Athens, Greece - Day 17,18, and 19 of Katie's European Trip

Friday, Saturday, & Sunday - June 25/26/27, 2010 Day 17/18/19 of Katie's Trip-ATHENS, GREECE!

On FRIDAY, Katie got a guided tour of the famous theatre of Epidaurus! The theater was built (I think) around 3 rd Century BC. The theater is marveled for its exceptional acoustics, which permit almost perfect intelligibility of the unamplified spoken word from the stage to all 15,000 spectators, regardless of their seating! Evidently the Greeks would ask the gods for remedies for their physical ailments. It was a healing center as well as a cultural center in ancient times.

Also on today's agenda was for the delegates to attend a Sports Camp where they were to mingle with Greek teens/children.

After the sports camp Katie got to take part in a service project in Glyfada near Athens. The "Archelon Association" takes care for the protection of sea turtles - Caretta Caretta, especially for the preservation of their natural living space and the existing of their species.

I wish I could tell you more about what Katie experienced on this day but we did not get to talk to her. But I'm sure she had fun.

Katie is staying at the London Hotel in Athens (section is called Glyfada). It is a popular and famous coastal region, often referred to as the "Greek Riviera", it is located along the coast of Athens. It is a place that is full of entertainment, where you can find a huge selection of restaurants, both Greek and international. Glyfada is also a popular shopping district in Athens, and here should have been able to find a huge selection of shops, including some of the famous name shops and outlets, as well as a unique array of small boutique shops. (She had 50 Euros left so I'm sure she will be spending her last dollars here).

On SATURDAY, Katie got a guided tour to the majestic Acropolis as well as the Parthenon which symbolizes the glory of ancient Greece. The first picture is a recreation model of what Acropolis probably looked like and the picture on the right is more of what Katie got to see.

Katie got to walk the older part of Athens (Plaka) with her delegation leader and have free time, relax, and enjoy her surroundings.

In the evening Katie was supposed to go to the public school of Zografou and learn the traditional Greek dances. Then the professional dancers were going to perform a traditional folkloric dance show.

SUNDAY- Today is BEACH DAY! Katie gets to enjoy the day on the beach with swimming & sports activities. Their hotel faced the Saronic Bay/Gulf which is part of the Aegeon Sea but I'm not sure what beach they were going to.

When we last spoke to Katie she was getting excited about coming home. She said the 1st thing she wants to do when she gets back in the USA is.....

VISIT THE GOLDEN ARCHES...MCDONALDS!! Was she serious?? We hardly eat there (maybe once a month) and this is what she is craving!! I was shocked! She said she wants some grease. So now I'm envisioning an even skinnier Katie when she gets off the plane. I know they ate really good food but I guess she wants some "junk."

Tomorrow she will begin her journey back home and we all are very excited to see her again. I hope I can contain my excitement as she comes through the gates.

Patras, Peloponnesus, & Olympia Greece - Day 16 of Katie's European Trip

Thursday, 2010 Day 16 of Katie's Trip-PELOPNNESUS & ISTHMIA, GREECE!
Katie is now in GREECE! This is the country that Michael and I have as our #1 place to visit overseas before we are 45 years old list!!

I wish I could say that I have spoken to Katie but I have not. We haven't talked since Wednesday but I know she is fine because we follow her on the People to People site.

Her overnight ferry arrived in Patras, Greece on Thursday morning. I know that they usually hit the ground running regardless if you get a good night's sleep.

They left Patras and got a guided tour of Olympia, where the Olympic Games took place in 776 BC. At ancient Olympia, Katie saw the ruins of the Temple of Zeus (one of the 7 Wonders of the Ancient World), as well as a 3rd century BC athletic stadium. This past school year Katie learned about ancient Greek history so I can't wait to hear what she thought about actually getting to see these sites!

For lunch Katie went to Calypso and got to eat the REAL deal...Greek Salad (I'm salivating), Pastitsi (have no idea what this is but I'm sure it is divine), and Ice Cream.

They stayed in Isthmia, Greece for the night at Prime Isthmia. Isthmia is not far from Athens which is where Katie will be next.

NAPLES, ITALY - Day 14 & 15 of Katie's European Trip

Tuesday/Wednesday, June 21/22, 2010 Day 14/15 of Katie's Trip-NAPLES, ITALY! On Tuesday Katie's delegation left Rome and drove 2 hours 20 minutes to Naples. And guess what Katie did in Naples....she climbed MOUNT VESUVIUS!! Katie said the bus drove about two-thirds the way up the mountain and then she walked the rest of the way up. She said it was such a thrill knowing that she was actually walking up the side of an active volcano! She said the view from the top was amazing. She was so excited talking about it. She said you could see the bay of Naples and Pompeii from the top! She said Vesuvius was regarded as one of the most dangerous volcanoes in the world because of the population of 3,000,000 people living nearby...scary! Here is a picture of Mt. Vesuvius from the Bay of Naples. Katie said the view from the volcano was just unbelievable. She has video from the hike and the view...I can't wait to see these!!

