intercontinental champion

Journal Entries.

Day 1: NY-Germany-Rome

I got absolutely no sleep on the plane ride to Europe, but luckily I got to watch a movie so terrible that it was humorous and converse with John Bagby. We landed in Rome and hung out around the airport for a while. When we met our tour guide, Tyson, and all got on the bus, at least 60% of us fell asleep for a few minutes. We checked into the hotel and then headed to the Piazza Navona. We started at the Pantheon, which was an architectural miracle in itself. I was very impressed by the domed ceiling. I also started laughing when I saw a tourist eating a cone of gelato while sitting down near the altar. The Trevi fountain was our next stop. I got a lot of nice pictures there, my favorite being one of an entire group wearing straw hats. Afterwards, we had to wait for the rest of our group to arrive and it began to downpour. When the rain stopped and they met us in the square, we all walked to dinner. The restaurant was okay but they wouldn’t give me olive oil and I was most displeased. After dinner a small group of us explored the train station and hung out for a few hours before getting some much needed sleep.

Day 2: Rome

The next day we had a very carbohydrate filled breakfast and then went off on a tour of major Roman attractions. We began with Vatican City. The grounds were absolutely beautiful. Caitlin and I got left behind our small group because we kept stopping to take pictures. I was surprised to see Egyptian artwork in the museum. My favorite scuplture (Laocoon) was on display and while photographing it, I was surrounded by a Japanese tour group (funny to me, since people think I fit right in.) The Sistine Chapel made me dizzy and I was not as impressed as I expected to be (probably because of the amount of people crowded in and the security screaming “SHHH”-my least favorite phrase.) Eventually we met John, James, Lauren and Derek and went to lunch at a small outdoor restaurant around the block. I had spinach/ricotta ravioli in a cream sauce and it was one of the best meals I had in Italy. We proceeded to the Colosseum. The stairs were very steep and I had a terrible feeling that someone was going to fall down. The tour felt a little long, but I enjoyed taking pictures from the upper levels. Afterwards we walked to the ruins of the Forum. It was very hot but I saw a lot of poppies, my favorite flower. My mom called to wish Lee a happy birthday and I wished her one as well. It’s safe to say they weren’t turning the same age. We walked around a little bit more and then took taxis to St. Peter’s. This was my favorite part of Rome. The scale of the building is completely unreal when you step inside. We all stopped to look at La Pieta, but I found a sculpture I absolutely loved in the back left corner-the tomb of Pope Alexander VII. Afterwards we walked to Trastevere and most of us were about to cry because we were so hungry. At dinner everyone seemed like they were getting to know each other better. We took cabs home and a small group of us went out to a small club/bar where it was “Latin Night”. We attempted to have a good time but mostly laughed at the other people dancing and went home.

Day 3: Rome/Ostia

While most of the group went on to Florence, 8 of us stayed behind and went to the beach in the Roman suburb of Ostia. I personally am fascinated by different subways in different cities, and the ones we took were no exception. The beach was crowded but the sand was beautiful (dark and VERY hot). Joliana, Leanna and I rented chairs while Liesl, Lee, Mike, Derek and Lauren laid towels out a few yards away. My broken Italian came in handy when Joli and I attempted to order margaritas (which were incredibly strong, to say the least) and we split the best pizza I had during our stay in Italy. After a few hours we left and stopped at a little cafe for gelato. When the group from Florence returned we all took a bus into Rome. After much dispute we chose a restaurant where they were very accomodating for our large group. James and I split this bruschetta that had honey, pepper and melted cheese. I thought it tasted like spicy french toast and it was awesome. The group took a shot of absinthe (two for Lee, what a champ.) and decided we never wanted it again. Post-dinner there was more dispute about where to go. I was perfectly fine with the crowded outdoor bar we had stopped at, but that may be because I met an interesting Australian. Shortly afterwards we took the bus home and all went to bed.

