Marge Kepes

Mrs. Kepes was always one of those tough scout leader mothers. 

When mischief was at hand, we didn't like her much. She was basically a bad a**. One of those parents you really didn't want to mess with. One of the few adults whom nothing got by and whom would let nothing slide. 

We could usually make a sobbing appeal to Mr. Solorio, and Mrs, who was equally understanding. Never Marge Kepes. 

Thanks for the tough guidance, I will always remember you nocking our heads together and your endless service to Troop 342. 

Acropolis [[[Annotated]]]

ACROPOLIS

I DECIDED TO MAKE THIS WHOLE POST IN CAPS BECAUSE IM KEEPING IN THE GREEK SPIRIT, WHERE LOTS OF WORDS ARE IN CAPS. 

TODAY WAS THE FIRST TIME IVE EVER BEEN TO THE [AKROPOLIS] AND I WOULD LIKE TO LET YOU IN ON THE LITTLE SECRETS OF THE VISIT. IF YOU WANTED THE FACTS AND THE HISTORY YOU HAVE WIKIPEDIA. 

SO HERES WHAT WAS SURPRISING AND PARTICULARLY INTERESTING

1. THIS IS THE PARTHENON. THE BUILDINGS IS ABOUT 2500 YEARS OLD. WHEN WE TALK ABOUT DEMOCRACY AND SOCIETY WE KNOW THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE GREEKS. WHAT YOU MAY NOT KNOW IS THE ARCHITECTURAL AND AESTHETIC IMPORTANCE OF THIS BUILDING, WHICH WAS NEVER MUCH MORE THAN AN AWESOME RELIGIOUS PAVILION. THIS BUILDING IS ARGUABLY THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT ARCHITECTURAL STRUCTURE IN THE WORLD. THE PARTHENON IS THOUGHT OF EVERY TIME SOMEONE TALKS ABOUT CLASSICAL ARCHITECTURE. ITS ROBUST COLUMNS, PORTICO (PORCH) AND PEDIMENT (TRIANGLE SHPAED ROOF), AND ENTABLATURE (FLAT PART ABOVE COLUMNS) WITH TRIGLYPHS HAVE INFLUENCED BANKS, GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS, ESTATES, AND PLACES OF WORSHIP WORLDWIDE. 

2. THIS SMALL BUILDING IS CALLED THE ERECHTHEUM. IT WAS AN IMPORTANT PLACE BECAUSE DIRECTLY BEHIND THIS BUILDING WAS THE ONLY PLACE ON THE ACROPOLIS WHICH WAS COMPLETELY SHIELDED FROM WIND. IT HAD WALLS ON NEARLY ALL FOUR SIDES.  IT DIDNT CROSS MY MIND THIS MORNING WHILE I WAS GETTING DRESSED HOW COLD AND BREEZY IT WOULD BE ON THE ROCK, TOWERING ABOVE THE WHOLE CITY.  

3. THE GROUND ON TOP OF THE ACROPOLIS, BETWEEN THE ANCIENT STRUCTURES WAS EXTREMELY ROUGH, BUMPY, AND ENEVEN, EVEN TREACHEROUS.  WHAT WAS WORSE, THE ROCK HAS GIGANTIC HOLES WHICH FILL WITH WATER AND FORM PUDDLES WHICH WAIT FOR YOU TO STEP IN THEM. 

4. IT WAS NOT APPARENT TO ME JUST HOW COMPLETELY TALL THE ACROPOLIS IS. IT TOWERS ABOVE THE REST OF THE CITY. THE PARTHENON ROCKS IT JUST BY SHEER GEOLOGICAL FEAURE; THE BEST KIND OF ARCHITECTURAL PROGRAM!

5. THIS GREEK THEATER CAN BE SEEN FROM THE TOP OF THE ACROPOLIS. THE WALL MAKES A TERRIFIC BACKDROP WITH ITS SLIGHTLY RUINED ARCHED WALL. 

Istanbul Cistern

could there be anything worse than a gigantic dark underground pool of water with huge carp swimming around in it? How about one with two mysterious Medusa heads set as the base for Corinthian Columns in a forgotten back crevice.

Welcome to the Cistern of Istanbul. Dug out around 500 AD this pool used to serve as a freshwater reserve during the Height of the Byzantium Empire. Today it stands as an extremely well preserved engineering and plumbing wonder.

FUN FACT: There was a scene shot here in the movie, "From Russia with Love".