Yasoo Samos, Hallo Amsterdam!

Today I got on a plane and went to Athens where I sat in the airport for 8 hours. It was there that I found out some interesting news. According to one of the guys from airport security I had no choice but to drink as much of my Jeiger as possible before boarding... so I went up to a McCafe and got started. While I was sitting there sipping away a lady from Texas came over and asked me in a suspicious whisper, "can you drink that here?" to which I responded, "It's Greece, I really don't think they care."
She asked if she could have some and I said "sure, bring your friends - I could use a little help."
She went and got her friend and we all spent the next hour or so hanging out at the cafe talking and giddily sharing a regulated substance out in the open. After I explained the airplane situation to the first lady she gave me a travel sized bottle of Johnny Walker and a coke cup. She told me that they usually don't care about coke cups and, at the very least, the travel bottle wont be a problem. After we parted ways I lined up to board my plane where they wouldn't let me board with the "coke" so I drained what was left and stepped on.

A few hours "flew" by and I landed in Amsterdam where I took the train into the city center.

On the way I tried speaking Spanish to a guy from Spain. We ended up going to a bar where I met a Texan who was thoroughly enjoying his legal prescription of green stuff then, after chatting for a bit, I went on my way.

After a few hour stroll around town I stopped for some pizza on the street and went to relax at the quietest bar I could find.

After an enjoyable drink of the local ale and a chat with the bar tender, I headed for the airport.

On the plane I dozed off a couple times but, as usual, I was awoken by the stewardesses who's passion seems to be ramming carts into any passenger that gets in their way...

All Photos

Toga Time

09/17/2009

After yoga this morning we made togas and did abstract "Isadora Duncan" style dancing to classical music.

Next we headed down the mountain and got on a bus to Samos Town to visit the museum. On the way back we rode a little old bus that smelled like feet.

09/18/2009

After yoga today we practiced for our harbor show then went to pick up trash. Later at the beach Laura, Linley, Derric and I picked up more trash (Greece has a bit of a littering problem). Finally at 7p we went down to the harbor and put on a show for the locals.

It seemed easy enough... until the end when the more inebriated ones in our group began tripping and falling.

09/19/2009

Apparently some of the girls came back a little noisier than usual last night and pissed off the motel owner. We all had a meeting to discuss it and even got reprimanded a bit.

After a bit we went to Dolhichi and ate some good food then headed over to the beach, had some drinks and swam under the moon.

09/20/2009

Today I finished my readings and responses then Derric and I had brunch at the Craiperie.

09/21/2009

Mandy and Linley presented their dramatic piece in a unique old structure, Derric and I presented our story in a cool olive grove, and the others presented various acts and dramas on the beach and so on.

After presentations we all said our goodbyes and called it a day.

All Photos

Patmos

Today we went to the island of Patmos. At 8a we boarded the flying dolphin - one of the famous hydrofoils of the Greek seas.



















After arriving we made our way up the mountain until we could see our destination.

When we reached the top we worked our way through a small town to the Monastery of St. John.
In the monastery we could see how it was built and the items inside such as a giant trough and oven used to make large amounts of food for any and all visitors.



Next we moved on to go see the Cave of the Apocalypse.

The Cave of the Apocalypse (Revelation) is where St John is believed to have recorded the Book of Revelation.

All Photos

Kokkari

09/13/2009

Today we went to a beautiful fishing harbor called Kokkari. After playing in the waves a bit I went on to explore the rest of the harbor.

Down the way I discovered a path leading up a major outcrop and took in the view from a random camping area up top. 

09/14/2009

In today's morning session we did a site analysis or "rubbing" by describing everything in the areas we were assigned. In the drawing session we drew found objects into landscapes that we chose. At 4p Derric and I had our meeting with Louis and Carissa about our final project and then we all made our way over to the Tunnel of Eupalinos... Louis, being claustrophobic, probably should have waited outside.

Also known as the Eupalinian aqueduct, the Tunnel of Eupalinos was built to secretly channel water from an inland spring so that enemies would be unable to cut off the water supply. As one of the first tunnels to use geometry in its construction, the Tunnel of Eupalinos was actually excavated from both ends simultaneously.

09/15/2009

This morning we did a practice site analysis and took down notes. In our drawing session we did a color study and I finished my object oriented "not so still life."
Later a few of us spent the afternoon on the beach and at 8p we went to the group dinner.

All Photos

Psili Ammos, Samos

09/10/2009

Today we hiked up the mountain in Pythagoreio and played red light, green light - the dance version.

