My notes are a bit skimpy for this day because I was sick during the night & I didn't feel up to par throughout the day. Dramamine took care of the problem, but it also produced a sleepy state.

The first site of the day in Vergina was only 15" from our hotel in Berea: the tombs of Philip II of Macedonia. The tombs were covered by an earthen mound, probably to hide & protect them from further looting. It was only uncovered in the late 1970s. The tomb purported to be that of Philip II had not been looted. Some of the items retrieved from the tombs were in display cases & included silver & bronze vessels, weapons, a gold larnax holding bones of Philip II, a gold oak wreath, & many other beautiful gold items. One of the other tombs might possibly have been that of Alexander IV, son of Alexander the Great. Picture taking was not allowed.

We went back into Berea where I opted to stay on the bus while the rest of the group walked into the old Jewish Quarter to visit the 19th century synagogue. Only three Jewish families live in the area now. I joined the group when they walked back to see the "Paul Altar". According to tradition, the monument - with its Byzantine mosaics - was built in the spot where Paul stood & delivered his sermons while in Berea. (Acts 17:10-15) Paul said the Bereans were "more noble" than the Thessalonians he had met.

Our next stop was Mieza, where we viewed the remains of Aristotle's Institute. Alexander the Great was a student there from ages 13-16 years. There was not a great deal to see - stones & parts of walls, but it was a lovely setting by a stream. There was a building nearby which housed a gift shop, a small museum with a few statues & some other objects (according to Bob) & a room for viewing a film about the school. I 'm sorry I missed the film, but the Dramamine was having its effect & I took a nap on the bus.

My nap continued as we traveled to Thessalonica, the second largest city in Greece. Though I really wanted to see the sites, my energy was non-existent, so Bob took pictures & gave me a brief report. The visited the Archeological Museum which housed treasures from the tombs of Philip II in Vergina. There were many sarcophagi displayed outside of the museum. There was a lovely park to walk through on the way to the harbor. Other sites included a statue of Alexander the Great, a large Venetian Tower built in the 1400s, ruins of an agora, the Arch of Galerius, & a 7th century church, Hagia Sophia. The city was important in ancient times because it was a port city located on the Via Egnatia. It was the capital of Macedonia when Paul, Silas, & Timothy visited in 49-50 A.D. Paul preached to the Jews & God-fearing Greeks here. (Acts 17:2-4)

We stayed overnight in this historical city.