the cries of people bungee jumping below. At the ancient site, we read from Corinthians as well as explored the museums. Unfortunately, the city is not very well preserved but they did have the original main road into the town as well as partial buildings and temples. Luckily for us, our director for the Greece part of our stay is a Bible professor and our tour guide is a minister. We also climbed to the ancient city/castle on top of the hill that gave us a panoramic view of the entire city and into the sea. Well, I will write you shortly about Turkey. Opa!
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Santorini
Hello All. I just spent a wonderful and relaxing weekend on the Greek island of Santorini. It took 7 hours to get there. This long ferry ride was spent playing loads of cards and sleeping. There were six of us girls headed out, but also several others from our Pepperdine group traveling to Santorini. Our hotel was wonderful. It was simple but had balconies with beautiful views of the ocean. The black sand beach was only 5 minutes away and while the first day was rather windy, we made full use of the beach on day 2.
The trip embodied a peaceful vacation. We had no places to be and just enjoyed each others company. The breathtaking sunsets and views were unlike any other. This island had the typical white houses on the hills and it was so picturesque. We traveled to the different towns and beaches throughout the island. It is off season for the Greek isles so virtually nothing is open. The most inhabited part is the capital Fira where we spent the majority of our time. On Saturday, we went to the Volcano and hiked up to the top.
Back in Athens it has been a typical 'school' week. I have class for three hours in the morning and that is pretty much it. I have explored a lot of the city and am enjoying the weather immensely. I hope you all have a wonderful Easter. Opa!
The trip embodied a peaceful vacation. We had no places to be and just enjoyed each others company. The breathtaking sunsets and views were unlike any other. This island had the typical white houses on the hills and it was so picturesque. We traveled to the different towns and beaches throughout the island. It is off season for the Greek isles so virtually nothing is open. The most inhabited part is the capital Fira where we spent the majority of our time. On Saturday, we went to the Volcano and hiked up to the top.
Back in Athens it has been a typical 'school' week. I have class for three hours in the morning and that is pretty much it. I have explored a lot of the city and am enjoying the weather immensely. I hope you all have a wonderful Easter. Opa!
Sunday, March 9, 2008
Athens...it ain't so bad.
After getting to our hotel in Athens around midnight on Wednesday I was exhausted. We had a safe, late, and comfortable flight with a few creepy Greek men. Our hotel that we will be living in is literally right under the Acropolis. Pretty sweet. I am once again rooming with Elizabeth and we also have another roommate. The hotel is lovely, but a whole different experience than living in a house. We are all slowly adjusting to the change. On Thursday, we explored Mars Hill, the Acropolis, and the Plaka. Mars Hill was fun to climb up, but sad to hear that Paul probably didn't actually go up there. I loved the Acropolis. Not only did I write an essay on every structure in the Acropolis (HUM 111), but the Parthenon is possibly one of the most famous buildings throughout history. They are in the process of restoring it which was cool to see. I got lots of pictures of it so I will hopefully put them up soon.
The rest of the day we explored the Plaka which has tons of shops and restaurants. We also had our first REL 301 class. It is so much fun because we are learning to speak Greek among other things. We had to have the class because it is Carnival and Monday is a holiday so our professor wanted to take the day off with his family, since he is Greek. Carnival is crazy there are tons of people all dressed up and throwing confetti and streamers. Just a huge street party. They also hit people with these plastic bats.
Greek food is really really tasty. I had a Greek salad and it was excellent. Feta cheese, olive oil, green peppers, tomatoes, lettuce, and olives make the perfect combination. I also had a Gyro. Pretty delicious and cheap! It is a nice change, but I am definitely going to miss the food in London. Also, the gelato is a nice treat on these warm days. I have been wearing sandals, tank tops, skirts and it is just wonderful. The evenings get a little chilly but it is drastically different from the climate in London.
Yesterday we went to Delphi and toured/explored the ruins there. We also stopped by a Monastery. Greek Orthodox is an interesting religion, I am looking forward to learning about it in my religion class. Today, we went to an Anglican worship service, nothing like htb, but it was fun to hear things in English again. I hope everyone is doing well and I will write to you again soon. Opa!
The rest of the day we explored the Plaka which has tons of shops and restaurants. We also had our first REL 301 class. It is so much fun because we are learning to speak Greek among other things. We had to have the class because it is Carnival and Monday is a holiday so our professor wanted to take the day off with his family, since he is Greek. Carnival is crazy there are tons of people all dressed up and throwing confetti and streamers. Just a huge street party. They also hit people with these plastic bats.
Greek food is really really tasty. I had a Greek salad and it was excellent. Feta cheese, olive oil, green peppers, tomatoes, lettuce, and olives make the perfect combination. I also had a Gyro. Pretty delicious and cheap! It is a nice change, but I am definitely going to miss the food in London. Also, the gelato is a nice treat on these warm days. I have been wearing sandals, tank tops, skirts and it is just wonderful. The evenings get a little chilly but it is drastically different from the climate in London.
Yesterday we went to Delphi and toured/explored the ruins there. We also stopped by a Monastery. Greek Orthodox is an interesting religion, I am looking forward to learning about it in my religion class. Today, we went to an Anglican worship service, nothing like htb, but it was fun to hear things in English again. I hope everyone is doing well and I will write to you again soon. Opa!
Thursday, March 6, 2008
Off to Greece
Finals are over and London time is over. Luckily for me, I will be back here in a month with my family, but sadly never in the same Pepperdine house again. This past week has been study central with everyone trying to fit their favorite things to do in London. On Sunday, we had our farewell banquet at this beautiful house and took millions of pictures. I am not going to lie, my face hurt after that day. We have been packing for what seems like forever and everyone is hoping they made it under that 50 lbs marker. We can only take one suitcase to Greece, so most of us are storing the other here and it is long gone by now. I want to thank you ahead of time for your prayers for the safety of my group. There are a little over forty of us traveling today. We are very excited, tired, and a little sad to leave London. I will write you once I am in Athens! Cheers.
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