Paestum--by Samantha

Story by Samantha, photos by Kelli

Going to Paestum today was a memorable experience for all of us in the group.

Paestum, a Greek city, was a valuable opportunity for us to observe some different types of Greek architecture that we had not yet been exposed to on the trip. All of Paestum revolves around three main temples: a central temple dedicated to Poseidon with a temple for Ceres on either side. The temple of Poseidon is one of the best-preserved Ancient Greek temples left in the country, and we all felt a sense of astonishment at standing in front of something so much older than anything else we are used to seeing. The bright and sunny day combined with the serene atmosphere of the field had a calming affect on us all--it was a noticeable but welcome change from the crowded and busy atmosphere of some of the other archaeological sites we have visited. The peaceful setting was best described by Trevor as "like being in a painting". 

We eventually reached what used to be the wall of the city, and, as we have all been so excited to do whenever possible, climbed up it and stood on top of it in order to get a better view of the site. Even the extreme winds could not put a damper on our moods, as we took shelter by sitting on what we soon found out to be a sacrificial altar. There was even a dog roaming the site, much to the delight of those of us who have been dog-spotting throughout the trip.

The Paestum was a calm but exciting adventure--it gave us a chance to learn about some new types of architecture and building structures, but also was a soothing atmosphere with beautiful views for us to enjoy without the usual chaos of archaeological sites packed with tourists.

After our time at Paestum we went to the  museum and saw rare, Ancient Greek paintings and other artifacts that related to the site.