Words simply cannot describe the ups and downs of June 2019. Four months ago, I received the greenlight to fly overseas for business, hosting meetings with international personnel and various clients in setting up the first international branch of the company I have been honored to work for. Throughout my month abroad, I have learned a lot about the people who I was privileged to work with (and become awesome friends with in the process
!), the region and its unspoiled splendor, and the sites TAR visited so I could bathe in the magic of good reality TV. Since I'm particularly proud of accomplishing my goal of seeing TAR sites in real life, I will talk about the stories of my Greco travels here! Welcome to:
ATHENS, GREECE
All sites are arranged in chronological order of the Race's visits.
Ancient Agora of Athens - TAR9 without the rain
On a more relaxed second weekend off, I took on my own self-guided listening tour of the Agora ruins. The most interesting piece I learned from exploring the excavation on my own and following the audio trail is that the human dynamics tell more about the story of the square than the infrastructure. It was where high society and citizens could coincide, playing role to many rallies, public gatherings, and festivities. Below are photos of the keystone Stoa of Attalos and marbly Temple of Hephaestus. The former was used as the main market in its heyday, and the latter had an interesting prehistory of being converted into a church that was rumored to only hold service once a year. There are many stoas surrounding the agora, but Attalos is the best-known because of its long covered portico being extensively renovated and its modern retrofit to accommodate the Agora Archaeological Museum. As for the temple, I learned although it has been well restored, looters have stolen priceless steles of work from the friezes (upper section of the temple with artistic carvings) that may never be found. This area has certainly taken an enormous beating, but still it thrives, after facing off violent conflicts stretching centuries.
Stamatopoulos Taverna - TAR9The restaurant of the plate-smashing Fast Forward! I suggested having dinner here with a few of my colleagues after a long day fixing loopholes in several company policies and meeting with the chief of the branch for one entire afternoon. We hadn't eaten much prior to our booked schedule that day and were quite famished having gotten off work at 20:00. This visit brightened up our stressful day. The ambiance of the outdoor dining area was magical - two guys serenaded the patio guests with Greek tunes, some people even got up to dance, conversations were flowing, and the wait staff was lovely to talk to. After being deprived of stuffed grape leaves until the perfect moment, I decided this was it. I ordered a plate of dolmathes for myself and they were SCRUMPTIOUS paired with that bechamel-looking white sauce and Greek beer. I couldn't get enough of their freshly baked bread either! Our group agreed to split a seafood platter which came with cooked octopus tentacles, squid rings, langoustine, whitefish, and a light salad on the side. Everyone had satisfied their bellies by the time we called in for the night.
Corinth Canal - TAR9 & 29Iconic TAR-ness took place on the third weekend of my trip. I rode the train to Corinth and hired a taxi to take me to the canal. You couldn't see the site while on the road, but once you stop and look down from Isthmos Bridge, the moment was surreal. I was mesmerized by the distinct layers of limestone cascading down the sides of the canal to the seafoam blue. The private yachts casually wading toward the Aegean Sea were like seeing dolphins swimming in clear water. I was not going to perform the hair-raising leap of faith because I'm not an extreme sports person by any means, but I found the next best alternative to reach closer to water level: a BOATING EXCURSION! The Grand Canyon-style journey down the canal was also mighty impressive. I was surprised by the amount of nature that could be sustained as every plant down there was attached to the limestone as if it was a balancing act, and small grottos appeared sporadically during the excursion making me question if animals actually lived in this lap of luxury. So for any travel enthusiasts bucket-listing Greece, I highly recommend the Corinth Canal being part of your visit! It's among the most breathtaking sites I've ever had the opportunity to experience.
Panathenaic Stadium - TAR29On the same weekend I went to the Agora, I completed
THE TASK from the site of the first Modern Olympics and more! With my phone held up above my head like an Olympic torch, I ran as fast as I could around the 400-meter track (video below)! I think I beat Usain Bolt's time, haha! The stadium also had the competitors' tunnel near the bend of the track transformed into a museum furnished with various props from the past Games. Torches and images of promotional posters lined the walls of the gallery all the way up to the recent Pyeongchang Winter Olympics. In the back of the gallery were bronzed opening ceremony cauldrons, and seeing these pristine artifacts really made me think how big of a team effort it really is to create these items and fortify its legacy. Touring this kempt venue was perhaps one of the most powerful feelings I've felt in my lifetime. Did I mention the bleachers are all made out of marble?
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Liz & Michael's Kokoretsi/Κοκορέτσι Speed Bump - TAR29I asked around the city and various kantinas where the best kokoretsi was. Unfortunately, I was informed this dish is typically not served during the summers (and the ones that do serve it out of season "are not great" as said by one of my Athenian colleagues). I was told this dish was specifically prepped during the Orthodox Easter holiday. Like turkey during Thanksgiving. Good news is the chefs at a couple restaurants that specialize in spit-roasted barbecue taught me how they prepare the intestines and roasted organ. Lamb is always being prepared around Athens, so I opted for lamb gyros, shank, leg, whatever to fulfill my unattainable request. The results were nonetheless delicious!
Zappeion - TAR29One of the places that I simply stopped by, the Zappeion had a bigger space than what I had originally imagined. During holiday seasons or special occasions, the lot out in front is the host for festivals and trade shows. It has been used by politicians to extravagant weddings that one of my colleagues actually called it "the party building". There was no changing of the guards here as TAR lightly suggested, but the interior courtyard did commemorate the donorship and visionary of Evangelis Zappas.
Areopagus / Acropolis - TAR29And finally, the rock that held this entire trip together! I climbed Areopagus in the late morning to take a lot of portraits of myself there and many spectacular views of Athens. Nobody told me those marbled rocks were super petrified so I ended up falling flat on my behind a couple times. Maybe wearing old tennis shoes that day wasn't the greatest idea, haha. There was actually not a ton of people on the rocks that I was pleased with the photos I ended up saving.
And what Athens trip would be complete without heading to the Acropolis? I went in the early morning before Areopagus. The last snapshot is from the stunning, new Acropolis Museum's expansive cafe.
Hope everyone has enjoyed my Greek adventure and Happy 4th of July! 