For lunch they ate at Kona. Katie devoured Ravioli with Ricotta Cheese and Mozzarella in tomato sauce with Basil and parmesan....my mouth is watering!!!

After lunch Katie got the pleasure to meet.....

a nun! I'm 100% positive that the nun did not look like this but I thought this picture was too funny. Anyhow Katie got to visit a nunnery and learn about what life was like there. We asked her if she would ever consider this kind of life and her answer was..."no...I'd go crazy."

She is staying at the Hotel Cavour in Naples for one night. It looked pretty plush to me.On Wednesday Katie woke up bright and early and took the short trip from Naples to Pompeii, Mt. Vesuvius' most famous victim. When the mountain erupted in 79 AD, it rained ash and stone; the city was completely destoyed and buried beneath the debris. Katie said it was very sad to see the city of Pompeii. She said she would elaborate more on this particular part of the trip when she got back home.

After this tour they went to lunch at Da Peppino and she was supposed to have Gnocci with Mozzarella and tomoto sauce or Mozzerella with tomoto and rolled eggplant. Yum!

They had a lot of free time in Naples in the afternoon but I'm not sure what Katie did (haven't talked to her this afternoon).

Katie said "Arrivederci" to Italy at 7 p.m. (Italy time) and boarded an overnight ferry (very large boat...almost like a small cruise ship) to Patras, Greece!!

ROME, ITALY - Day 13 of Katie's European Trip

Monday, June 21, 2010 Day 13 of Katie's Trip-ROME, ITALY!Today was a very long yet amazing day for Katie. She got to visit the capital of Catholicism and the world's smallest state, the Vatican! Being Catholic made this part of her trip especially special to us as her parents and we were so happy to hear her comments about this part of her trip. She said she was speechless when she saw how old yet amazingly beautiful this city was. Again she was extremely exhausted at 11:30 p.m. (Italy time) when she called so I didn't get the entire scoop.


The day began in Vatican City and they started at St. Peter's Cathedral. St. Peter’s Basilica is the most famous or well admired church across the globe that attracts visitors from all over the world. The pious tomb of St Peter is just underneath the high altar. This exotic architectural landmark was designed by Michealangelo and his extremely talented team in the monumental phase of 16th and beginning of 17th century. Katie said at times they welcome over 50,000 worshippers at a time.
She also got to see the famous Michelangelo's glorious Pieta sculpture (1499) in St. Peter's.

When Katie got to the Sistine Chapel she wasn't allowed to video or take pictures but I got these from the internet. We had Katie on speaker phone this particular time and Ben wanted to make sure that she got to see his favorite piece of artwork..."The creation of Adam" section on the ceiling of the Chapel. He just loves that scene...God with Adam. I think you would have to have binoculars to really see it well in person.

For lunch they ate at Vito e Dina. She had pasta and Gelato! I'm seeing a reoccurring theme here.

After dining continued on their city of Rome tour. It included the Piazza Navona, the Pantheon (I'm wondering how Katie reacted to learning what used to happen here), the Spanish Steps, and the Trevi Fountain. I had to look up the Spanish Steps...never had heard of them.

After hearing Katie briefly describe her events for the day I could totally understand her exhaustion level. Although I'm not sure how much sleep she actually got that night because her hotel was next to a bar. While she was on the balcony of her hotel room I could hear the noise...great...hoping she didn't hear/see too much on the balcony.

ROME, ITALY - Day 12 of Katie's European Trip

Sunday, June 20, 2010 Day 12 of Katie's Trip-ROME, ITALY!!

Katie boarded a bus in Assisi on Sunday morning and drove 2.5 hours to Rome, Italy.

She told us that her bus was 1 hour late so they were late for their guided tour in Rome. The sites she was able to get to tour today was the Colosseum and the Roman Forum. She said she could not believe how old everything looked in this particular area. She also said the buildings were so massive. She took video and a lot of pictures to show everyone so I'm looking forward to hours of that!

So many details left off on this guided tour but her phone call was very quick today.

She did say she had the absolute best pizza at Pizzeria Luzzi! Again..no greasy pizza!

Oh and I almost forgot...she went to dinner at Pastarito iv Novembre and her is a picture of what she ate....blue mussels! I'm really impressed she is trying so many new foods. She said they were really good too. We eat a lot of salmon and mahi mahi at our house but I've never attempted to cook mussels.
Tomorrow is another day in Rome...the Vatican, Sistine Chapel are among the awesome places she gets to go.

ASSISI & CANNARA, ITALY – Day 11 of Katie's European Trip

Saturday, June 19, 2010 Day 11 of Katie's Trip-ASSISI & CANNARA, ITALY!!

Saturday's adventures consisted of Katie spending the day in Assisi, Italy with the Full-On program. This program is made for teens and their focus is to help teens discover more of their potential and get better results in their everyday life.

Assisi is an enchanting town that extends over the slopes of Mount Subasio. The stone-built houses and cobblestone streets are reminiscent of the middle ages. The countryside is rolling hills, olive trees, grape vines and stone villas. Assisi itself stands behind stout Medieval fortification walls that stretch between towers, Rocca Maggiore and Rocca Minore. Both towers were reconstructed in the 14th century and the broad views from the top encompass plains of Spoleto which stretch out beneath the town, the fertile countryside, the river valley and the forested slopes of the mountains above.

