James Walsh
After a lovely wakeup at 6:30 this morning, we drag ourselves downstairs for the final Economy Hotel breakfast - a solid affair of fruit, cereal, tea and coffee - quickly inhaled by twenty-four hungry teens. Having packed our bags we board the (thankfully!) air-conditioned coach, and set out for Corinth. After a couple of hours on the wrong side of the road, we pull up at the Corinth Canal. The Canal, a huge man-made undertaking, joins the two harbours on either side of the Corinthian isthmus. Due to attempts by ancient rulers, such as the Emperor Titus, to build the canal failing, it was only constructed in the early 19th century by the second king of Greece. Tragically, the need for a canal has been eclipsed by modern improvements in boat speed and efficiency, so the sixty kilometre long canal goes largely to waste except as a monument to the abilities of mankind when it comes to building stuff. We then visit a supermarket to stock up on food for lunch and sustenance for the overnight ferry. Left to our own devices, this resulted in a great variety in purchases. Some spent as little as 5 euros on sandwich ingredients, while others bought things like entire cooked chickens. Strange.
We then visited the ruins of Ancient Corinth. They were freezing and I felt a need to wear an extra layer. Chilled to the bone, we strolled through what was once one of the wealthiest city-states in Greece. Among the stonework of the buildings that constituted the city we came across the tour's first "Vespasian": a Roman-era lavatory, so named after the Emperor Vespasian, who had the bright idea of imposing a tax of the use of public 'facilities'.
We then visited the ruins of Ancient Corinth. They were freezing and I felt a need to wear an extra layer. Chilled to the bone, we strolled through what was once one of the wealthiest city-states in Greece. Among the stonework of the buildings that constituted the city we came across the tour's first "Vespasian": a Roman-era lavatory, so named after the Emperor Vespasian, who had the bright idea of imposing a tax of the use of public 'facilities'.