“Why did the old Persians hold the sea holy? Why did the Greeks give it a separate deity, and own brother of Jove? Surely all this is not without meaning. And still deeper the meaning of that story of Narcissus, who because he could not grasp the tormenting, mild image he saw in the fountain, plunged into it and was drowned. But that same image, we ourselves see in all rivers and oceans. It is the image of the ungraspable phantom of life; and this is the key to it all.”
--Herman Melville, Moby-Dick
As much as I love Athens with its magnificent churches and wonderful balconies, leaving the city today was a welcome relief. There is plenty of room to see the sky and to experience nature in Athens, but there is nothing like clear water and a beautiful beach to create an inner peace.
We traveled to East Attica today to visit Marathon, Brauron, and Sounion. Marathon is the location of a decisive land battle in the Persian War where the vastly outnumbered Athenian army defeated the Persian army. 192 Athenians were killed in battle(although that number is disputed), as compared to the 6500 the Persians are said to have lost. The Athenian burial site is massive! As I left Marathon, I thought about how much bloodshed that ground had seen. Over 6500 men lost their lives at this place. How different might the world have been if these men had lived? The sheer strength of the soldiers as they faced an imminent death is absolutely astounding.
We visited the Temple of Artemis at Brauron, where I pondered the age of the artifacts in a museum. Some of these artifacts have survived as long as 3 millennia. The fact that the painting on some of the pottery is still visible blows my mind. I can’t imagine how permanent the paints must have been for the paint to be in good condition so many years later. The world has changed so much since these pottery pieces were created, and yet the world is still the same planet. We discussed the role of women in society while in front of the temple. About 2500 years ago, women were required to remain within their houses and act as Greek baby-breeding machines. Today, we are able to study the culture of the women anywhere. Our freedoms and independence are not limited. It was said that a woman should only leave her house two times in her life: at marriage and at death.
We stopped for a picnic on the beach for lunch. The water was breathtaking, and I dipped my feet in as soon as I was done eating. The whole scene was so surreal and beautiful.
The Temple of Poseidon at Sounion. There are absolutely no words to describe the breathtaking view and the amazing scenery. I literally gazed off into the sparkling water for as long as I possibly could. The view was absolutely amazing, and the temple was still standing. For sailors, the Temple was the last piece of land they saw before departing and the first land they saw upon returning, making the land very sacred. Even without sailing, I can understand how someone could never want to leave. One of the only things convincing me to leave the excitement of the temple and the view was the prospect of swimming in the water below in a few minutes.
The water was so clear and cool. While the day was not hot by any means, the water was so refreshing. I could have floated in the water all day. If you stood still long enough, the fish would come up to you and nibble your legs. The first couple times the fish nibbled, I jumped and freaked out. The experience was remarkable. The fish tickled, although I was not Queen of the Fish. Another girl literally had hordes of fish following her around.
The return journey was so picturesque. The sparkling water, amazing buildings, and churches sprinkled throughout the countryside looked just like I expected Greece to. While I was surprised by the number of building that looked like they could belong in the southwest (US), I finally got to see the iconic white houses with blue accents. Most of the houses we have been seeing are either in the city or made of a terra cotta color. Plenty of oranges and clays that remind me of Arizona.
Driving along the coast and through small towns on the way back to Athens had everyone dreaming of buying a house and living on the edge of the beautiful Aegean Sea.
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