I feel that you can never see a place too many times, because each new time you go, you learn something new that causes you to develop a new perspective about that place. I've been to Paris many times, but every one of the visits is unique. There is still so much I have yet to discover and learn about the city, and I would love to revisit London, Paris, Lausanne, and Athens again sometime in the future.
And now, without further ado, here are my medals lists and superlatives for the trip:
Sites:
Bronze: Wembley Stadium- I would say this was the best site on the London portion of the trip. I was impressed by the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, but in terms of quality and overall experience, Wembley was better, in my mind. And Wembley clearly had the superior tour guide, Ansley.
Silver: The Olympic Museum in Lausanne- Many may disagree, but I thought the Lausanne Olympic Museum was even more impressive than the visit to the International Olympic Committee, and that is saying something. But I felt I got more out of the museum as an overall learning experience. The exhibits were very well done, and I enjoyed seeing many of the famous Olympic memorabilia such as Jesse Owens' track shoe, the Dream Team ball, and the U.S Men's 1980 hockey jersey.
Gold: Olympia- Of all the sites on the trip, this one was my favorite. I love history and sports, and Olympia offered both. As I walked through the ancient ruins, I felt as though I was traveling through time, and could visualize the athletes of ancient times running across the old stadium. The memories of Olympia will probably stay with me the longest.
View:
Bronze: London Eye- The price for the ride was high, but view of London was worth it.
Silver: Athens Acropolis- Walking through the streets of Athens, you may not find the city particularly attractive. However, seeing the city as a whole from the top of the Acropolis, you realize Athens really is quite beautiful.
Gold: Les Avants Hike- You had the towering Alps, the sparkling Lake Geneva, the elegant city of Montreux, lush green forests and rolling hills, and even some scenic cows. No words could justify the view(s) on this hike through the Swiss wilderness. I was blown away by how beautiful it was.
Tour Guides/Lecturers:
Bronze: Ansley (Wembley Stadium Tour in London)- Very enthusiastic and energetic individual who made the tour both fun and informative.
Silver: Dikaia Chatziefstathiou (Athens, lecture on "Olympism")--One of the coolest people I have ever met. Not only is she an exceptional lecturer and all-around great person, but she was also a dancer at the London 2012 Opening Ceremony!
Gold: Nike (Greece, Ancient Greece museums and Olympia)--I was so impressed by Nike's expertise of ancient Greek culture. You could ask her anything about ancient Greece, and she would know the answer. Her detailed explanations show how much care she puts into her studies.
Funniest Moment: Three moments stand out to me. One is when when we were eating at the American sports bar in London, and I saw "hamdog" on the menu. I could not believe such a vile thing existed, until I actually saw it! Another moment was when we were hiking in Switzerland, and we were forced to hike up a ridiculously steep and treacherous driveway. We were all tired at that point, and Professor Ryan wanted nothing to do with it. My top funniest moment would have to be when Professor Ryan kidded about needing "a push" to get through one of the narrow doorways of the Tower of London. The timing of joke was impeccable, and I couldn't help myself from laughing.
Most Awkward Moment: This moment was both funny and awkward. We were on the funicular in Les Avants ready to ride up the hillside and begin our hike. We waited for a while, and the funicular had yet to move. So Alex decided to walk out of the funicular to investigate the cause. Almost immediately after he walked out of the vehicle, the funicular doors slammed shut, and Alex was left starring at us from the outside in utter disbelief. He was almost left behind, but we managed to open the doors and let him in.
Best Professor Ryan Moment: When Professor Ryan helped save the day during our first day in Greece. On the way to Olympia, our bus broke down due to a blown-out tire (There was practically no tire left), and Professor Ryan rose to the occasion and helped our driver replace the tire and continue on with our journey.
Best Hotel: Definitely not London. My London room smelled of pizza the whole time because the room was situated right over a pizzeria. The Paris and Greece hotels were pretty nice, but in my opinion, the hotel in Lausanne was the best. The rooms were nice, the breakfasts were delicious, and the view from the hotel of Lake Geneva was incredible. And the location of the hotel proved very convenient, as there was a grocery store, an ATM, and some nice restaurants minutes away.
Meal of the Trip: Gyros- I had this meal three times while we were in Greece. Nuff said.
Lowest Point: The morning of our train ride to Paris. We were all out late the previous night, and no one was ready for a day of traveling. Zombified and barely able to function, we all somehow made it to Paris without any serious issues. Coming in a close second was when we found our "beach" in Athens, and the so called "beach" was nothing more than a plod of rocky earth with trash and shifty sunbathers.
Highest Point: There were so many high points of the trip, and it would be hard for me to chose just one. So here my high points of the trip, in no particular order:
1. Walking onto the field at Wembley Stadium
2. Visiting the Eiffel Tower at night
3. Looking out over the Swiss landscape on our hike
4. Walking through ancient Olympia
Agree with the choices? Comment below!
Au Revoir,
Matt Kahl
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