“Greek customs such as wine drinking were regarded as worthy of imitation by other cultures. So the ships that carried Greek wine were carrying Greek civilization, distributing it around the Mediterranean and beyond, one amphora at a time.”
I feel blessed to have spent Christmas with all my siblings and my parents, on a cruise to three Greek islands, water of the Saronic Gulf glistening in the sun. Athens was the city I was most excited for on the trip since I had never been there unlike Rome and Paris, and I just love history. The hotel we stayed at had rows of orange trees lining the streets and was around the corner from the Parthenon and all the other sites of the ancient agora. Mom, Liv, and I went one morning and we had to climb the hill to get to the top where all the sites were. It’s interesting to think that Greeks did this all the time. We met up with the boys later, and then they did the same journey. The scenery up top was breathtaking, and as I breathed in the crisp, cold air at the top with the wonders of the ancient world around me, I was more content than at any other point on the trip. This world is indeed filled with awe-inspiring beauty, and humans have been gifted by God with the ability to make incredible structures for years.
On Christmas morning, we boarded a day cruise to three islands off the coast of Athens. It was a wonderful journey, except for one part in the middle when the ways got choppy and those sensitive to the sea got a bit sick. Oliver and I had to brave a perilous journey of walking around the ship to get food from the buffet. But beyond that rough patch, the rest of the journey was smooth sailing. We explored the island of Hydra, which was very small and had no vehicles on it. The two larger islands had pistachio and orange groves, and beautiful scenery. On Poros we climbed up to the top of the clock tower and took photos on the heights of jagged rocks. On the largest island mom, Liv, and I took a carriage ride through the city in order to see the pistachio farms. It was a lovely day. And that night, we had Christmas dinner at an authentic Greek restaurant with piled on delicious food and views of the ruins at night.
Everything about Greece was excellently laid out in our plan. The closeness of our hotel to everything, the ability to walk and enjoy the authentic Greek parts of the city, and most of all, it helped us celebrate the holiday of giving and love together. Thank you Lord for your indescribable gifts and your presence. 
Odelia Younge 
Yes mama Younge!