This weekend, since I'm already behind on sleep, I decided what was it to lose a little more and went with some friends to watch the sunrise at Sugarloaf Mountain. While I nearly passed out in the car on the way and on the way back and thought I was never going to be able to get up to the top by the time the sun came up, I did, and the view was so worth it. These are just a few of the images I took on that early morning. I just love the light and colors of a sunrise, and these pictures capture rather well in my opinion. It was a great start to a great weekend and the first of many similar adventures to come! Enjoy! 

After touring Athens' more historical and ancient sites, we had a full day committed to seeing the market and daily-life aspect of Athens. We started by seeing the changing of the guard, which is the equivalent to the changing of the guard at the tomb of the unknown soldier in Arlington Cemetery in Washington D.C., just more Greek. After that we spent the rest of the day on our own in the market of Athens. Everyone in our group was all in the same area, but there were so many people and streets and directions that it immediately became very confusing and a little (a lot) nerve wracking, especially for someone like me who has very little accurate direction sense. Don't get me wrong, this is still one of my favorite memories of the trip, because we were immediately thrown right into the culture and got to experience for ourselves the differences and stereotypes that we really did fill as Americans. Of course, while on the market we all ate gyros for lunch (which I'm now addicted to by the way, mainly the task sauce, but I have refrain from posting pictures of my food... you're welcome). 

The pictures above capture the bustle of one of the few big courtyards in the modern marketplace in Athens, the changing of the guard, and one of the best little stores in the marketplace. At Harding at least, everyone who goes to Athens gets Poet Sandals, real leather sandals fit directly to your feet in the style of your choosing. Yes, they really are as magnificent as everyone said they were. 

Athens, while it was a unique experience batting and finding our way through the streets trying not to look like the ignorant Americans we were, was still one of my favorite things of the trip simply because it was different. Although I could say that about a lot of my trip, here is at least another segment of my trip to share. Thank you!