Sparta: Allie P

One way to best describe Sparta is in contrast to Athens. In so many ways these cities are are polar opposites, as they were in antiquity as well. Athens is a bustling metropolis where things are constantly going on, and Sparta feels much like a small, sleepy would does back home. Our first night in Sparta, many of us sat on the main square of the town and people-watched for a few hours while enjoying our ice cream. It was interesting to see how many little kids were running around, playing soccer and having fun that late at night, around 11:30 or so. That's not something you would likely see in the center of Athens or back home, but in Sparta it was completely ordinary. There was also situations in Sparta where the locals spoke much less English than we encountered in Athens, but they were often very polite and accommodating for us. Sparta is not a tourist town like Athens and Nauplion were, but that gave all of us an authentic taste of Greece we would not necessarily have encountered otherwise. However, not everything was different between Sparta and Athens. One thing that seems to transcend many cities and cultures is men's passion for sports, and Sparta was certainly no exception. It was hilarious to notice when older men gave us the evil eye for talking during their championship soccer game that was on the television in the busy hotel lobby. Lastly, the movie that we watched together really embodied so many of the stereotypes we encountered and fit into on this trip. "My Life in Ruins" gave us all a chance to enjoy how obnoxious American tourists can be, but we also noticed the irony of watching a movie about American tourists in Greece while sitting together in Spartan theater. It definitely would not have been as funny if we had not been in the context of that situation. Sparta was a reprieve from the constant activity of Athens, and it was a great experience to see a town that has played a prominent role in Greek history.