Athens on my mind

Today is Sunday, May 17. I was supposed to be in Athens today, welcoming our division's top sales performers from across the globe. Obviously, we're not there. And corporate incentive trips around the world have been canceled or are on hold. 

Of all the things wrong in the world right now, this does not rank.

However, this trip was so very well organized, so perfectly planned for our special people, that I just want to tell you about it. Perhaps it will inspire others to create similar trips when travel is safe again. Or maybe it'll help our sales teams know how much thought we put into their Elite Sales Circle trip. If nothing else, I hope it helps to remind Holly Connors, Lori Harris and Katie Stone of SAS and JMP, as well as Optimum Greece's George Kiayas and Petros Prelorentzos, of the masterful planning they did.

Come along as I paint the picture for you... 

You and your favorite person land in Athens and are whisked away to the five-star Hotel Grande Bretagne in the heart of the city. Check in, freshen up and walk across the street to see the Parliament's changing of the guards. A little sunlight will help you fight off the jet lag. But then again, the Grande Bretagne is luxurious and deserves to be explored and appreciated. And you deserve to be pampered. 

When you dress for dinner, you'll want to opt for something flowy and cool, perhaps with sandals made for walking. "When in Greece," they could say.

Now picture yourself entering the Panathenaic Stadium as the athletes did in 330 BC...through the passageway that opens into the arena. As you exit the tunnel, you're surprised by the brightness of the stadium, where the marble is smoothed from the ages and cool to the touch. Sit where royalty sat. Walk where the athletes walked. Stride through the stadium like the gods are still watching. 

Now onto Zappeion, the first building erected specifically for the revival of the modern Olympic Games. That was 1874. Before strolling between the majestic columns for a dinner and ceremony, you pose for a group photo on the steps. On your face, the pride to be a part of an Elite group is clear. Add to that the pleasure of sharing your success with family, and their excitement to see you in the spotlight. You think the night could not be bette

Until you see the Acropolis lit up at night from the hotel rooftop. The only question as you drink in the history with your eyes: Do you pair it with chilled wine, a cold beer or a delectable night cap? 

And then you retire to the luxury that is every room in the Hotel Grande Bretagne, and dream of the adventures yet to come. If Athens is still on my mind tomorrow, perhaps I'll share a bit more about the trip.