Today being my last day in Sparta I wanted to get a better sense of their community. Today was the day when one of the biggest religious festivals in Sparta was held. It's called “The Karneia”. I later found out this festival is held to honor the god Apollo and to celebrate the core value of unity in Sparta. As I looked around the festival people were dressed in simple clothes dancing and gathering in big groups. This was a whole new side of Sparta I haven’t seen before. People were smiling and dancing. It was very lively and fun. There were beautiful melodies being played and wonderful smells of food. The main event of the festival was a game where one person wore a crown and carried valuable items while others chased them, if they were caught it showed that the gods were pleased with Sparta and would be rewarded with strong agriculture. As I was walking around I caught the smell of food again but as soon as I saw the food it was nothing I had yet to see in Sparta. They typically ate very simple food. It's simply not a luxury, it's a necessity. However, today was different. They shared meat and bread together. And shockingly they brought out wine, they were truly present and relaxed in the moment. They were proud of their city and the work and effort they put into it. This was their celebration of the amount of work and effort they put in to protect it. This festival truly showed me a different side of Sparta and that they are so much more than just warriors in their communities as well. From what their training to when they have fun their values never falter and that’s admirable. As I leave Sparta I am leaving nothing short of amazed. Thank you all for supporting and joining me on my time travel journey.
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