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PaperclipPerfector  4mo ago (text post)   2371 thread views

Friday Fun Thread for August 8, 2025

Be advised: this thread is not for serious in-depth discussion of weighty topics (we have a link for that), this thread is not for anything Culture War related. This thread is for Fun. You got jokes? Share 'em. You got silly questions? Ask 'em.

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We're planning a trip to Greece. Where should we go beside the obvious Parthenon / famous sites / etc?

If you're fond of history, the Georgios Averof basically soloed the Turkish fleet during the Balkan War right before WWI, and is now a floating museum in Athens.

You know, if you happen to be staying over/on a weekend, I could probably nip by from the UK and say hi. It's not a very long flight, and I wanted to see a bit of Greece myself.

What's your itinerary?

Patmos is off the beaten path, accessible by ferry, and for me at least had some religious significance. The small shrine of St John is pretty touristy, or seemed so 35 years ago. Of course I'm not sure how the recent fires have affected the island.

When you see some genuinely unimpressive ancient ruins, possibly Sparta itself, read this text from Thucydides:

For I suppose if Lacedaemon [Sparta] were to become desolate, and the temples and the foundations of the public buildings were left, that as time went on there would be a strong disposition with posterity to refuse to accept her fame as a true exponent of her power. And yet they occupy two-fifths of Peloponnese and lead the whole, not to speak of their numerous allies without. Still, as the city is neither built in a compact form nor adorned with magnificent temples and public edifices, but composed of villages after the old fashion of Hellas, there would be an impression of inadequacy. Whereas, if Athens were to suffer the same misfortune, I suppose that any inference from the appearance presented to the eye would make her power to have been twice as great as it is.

Who all is going? Would the group have more fun at a museum, restaurant, beach, boat, walking in a city, hiking?

Absolutely recommend Meteora.

what's there?

Bunch of Monasteries carved into tall solitary cliffs. It's one of the most incredible visual spectacles in the world.

Not a lot, but google image search it and you'll see why.

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