For Natalie Mullins, college graduation wasn’t the biggest life event that happened recently. A
2021 graduate of William Byrd High School, she waited impatiently for three years for the trip of
a lifetime. After her dream Greek graduation trip was postponed after high school graduation due
to the lingering effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, she was finally able to embark on the
adventure after finishing up her bachelor’s degree at Virginia Tech this spring in only three years.
Mullins, her mother, Laurie Mullins, and boyfriend, Chris Blankenship flew out of Roanoke on
June 7. After a brief layover in Toronto, Ontario, the trio landed the morning of June 8 in
Barcelona, Spain. They explored La Rambla – the city’s three-quarter-mile pedestrian corridor
stretching from the central square, Plaça de Catalunya, to the Christopher Columbus Monument
facing the sea. Jet lag caught up with the group, so they called it an early night to rest up for their
only full day in Spain.
In Natalie’s mind, Barcelona was a brief stop before boarding the main event: a seven-night
Eastern Mediterranean cruise ending in Athens, Greece. The next day, however, would make this
city one of her favorites visited throughout the 14-day excursion.
With limited time in the city, travel agent and excessive planner Natalie scheduled the must-see
attraction – Basílica de la Sagrada Família. This Gothic-style cathedral has been under
construction for nearly 150 years, beginning in 1882 under the supervision and design of
architect Antoni Gaudi. While still not completed, the basilica is open to visitors with a pre-
purchased, timed entry ticket. On June 9, Laurie, Natalie and Christopher prepared for their
10:15 entry time and arrived at Placa de Gaudi, a scenic park neighboring the church, nearly an
hour ahead of their ticketed time.
The early morning was definitely worth it in Natalie’s opinion; as soon as the trio arrived at the
landscaped overlook, Natalie and Christopher were approached by a photographer looking to
expand her portfolio by taking couples’ portraits.
After only a few photos, Christopher dropped to one knee and proposed to Natalie with a three-
carat emerald-cut diamond set in platinum and gold. Unbeknownst to Natalie, Chris had been in
cahoots with Natalie’s parents, Tommy and Laurie, to pull off this “epic” proposal.
Família in Barcelona. (photos courtesy of Natalie Mullins)
That random photographer wasn’t random at all, but was hired by Chris to capture the perfect
moment with the beautiful Sagrada Familia as a backdrop. After an enthusiastic “Yes!” the
couple had an engagement photoshoot in the park prior to their entry time to the cathedral.
The intricate detail and purposeful characteristics of Sagrada Familia could be studied for hours.
The tour begins outside the Nativity Façade, the northeast-facing exterior of the church. The sculptures tell the story of Jesus Christ’s birth and life. Entering beneath the nativity scene, visitors are swallowed by the large church. Columns supporting the intricate exterior are designed to resemble trees and branches. Gaudi intended for churchgoers to feel one with nature. Exiting through the Passion Façade, visitors are met with a large contrast to the Nativity Façade. This side of the basilica is simple and dedicated to the suffering of Jesus during his crucifixion.
After a traditional paella lunch, Natalie, Chris, and Laurie further explored the city, enjoying
Gaudi’s other architectural masterpieces on the Block of Discord and the city’s Gothic Quarter. A
hidden gem in this section of the city is the excavated Roman ruins beneath the bustling city
streets at the Museum of Barcelona. Ending the Spanish segment of their trip with tapas for
dinner, the group prepared to embark on the main portion bright and early the next morning.
On June 10, the trio boarded Royal Caribbean’s Voyager of the Seas for a seven-night journey
visiting four ports of call, the first of which was Valletta, Malta.
Malta is a small island nation in the Mediterranean with an important, but often overlooked,
history. It was a part of the Kingdom of Sicily in the 16 th century before the Great Siege in 1565
where the Ottoman Empire tried, and failed, to capture the island.
