Possessed
Terror/Being chased by a serial killer
We are the serial killers
Sitting in Sunday School (notice how intently Jacqueline is paying attention...typical!)
There goes Brad Pitt!
Singing like Celine Dion
Biggest smile
Delphi was a big deal to the ancient Greeks. According to Greek mythology, Zeus wanted to discover the exact center of the world. So he released two eagles from opposite ends of the earth, and the birds met in Delphi. Zeus marked the spot with a big egg-shaped stone called the omphalos (or navel).
But Delphi was most famous for the Oracle of Delphi. The oracle was Apollo's mouthpiece that would give divine answers to any question. A number of famous people in history and mythology (such as Socrates and Oedipus) joined hundreds of others in a pilgrimage to Delphi to receive such guidance. Apparently, the priestess would sit within Apollo's temple in a drug-induced trance, you would ask her your question, she would mumble something unintelligible, and the nearby priests would translate the sounds into an answer to your question.
Lest you think this was a sure-fire way to solid answers, the Oracle's guidance was not usually crystal clear. One famous example was when King Croesus of Lydia asked the Oracle whether he should attack the Persians. The Oracle replied that if he did attack, a great empire would fall. This emboldened the poor guy so he attacked the Persians, but the Persians soundly defeated his army and proceeded to crush his empire..... So the Oracle was right again.
Modern Delphi is a quiet little town built on the side of the mountains. Because we were visiting in the off season, the majority of the town was closed up. The most movement we saw while we were there were small herds of goats grazing on the mountain side, bells jangling loudly as they walked. The beautiful scenery and ruins provided a welcome change of pace to the bustle of Athens and the perfect end to a great vacation.
Of course, the main thing to see in Athens is the Acropolis--a prominent hill in the center of the city. The ancient inhabitants long considered the hill itself to be sacred, and the Athenian youth would come to the caves in its side to swear an oath to defend the city state and its traditions. As time progressed, the Athenians built temples on the top of the Acropolis--the most famous of which is the Parthenon. It was awesome to see the building that has become such a world icon.
Just below the Acropolis, we saw the outdoor Theater of Herod Atticus (shown in the picture) and the Theater of Dionysus (where classical dramatists like Sophocles, Aeschylus, and Euripides performed their plays). I think it's amazing that these ancient architects could design theaters so that thousands of people could hear the actors speak without any kind of microphone system. Apparently they still use this theater of Herod Atticus for concerts today...it's hosted the Miss Universe pageant and Yanni....Yanni is kind of like Sophocles, right?
At the base of the Acropolis is the Ancient Agora--a kind of town square, market, and public assembly place that was the center of life and government in Ancient Athens. It was built in the 6th century BC and had fountains, a drainage system, and temples to the Olympian gods. Even though there isn't a lot standing now, it's easy to imagine it being a thriving, bustling center of life.
Now, this picture doesn't do its subject justice. This is a gyro from a little place really close to our hostel. It's the perfect meal--tender meat, juicy tomatoes, perfectly crisp french fries, and tangy tzatziki sauce all wrapped in a delicious chewy pita. And it really was as delicious as it sounds...and as proof, I'll admit that Rob and I ate at this place 5 times in 4 1/2 days... Wow. :)
Today Rob and I retraced the historic route as we ran the Athens Marathon. We started in Marathon and finished in the original Olympic Stadium. We've wanted to do a marathon together, so we figured we might as well do THE marathon, right? :)
Training in pancake-flat Houston, TX and Cambridge, UK didn't really prepare us for the miles of uphill we faced (e.g. mile 11 to 20 was a solid incline). Then, at about mile 20 I discovered some new muscles I didn't know I had as they started seizing up. But Rob was a great cheerleader and support and stayed with me the whole way to the end.
The finish line: I was very, very happy to finally see this. 
Although these words were coined by a Roman, they feel equally applicable in Greece tonight: We Came, We Ran, We Conquered!
Like James Bond, Guy Fawkes was a man of mystery caught up in a complicated political plot. Unfortunately for him, he didn't have the same talent (or high-tech gadgets) as 007 for getting out of tight spots. He was caught red-handed trying to blow up Parliament back on November 5, 1605 (known as the Gunpowder Plot).
Kind of creepy...
Also, useless trivia for the day: Guy Fawkes is where we get the word "guy." Originally, people would sell shabbily dressed effigies (or dolls) of Mr. Fawkes for the bonfire celebration. Eventually, a "guy" became the term for someone who was raggedly dressed or disheveled. In the 1800s the negative connotation was dropped and any average Joe could be called "guy."
The University of Cambridge is made up of 31 independent colleges--not colleges like in the States (e.g. College of Engineering or Medicine) but communities where the students live and eat. Each college is financially independent, has its own grounds complete with dining hall, library, and chapel (to take care of students' physical, mental, and spiritual needs).
Some of the older colleges are incredibly wealthy and have totally elaborate buildings and grounds. The picture above is of St. John's College, founded in 1511. Nice, eh?
Cambridge students have a rich tradition of prank pulling. This is a statue of Henry VIII above the main gate to Trinity College. Originally, Henry was holding a golden orb in his left hand and a golden scepter in his right. In the 1800s an anonymous student decided to replace the scepter with a wooden chair leg, leaving the scepter on the ground for the Porter to find in the morning. As expected, the Porter put the scepter back in Henry's hand only to wake up the next morning to see Henry clutching a chair leg once again. This cycle continued until the Porter finally gave up. So, for the past 200 years Henry has overseen the goings on at Trinity College proudly bearing his royal chair leg.
There is so much history in this town. I'm sure over the next few months we'll get into more detail, but we think it's pretty cool to be walking the same streets and living the same life that students have done for 800 years.