And the highlight of the day for Katie was when she rappelled off the 100ft Medieval military tower Rocca Minore. Katie said it took her 45 minutes to get down! She said once you are up at the top the bottom looks a lot further down. But she did it and I'm so proud of her!

For lunch they ate a sack lunch from La Stalla in Assisi. Katie loves to talk about the Italian food and Gelato. She said she is eating such great food. She had a yummy sandwich, fruit, and cookies.

For dinner they ate at ii Duomo in Assisi and she had Rigatoni with Bolognese sauce, roast Pork with potato croquettes, and last but not least (Katie's favorite), Gelato.

Tomorrow...off to Rome!!

FLORENCE, CANNARA, ITALY - Day 10 of Katie's European Trip

Friday, June 18, 2010 Day 10 of Katie's Trip-FLORENCE & CANNARA, ITALY!!

Sorry for the delay in posts! My cousin (who is like my little sister) got married this weekend in Lexington (same Catholic Church my husband & I married in 14 years ago). I was a bridesmaid so this weekend made it impossible for me to post anything about Katie’s trip. Katie was actually supposed to be in the wedding too but when you commit to People to People you are never sure of the exact dates until about 4 months beforehand. So when we got the travel dates there was a conflict with the wedding. Katie was very disappointed about missing this huge family event but my cousin also travelled internationally when she was a student and completely understood and encouraged Katie to go forward with her trip.

The nice thing about the wedding was that it preoccupied my mind AND since Katie had not called in 2 days then I needed this wedding more so!! But she did call on my drive to Lexington on Friday afternoon AND the reason she had not called (I was sure not to point this out) was because they were 'ultra sightseeing' and she was having the most fun so far.

In a nutshell....KATIE LOVES ITALY!! Overall she said the food never disappoints…EVER!! As far as the country landscape she mentioned that Italy was beautiful and more mountainous/hilly than she ever imagined.

Earlier that morning her delegation left Montecatini and headed to Florence, Italy where they had an official meeting with an employee of the American Battle Monuments Commission. Katie got a personal guide through the American Cemetery (click for a video) where over 4,000 American soldiers, killed in the capture of Rome in June 1944, are buried.

Katie was really excited about this particular visit since her Great-Grandfather fought in WWII and still to this day speaks to elementary, middle, and high schools about his experiences during the War. He just turned 89 in March and is as active as ever.

Katie said that the tombstones were overwhelming and very moving. She could not believe that so many lost their lives protecting our country.

After leaving the American Cemetery Katie got to pay a visit to the Accademia Gallery, which houses undoubtedly the most famous sculpture in the world…..Michelangelo’s colossal statue, David.

Katie said the sheer size of this sculpture shocked her. She said seeing it in a textbook is nothing like seeing it in person. She said it was 16 ft high and the details were unbelievable and of course in her words…”Mom…some parts of “David” were too detailed” and of course being a mother of a teenager I knew exactly what she was speaking of. Does anyone notice how huge his hands are?? Seriously I have to look that up...they are not normal size.

Before their next stop they ate lunch in Florence at Trattoria Anita. She ate Pasta with Boscaiola Sauce (mushrooms, tomatoes, ham, onions), Risotto with Asparagus, and Gelato (Italian Ice Cream). I’ve already told you that she loves all food in Italy so you know she devoured these dishes!

After refueling, their guide took them on a walk through the city of Florence. One of the sites she got to see was the Duomo (Santa Maria del Fiore Cathedral).

It is well known for its distinctive Renaissance dome. It’s name ("Saint Mary of the Flower-in English") refers to the lily, the symbol of Florence (I wonder if she thought of her sister..hmm).

Little did we all know but when the Duomo was being designed in 1294 it was to be the largest of all Roman Catholic churches in the world. The 1st stone was laid on September 8 1296. Who knew? I’m learning so much through this trip too!

Just across from the Duomo Katie got to get up close and view the bronze doors to the Baptistry, known as the Gate to Paradise.

These panels are copies; the originals, cast in bronze and gilt by Lorenzo Ghiberti over 27 years, can be seen a Florence museum (I think). The doors show scenes from the Old Testament of the Bible as well as heads of prophets, sybils [female prophets] and even the door creator Lorenzo and his father [bottom-center, left and right]. Michelangelo referred to these doors as the 'Gates to Paradise' and they are still known by that name today.

The Baptistry's incredible Venetian mosaic ceiling, started in 1225 and finished about 100 years later. As in the current Duomo [this building was the previous Duomo], the images depict the Last Judgment [visible on both sides of Christ] with some particularly gruesome pictures of evil folk [bankers, politicians etc.] being tortured in hell. I can’t wait to for our dinner conversations when she gets back!

For dinner several families in Cannara, Italy threw Katie and her other delegates a party in the Hotel Hortensis’ garden. Wow…how hospitable!! The picture of her hotel is below and there is a picture of the scenery around the hotel (I get what Katie is talking about regarding the hills when I see these).