The French occupied the nation briefly in the 18 th century before Malta became a colony of the
British Empire for quite some time before becoming independent in 1964. The Saluting Battery
in the Upper Barrakka Gardens commemorates the country’s long history with the firing of a
cannon every day at noon and 4 p.m. To enjoy this spectacle travelers must take the Barrakka
Lift, a 20-story elevator, from the cruise port to the gardens.
After watching the noon cannon firing, the three explored another main attraction of the island,
St. John’s Co-Cathedral. This cathedral is home to the largest and only signed piece of art by
Caravaggio: The Beheading of Saint John the Baptist.
Following a day at sea, the ship anchored in the Aegean Sea and tendered passengers to
Santorini, Greece, one of the Cycladic Islands, known for its Instagram-worthy whitewashed
houses, blue domes, and caldera views.
The northern town on the small island of Oia is where Natalie found the famous photo-ops, and
the main town Fira, littered with shops and restaurants. The arid island only receives up to 10
days of rain per year. The famous Santorini wine is made from grapes that have adapted to this
climate by growing under leaves that provide shade from the harsh sun, and surviving solely on
the humidity.
The most interesting parts of this island are the three options available for getting up the
mountain to the city center of Fira: riding a donkey, walking the 600-step path, or taking a cable
car. Needless to say, this trio opted for the cable car, the least treacherous of the options.
The next port of call was Kusadasi, Turkey. Just a 30-minute drive from this port city are the
ruins of the ancient city of Ephesus. The three trekked through the marble-clad ancient streets to
see this UNESCO World Heritage Site that contains the Library of Celsus, Temple of Hadrian
and the well-preserved terrace houses that allow visitors to see luxury dwellings dating from the
first century B.C. This excursion also visited the House of the Virgin Mary, a pilgrimage site for
Catholics.
The last port was Mykonos, Greece, another Cycladic Island. The trio strolled through the
winding lanes of Chora, Mykonos’ capital and old port city. Known for the picturesque
windmills, Little Venice town, and vibrant bougainvillea, this island has much to offer.
The next morning the group disembarked in Athens, Greece for the final four days of their
journey. Athens was blazing hot, so the trio spent their time sightseeing in the early morning
before taking an air-conditioned break from the heat of the afternoon.
With so much history and so little time, Natalie prioritized the group’s sites: they toured the
Acropolis, home to the Parthenon; the Acropolis Museum; the ancient Roman Agora, where the
well-preserved Temple of Hephaestus still stands tall; Mars Hill, where the Apostle Paul
preached; and the National Archaeological Museum. They also opted to purchase double-decker
bus tickets to breeze past other important sites like the Temple of Zeus, Arch of Hadrian,
Panathenaic Stadium, and various Athenian neighborhoods.
One of the group’s days in Athens was spent on a Catamaran excursion in the Mediterranean Sea
where they enjoyed multiple swimming stops and lunch aboard the vessel. This ended up being
by unanimous decision as the trio’s favorite day. On the ride to the Catamaran port, their tour
guide pointed out the old Athenian airport, abandoned over 10 years ago, and now being
developed into Europe’s largest “smart city.” This project will house Greece’s first and tallest
skyscraper and is set to open as early as 2026, but will not be fully completed until 2037.
The trio says that this trip was well worth the wait, and they were very blessed with flight
schedules and an overall ease of travel.
Natalie has put any future trip planning on hold in order to meticulously plan their 2026
wedding.
Mullins graduated in May “summa cum laude” from Virginia Tech with a major in
Communications, Multi-Media Journalism, with a minor in Events and Experience Management.
On Sept. 9, she began working as a sales and marketing assistant for Keltron. Her fiancé, Chris,
finished classes in August at Radford University Carilion with a 4.0 GPA and will officially
graduate in December with a major in Biomedical Sciences, with minors in Chemistry and
Psychology. He will be studying to become a Physician’s Assistant. Laurie Mullins serves on
Vinton Town Council.