Day 4: Naples/Sorrento

We woke up early and took the bus to Mt. Vesuvius. I fell asleep towards the end of the bus ride. We stopped at a restaurant on the mountain for lunch and then continued up. We got off the bus and began the walk that would not have been so bad had I not been wearing sandals. As we got higher the temperature got cooler which was very nice. Our tour guide was named Raphael and he was quite colorful. Jon Caitlin and I were the last of our group to make it down. The bus then took us to Sorrento and once again I fell asleep, missing much of the beautiful landscape. My hotel room in Sorrento was AWESOME. The floors went down because the building was on a hill. I had a beautiful yellow room with funky hanging lights and a balcony. My sorry excuse for a main course was a plate of processed mozarella cheese, but at least I had pasta and wine before then. Most of the group went out to explore the town. James, Jon, Caitlin and I stopped in a small store and met another character in the shopkeeper, Ottavio. He insisted we return if we are ever in Sorrento again. Everyone hung out on the balcony and most of us went out a little later. We first went to an “Irish” pub and a group of people from Ireland were there. One of them was too friendly but apparently has a cousin that lives a town over from me in the extremely Irish area of Yonkers. Go figure. Some of us sat outside and then some of the Texans joined our group. We went to some silly nightclub that was a little too empty but had cool trees everywhere. Everyone went back to the hotel and James, Jon and I stayed up until 3:30 sitting on the balcony talking.

Day 5: Pompeii

I instantly regretted staying up so late when I woke up. The breakfast hurt my stomach because I drank a lot of orange juice and didn’t really eat anything aside from a piece of bread. The ruins were interesting but I was very dehydrated and couldn’t really appreciate them. A few things I did enjoy were the dogs running around and the seemingly grid-like street system. After the tour I got an overpriced low-quality pizza and a giant waterbottle: the perfect cure. I also began my jewelry binge with a ornamental turquoise ring. We got back on the bus and headed for the ferry.
Sleeping on a boat was certainly an interesting experience, especially due to being able to talk to Jon through the wall and being shut in the wall by Leanna since I was on the top bunk. Crazy kids.

Day 6: Delphi

After docking in Patras we got on the bus and stopped at a small taverna on the beach. I had a delicious cheese pie and a not-so-delicious spinach pie. The beach was rocky but it was still beautiful. I only went in the water once since it was kind of cold and I got paranoid about sea urchins. I walked down the beach to get some cool photos of the varying landscape. They were sweet because each layer was a different color (the golden weeds/plants, the rocks, the water, the mountains in the distance, and the sky.) Then we proceeded to the small town of Delphi. It was made up of two streets but it was probably one of my favorite areas in Greece. Caitlin, Karen and I sat with most of the Texas parents at dinner. They were very friendly although some of the other ones clearly did not appreciate our existence. I bought more jewelry later, of course, and a few of us walked further down and sat on a nice ledge. We walked along the upper street and stopped in a few of the shops. Later, the group went out to the club across the street. Texas joined us as well. Uzo is a bad, bad, thing.

Day 7: Delphi/Athens

We went to the Archeological Museum at Delphi and then the ruins. Our guide was very knowledgeable and gave us an interesting lecture on the culture of the Apollo cult. They were very focused on balance and used the seasons to help distinguish times of different gods. I did not climb up to the theater because it was very hot and I was very tired. We stopped for lunch at another place along the way to Athens. Lee and I split a large mixed platter and it was the perfect amount of food. Athens was surrounded by traffic just like every big city. Our hotel was less than wonderful but then we all went to dinner in a nicer area. The Greek salad I had there was the best one from the whole trip. We walked around the stores and did a little bit of shopping. I got more jewelry, surprise.

Day 8: Athens

We were all excited to go to the Acropolis. The view of Athens was amazing. The Parthenon itself was enormous but it was a little disappointing to see all of the scaffolding. Our tour guide was very informative and showed us some diagrams and pictures. Jon, Lee, James and I played the game “Ninja” and it’s safe to say we were probably the first in the world to do so atop the Acropolis. Jon took pictures of Asian tourists. We all took a group photo and then went to the Acropolis museum. The small pieces at the entrance were my favorite part. Then we went to the National Archeological Museum of Athens. This museum was my favorite because it featured Minoan and Mycenaean artwork. My favorite piece of course is the Mycenaean Bull Rython, which I plan to get a tattoo of once I make enough money. I also liked the round pottery that featured a large octopus. The Mycenaean pieces used a lot of flattened gold which I of course appreciated along with the…jewelry! We continued our tour and came to rooms with large Kourous/Kore statues. I don’t care for the Archaic works as much. I really liked the small statue of Aphrodite and Eros that was in one of the later rooms. Later we split up and my group went to a restaurant. I was not very pleased with my salad but the tzatziki was alright. The service was slow and the annoying children kept coming up to the table. We walked around afterwards but soon went back to the hotel. Not before James bought an ugly fake Rolex though, haha.

