So, for a long while, the archaeologists had been interested in the area around Vergina. They knew that it was near Ancient Aigai, and they suspected, I believe that some of the mysterious hills dotting the landscape were, in fact, the tumulus (that's the technical word for a burial mound) of the ancient rulers of Macedonia. How right they were. Catharine is an archaeology major, and I am a classics nerd, so we spent a lot of time sort of dancing around in glee while we were at this site. What was so exciting, you ask?
Answer: Vergina is the location of the tomb believed to be that of the father of Alexander the Great, Philip II, and the son of Alexander the Great, also named Alexander. That's right, kids. We may very well have the bones of both the son and the father of that guy who went and conquered the known world that time.
But first, we had to stop and pet some cats. 
Later on, after we went to the museum (which is absolutely fabulous, by the way, you most certainly should go if you are ever able. It's in the tumulus. That's right. It's inside the tumulus. Also, they really know how to make things look cool by the use of dramatic lighting. Though, in fact, gold is pretty cool looking anyways.) we wandered around the tumulus, and for the first time realized that yes, northern Greece actually is as pretty as everyone says it is. 
See! It's pretty! And there are mountains and green things! Also, it was chilly- it actually felt like fall here!
This is a Macedonian tomb. This one is not inside the same tumulus as all the other ones, so we could actually take pictures of it. This is what they all look like. Only the ones inside the museum still have a lot of paint preserved on them, so that's nice.
Next- excitement while wandering around the town of Vergina.
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