On the way down we explored some cliffs and actually found a cave where a farmer had built a sheep kennel to keep his sheep out of the sun.

At 2p we got on a bus to Samos Town for the museum but it was closed so we sketched people and scenery instead.

09/11/2009

Today we got up and went to a sandy beach called Psili Ammos where we built sand castles and played in the ocean.

09/12/2009

Today we went to catch a bus to the other side of the island for a camping trip but it was pouring down rain and the bus didn't even come so we went to a cafe. Later we went for pizza and stopped in at a bar called Tabula Rasa where it seems they accept patrons of all ages.

All Photos

Ephesus

This morning we got up at 6:50a to get on a boat to Turkey. When we arrived we had to give up our passports for the duration and, as we boarded the bus to Ephesus, our guide began the tour.

On the way our guide described some major factors of the Turkish economy naming agriculture as the primary industry. In Ephesus our guide showed us many places, such as the Council Chamber - Odeion, the Gate of Heracles, the Pollio Fountain, the Temple of Domitian, the Fountain of Trajan and the Terrace Houses.

The Terrace Houses were built for the wealthiest Ephesians - architects and others valued by the Roman Empire. The paths have glass walkways and the facility itself is roofed all at a total expense of seven million lira/dollars (not sure which) to protect the ongoing restoration project.

Next we visited the Library of Celcus - a hero shrine or "heroon" built in 135 AD.

Finally we stopped in at the Ephesus Theater, an auditorium still used today for music concerts.

After the tour we went to a souvenir area where I haggled with a local to buy a plaque for 15 euros, looking back I probably could have given it a little more effort. From there we went for lunch and I had a kebab followed by some Baklava. Finally, after walking around town a bit, we got our passports and hopped on the boat ride back to Samos.

All Photos

Monastery of Panagia Spiliani

This morning we did directional exercises using pressure. In another similar exercise the leader touched and the follower expanded in movement towards the touch. After the morning activities we hiked up to a Monastery of Panagia Spiliani.

There we made a sequence of perspective sketches before continuing. Under the monastery we found that there was a cave which turned out to be a church.

95 steps down into the earth it was cold enough to see my breath. Looking around we found a small shrine to the Virgin Mary or "the Virgin of the Cave."

About an hour or so after leaving the monastery Derric and I joined Carissa in an artistic "excursion" during which we sketched some stairs coined "the death stairs" due to the seemingly perilous nature of their incline.

For the evening session we took a bus ride back to the Temple of Hera where we did a large scale charcoal landscape.

All Photos

Beach Hopping

09/06/2009

Today we went on a hike to find some beaches and, for some reason, I decided to where flip flops. At the first beach we had to make our way down a cliff trail until we arrived at a pebble covered beach.

The water was difficult to walk through because of all of the sea urchins so we decided to move on. At the second beach we found 12 life jackets and some really cool formations including a cave.

I used the life jackets to make an old raft float again as an alternative to walking back but for some reason nobody felt like it would support us all.

On the way back we stopped for lunch at a place where Derric went when he first arrived on Samos.

Here Derric had met some nice locals as a result of a motel mix up - the hotel here has the same name as ours in Pythagoreio.

09/07/2009

Today we started our morning activities with a game where two or more people work to create negative/positive spaces.

Then we broke off and discovered spaces around our theater using the resulting inspiration for compositions. In studio we painted with water color and for the evening session we sketched a dead olive grove with charcoal and used the trees to come up with more negative/positive compositions.

All Photos

Sailing the Aegean

09/03/2009

For the morning yoga session we recalled poses from the monastery and created routines based on them. In our studio session we painted and posted the results on the wall and for our evening session we sketched some perspectives.

09/04/2009

In today's morning session we created group routines with our gestures and stances from the monestary. In the studio session we drew positive and negative space with charcoal and had the rest of the day off. While walking to the beach I saw what appeared to be a wild fire - one of many that Greece experiences every year.

In the evening we went swimming in the moonlight and launched each other into the air.

09/05/2009

Today we got up at 8a to go sailing. After we set off captain Pano climbed up on the main mast and took some photos of us.

He was really quite a character - always hanging off the boat and insulting waiters on their "plastic" potatoes...

Before lunch we stopped off in a bay to go swimming in an really cool cove.

Next we went to a small town where we enjoyed a feast of delicious lamb, wine and fried potatoes.

 As the evening approached, and we worked our way back towards Pythagoreio, the weather picked up.

The front of the boat began to jump at which point I would too giving me a few seconds of hang time as I fell with the boat.

 Finally, the sun began to set as we approached Samos and the end of our day sailing the Aegean Sea.

All Photos