Day 9: Cruise- Mykonos

We left Athens on a bus to the Aquamarine cruise ship. I was excited to rejoin rooming with Leanna and Joli..even though I had the top bunk again. We immediately took advantage of our inclusive drink package and relaxed on the deck. Later we took the bus into Mykonos. James, Jon, Tina, Mike and I went up to the windmills and sat behind them so we could take photos from different angles. Jon took the infamous one of me that would have looked like a professional photoshoot had I not been exhaling cigarette smoke with my eyes half open. Oh well. We also found lots of cats to take pictures of. We found some others from the group and then James, Jon, Lee, Liesl and I went to a cafe for gyros. Vegetarian gyros are still good no matter what anyone says. We took the bus back early and went to the ship’s pub and then the “Moonlight Lounge.” The dance floor was an embarassment to society, but there was an old episode of Monday Night Raw on the television so I was happy to see some wrestling.

Day 10: Cruise-Turkey/Patmos

We attempted to get up early for Turkey but it didn’t work out so well. My roommates plus Lee went shopping. I got Starbucks in Turkey which I found hilarious. Afterwards I bought a few typical Turkish decorative plates and the salesman was convinced I was Australian. I took it as a compliment. We went back to the boat and got some more sun. We docked in Patmos and walked around taking pictures. While the others went to the beach, Joli and I had lunch at a small cafe where people were watching the World Cup. Sorry, Greece. My pizza was delicious-better than most of Italy’s! Then we saw Thomas and JP drive by on a motorbike and it made us smile. We went back to the ship for dinner, although Joli and I were pretty full. I watched the US v. England game with the boys while the girls were at the bar on the other side of the pool. I wanted England to win but it was a tie. Everyone went down to the lounge again afterwards.

Day 11: Cruise- Crete/Santorini

We went to the small museum in Crete since it was being remodeled. I was happy to see another Minoan vase with the octopus on it. Jon, Mike, Lee and I went to a small place for crepes and frappes. On the walk back to the ship, a gypsy put a curse on Jon (or so he thought, because he got a stomach ache shortly after.) Once again we all relaxed on the deck in the sun as we awaited our arrival to Santorini. Everyone was excited as we approached the beautiful area by boat. The donkey ride up was very enjoyable except for when I burnt my leg with my cigarette. I took pictures of the coast while riding the donkey. He was sweet except for when he walked too close to another donkey and the saddle scratched my leg. In Santorini, everything was white and blue. The streets were cobblestone and it was beautiful. I finally found falafel but they put it on a different pita than my colleagues’ gyros and it made me sad. JP and I went to a small shop and I got a Manchester United jersey (go England!) We walked up to a higher street and found a cool abandoned restaurant. Then we took the cable car back down to the boat and returned to the ship. We all got dressed up and had a nice dinner together while trying to pass around the postcards for Thomas. I had a lightly fried piece of feta for an appetizer that I can’t wait to cook when I get home. I didn’t like my dessert so James ate it. We hung out around the lounge for one last time and went to bed to get up on time for our departure. Our Spanish neighbors gave us quite the scare when they pounded on our door for no apparent reason.

Day 12: Athens-Germany-…NJ :/

We docked and then got on the bus to the Athenian airport. I once again fell asleep and woke up confused when we were all getting off the bus. We said goodbye to Thomas, Derek and Lauren and boarded our plane. The security was not the brightest of the bunch there but we got on the plane to Munich. There we switched and luckily the row consisted of myself, Jon, Tina and JP. We watched a bunch of movies and everyone fell asleep on each other like little puppies (except me, for once.) I almost had a panic attack because a strange man went around the plane videotaping everyone and it made me very nervous. Luckily, I was overreacting. We landing in “Dirty Jerz”, got our baggage
and parted ways. I was very tired but excited to be home. Then I went to Taco Bell with my mom. The End. I had an amazing time and made lots of new friends. I can’t wait to go back to Greece one day and expand on the learning experiences I now have. I probably won’t go back to Rome any time soon but I would like to see Florence and go back to Sorrento for sure. Thanks to Thomas for this wonderful opportunity!

