Athens

I'll remember this - seeing the archaic monuments up close, climbing up rocks and viewing the vista of Athens from the top of the Acropolis. There were nights spent walking around Plaka with its outdoor cafes, colourful furniture and flowering pots; climbing up Anafiotika to view sunset over the glimmering capital. I'll remember realising the dream I'd had since I was a young girl, to come to the city of the ancient gods and relive its mythical moments.

Despite its world class, tourist capital status, the air of grandeur surrounding the ancient sites were still eminent during my visit. Sweaty crowds aside, you can't help marvelling at the intensity and magnitude of the structures. Innumerable photos and verbal references to the masterpieces of the Grecian civilisation, yet the actual monument in front of you still stands undiluted. 

It's mind-blowing, to think through the countless human souls who have stood where you stood, occupied in a different era of history; to admire the hands that built the edifices; to wonder at the purposes, the religion and civilisation that made such icons possible. That was the best part of Athens - realizing that you are a tiny speck in a world that is rich in stories you can only imagine and speculate.