“Why are we staying longer in Nafplio than in the other towns in Greece?” we on the Greece Teacher Travel Tour asked our guide, Mara. Mara smiled knowingly. “You will understand once we arrive,” she replied. Oh, we soon understood all right. Pictures do far, far more justice to Nafplio than words, so restrain yourself… [Read More]
Greece
Eating the Best Foods of Greece Like Zeus Ate Athena
The ancient Greek gods did a lot of eating of their children. Zeus ate Athena’s pregnant mother, only to have his daughter spring out of his head once Hephaestus split it open with an axe. Cronus ate his first five children until his wife tricked him by switching a tasty rock for baby Zeus. Inspired… [Read More]
Olympia, Greece: Nudity, Peace, and History at the Original Olympic Site!
I never realized the sheer amount of nudity in the ancient Olympic Games until our teacher tour of Olympia, Greece this week. “The ancient Greek Olympic Games took place from 776 B.C.E. to 394 C.E.,” our guide, Mara, explained. “The athletes were all men, and they were all… NAKED. They were also covered in oil.”… [Read More]
Scandalous Facts Behind the Oracle of Delphi in Greece
What actually happened during the hundreds of years between 720 B.C.E. and 395 A.D. when ancient Greeks consulted the Oracle of Delphi? Who was this magical woman named Pythia whose advice changed history? In our teacher group walking tour of Delphi, we learned shocking facts to explain the history of the Oracle. 1. The Oracles… [Read More]
In Greece, Can I Buy Man-Cave Decor for a Vegetarian?
If you’re totally baffled by the title of this article, just read on. Research suggests that in marriage, men need a room of their own to do Man Things. This sanctuary is often referred to by the term: “Man-Cave.” A Man-Cave is the sanctuary in a shared home in which a man can be a… [Read More]
Touring the Sites of Greek Myth and Legend in Person
“If you look to the valley below us,” our guide, Mara, instructed our busload of teachers touring Greece, “you will see the crossroads where Oedipus killed his father.” “WHAT?!” I gasped, nearly inhaling the sesame-seed-encrusted almond in my mouth. For three different years of my eight-year teaching career, I’ve taught kids the scandalous play, Oedipus… [Read More]