The Progression of Greek Art Through the Ages

When discussing Ancient Greek art, most assume one is referring to the marble sculptures and temples of gods and goddesses. However, throughout the hundreds of years of Ancient Greek society, there have been many different styles of art. The changes demonstrate the development of technology and creativity over time—not only within Greek art, but in future periods such as the Roman and Renaissance times.

The Bronze Age (3300 – 1150 BCE) is comprised of four different categories. The Cycladic (3300 – 2000 BCE), the Minoan (2600 – 1200 BCE) the Helladic (2800 – 1600 BCE) and the Mycenaean (1600 – 1100 BCE) are geographically separated though they are not necessarily chronologically different.  One critical piece is a small marble statue referred to as “The Harp Player”. It is from the Cycladic period and can be found in the Athens National Museum. The figure is sitting in a chair completely upright with the instrument standing up on their lap. The manner of the figure’s position appears to be very proper and stiff, yet the harp may be for entertainment purposes—highlighting ancient social customs.  In person, the figure seemed so much smaller, and although it  is a simple piece, the detail was more apparent. Another importance piece is from the Mycenaean period. The Mycenaean Bull Rython is made of silver with gold nostrils, horns, and a flower in the middle of its forehead.  This was one of my favorite pieces. A lot of Mycenaean art incorporates the use of gold. Considered by some to be the “first Greeks”, the Rython shows a touch of flair because of the gold and the flower adornment.  The Mycenaean culture comes forth as the most decadent of the Bronze Age. This time was responsible for many of the legends and the lifestyle that went on to become Classical Greek values.

The Archaic period differs greatly from the Mycenaean end of the Bronze Age and it is clearly visible in the artwork. Greece was recovering from the Dark Ages of simplicity. The common statues of the time are called Kourous (male figure) or  Kore (female figure). The Museum at Delphi featured the Kleovis and Biton Kouroi. The nude male figures stand stiffly with their arms at their sides and expressionless faces. The Aristodikos Kouros is found in the National Archeaological Museum of Athens. It is from the end of the period as opposed to the other Kouroi, and the differences are evident.  The Aristodikos is smaller (1.98 m high opposed to 6.14) and the details are clearer—such as the definition of the abdomen. Also, the hairstyles are different, showing a change in the styles of the time. One foot is forward on the later statue, whereas the earlier statues stood completely in proportion with their feet shoulder-width apart. The decadence of the Mycenaeans disappears in these simple stone statues. However, they are a much larger scale than most of the statues of the early Bronze Age with most Kouroi being life-size or larger.

The last period of Ancient Greek art is known as the Hellenistic period.  Post-death of Alexander the Great, these times allowed for more cultural diffusion because of his many conquests.  The works were much more complex than prior ages. Hellenistic artists expanded on the styles of the Classical artist. The Classical Age, which came after the Archaic period, related back to the Mycenaean ideals of splendor while using a naturalistic perspective seen in earlier times as well.  The marble statue of Aphrodite, Pan and Eros is a prime example of this combination.  The art of this time centers more on expression than ever before. By the faces of the subjects, statues give much more away about the emotions the artist wants one to see as well as their demeanor.  Aphrodite is denying Pan’s advances to seduce her, yet has a serene look on her face. She is clearly supposed to represent beauty and her calm expression while an ugly creature is bothering her signifies her importance and power. Another Hellenistic sculpture, perhaps one of the most remarkable of all, is titled “Laocoön and His Sons”. Currently on display in the Vatican, this piece depicts a Greek tale of a priest that tried to expose the Trojan horse. He is attacked by serpents; sent by Athena to keep the Greeks from being discovered. There is definition in every muscle of the subjects’ bodies and the fear on their faces is incredibly apparent. Said to be one of the most influential pieces on the Italian Renaissance, one can see why. The figures are frozen in motion, and the stark white of the marble makes it seem even more majestic. The poses of the figures are also became more common, whereas earlier Greek art had typically depicted the subject standing or sitting.

Each period of Ancient Greek art eventually led to the styles of the later Italian pieces. The materials did not change much, but the development of how to use them shows an increase in creativity. The scale of pieces increased and though many early works of art were functional as well, the later works showed more of a move towards art for the sake of aesthetics. Being able to see these pieces in person rather than in pictures was an amazing experience. One could easily see the progression of style through time, especially while walking through the museums.  Each era had something relative to offer to the future times, whether or not they were chronologically consecutive or not. The impact of the Ancient Greek times in the world of art is quite literally monumental.