Final Post from Europe

Atop the Acropolis!

Relaxing on one of the beautiful beaches found in Ithaca.

Taking a moment to soak in the view and have a water break.

Hanging out with one of the great literary figures of our time, Odysseus.

Lauren and I will soon begin our trip home, and unless we have some extra time in the airport tonight or tomorrow, this will most likely be our last post from Europe. However, I am going to continue to blog about our experiences the past few weeks. I have to much to say about London and Paris for example, and this post is not going to do Ithaca justice.

We are currently in Athens. Yesterday we went to the Acropolis, the first Olympic stadium and few ruins in between. It was an unbelievably exciting experience for me. For as long as I can remember, I have wanted to go the Parthenon. Yesterday, I made it there. Yesterday, was also the first time that I actually was within feet of where the Apostle Paul gave his speech to the Athenians on Mars Hill(Acts 17?). It was a remarkable time.

However, aside from the historical significance entrenched here, Athens is nothing to write home about. It's pretty dirty, there's graffiti everywhere, and hundreds of dudes just hanging out on the street.

Overall though, Greece has been incredible. We enjoyed our time on the island of Ithaca as much as anywhere else we have visited the past three weeks. Much like Verona, Ithaca has completely embraced its place in literature. The major difference is that there is enough archeological evidence to suggest that not only did Odysseus exist, but he was worshipped as a demigod 500 years after his death. I could bore you with more of those details, but instead I'll show you some random pictures from the last few days.