Page 51 - The Gonzaga Record 1994
P. 51
tempted into the water. Unfortunately we afternoon saw us on our way to cape
happened to choose the stretch that was Sounion and the Temple of Poseidon which
infested by sea-urchins. The did terrible marked the boundary between the sheltered
damage to many feet and a nearby waters of the Saronic Gulf and the more
restaurant was turned into something dangerous Aegean Sea. The pillars of the
resembling a battle-field hospital as Mr temple bear numerous inscriptions,
O'Connor displayed his first-aid skills. including one by Lord Byron. On our way
When we returned to the coach, the driver back, we stopped at the sea-side resort of
told us that the local remedy was to spread Avlaki for a swim but the weather had
urine on the cuts. taken a turn for the worse so we played
We then drove to Epidaurus, the Lourdes football instead. We then returned to the
of Ancient Greece. It was the birthplace of hotel and packed for our flight home.
Asclepios the God of Healing and pilgrims The trip was an undisputed success. It
from all Hellas came to his sanctuary to be was certainly the best trip I have been on in
cured. It is also the site of a stadium and the five years I have been in the school.
the best-preserved theatre in Greece. The Despite the disparity in ages, the group got
theatre is huge, with 12,300 seats but along perfectly and in this regard, a lot of
sitting at the top, we could easily hear a credit must go to the Sixth Years. The
coin drop on the pedestal. During his opportunity to see the splendour of Ancient
previous visit to Greece, Mr O'Sullivan Greece was a very valuable one, for which
had read out the Proclamation of I am very grateful. Because of the nature of
Independence to test the acoustics so we the subjects, there is a tendency to view the
had decided to do the same. When I read it classics as little more than glorified fiction.
out, the whole theatre went silent. Judging The very real magnificence of the
from the strange looks they gave us, I monuments does much to dispel this aura.
would not be surprised if some of them Even now, when I remember looking up at
thought we were an IRA youth group. the Acropolis, I am awed by the
On Tuesday morning we visited the achievement of the Athenian people.
Agora, the marketplace of ancient Athens. I would like to thank Mr O’Sullivan for
This is were Plato and Socrates lectured, giving us this opportunity and for the effort
argued and bought their fish. Most of the he put into organising it, Mr O’Connor (for
Agora is in ruins with the notable exception pulling innumerable spines out of my foot),
of the Theseum and the Stoa of Attalus, a and everyone who went on the trip and
roofed colonnade which was restored by contributed to its success.
the American school in Athens and now
serves as the Agora museum. Tuesday Myles Lavan (Senior 5A)
The stadium at Delphi: the starting gates.
43
happened to choose the stretch that was Sounion and the Temple of Poseidon which
infested by sea-urchins. The did terrible marked the boundary between the sheltered
damage to many feet and a nearby waters of the Saronic Gulf and the more
restaurant was turned into something dangerous Aegean Sea. The pillars of the
resembling a battle-field hospital as Mr temple bear numerous inscriptions,
O'Connor displayed his first-aid skills. including one by Lord Byron. On our way
When we returned to the coach, the driver back, we stopped at the sea-side resort of
told us that the local remedy was to spread Avlaki for a swim but the weather had
urine on the cuts. taken a turn for the worse so we played
We then drove to Epidaurus, the Lourdes football instead. We then returned to the
of Ancient Greece. It was the birthplace of hotel and packed for our flight home.
Asclepios the God of Healing and pilgrims The trip was an undisputed success. It
from all Hellas came to his sanctuary to be was certainly the best trip I have been on in
cured. It is also the site of a stadium and the five years I have been in the school.
the best-preserved theatre in Greece. The Despite the disparity in ages, the group got
theatre is huge, with 12,300 seats but along perfectly and in this regard, a lot of
sitting at the top, we could easily hear a credit must go to the Sixth Years. The
coin drop on the pedestal. During his opportunity to see the splendour of Ancient
previous visit to Greece, Mr O'Sullivan Greece was a very valuable one, for which
had read out the Proclamation of I am very grateful. Because of the nature of
Independence to test the acoustics so we the subjects, there is a tendency to view the
had decided to do the same. When I read it classics as little more than glorified fiction.
out, the whole theatre went silent. Judging The very real magnificence of the
from the strange looks they gave us, I monuments does much to dispel this aura.
would not be surprised if some of them Even now, when I remember looking up at
thought we were an IRA youth group. the Acropolis, I am awed by the
On Tuesday morning we visited the achievement of the Athenian people.
Agora, the marketplace of ancient Athens. I would like to thank Mr O’Sullivan for
This is were Plato and Socrates lectured, giving us this opportunity and for the effort
argued and bought their fish. Most of the he put into organising it, Mr O’Connor (for
Agora is in ruins with the notable exception pulling innumerable spines out of my foot),
of the Theseum and the Stoa of Attalus, a and everyone who went on the trip and
roofed colonnade which was restored by contributed to its success.
the American school in Athens and now
serves as the Agora museum. Tuesday Myles Lavan (Senior 5A)
The stadium at Delphi: the starting gates.
43
