Ahhh Athens - I truly love this place. Don't know why but I'll try and summarise. I think it's the: awesome ANCIENT monuments easily-visited; the vibrant main streets; fresh Greek salads and fantastic calamari; cheap-as gyros (mini doner kebabs); huge yummy, doughy, sugared donuts from the street stall for 60c; accomodating male shop-keepers; the traditional music often heard blaring from street stalls and passing Peugeots; the warm weather. It's a fantastic place.
The only complaint I have is about the sleazy, old men that like to blow kisses and whistle way too often... But I guess that's just life as a 20-something female traveller :)
But first I should update on Delphi - a great place! We visited the ruins on Friday morning - in a fantastic position on the side of a mountain (Mt Parnassos) overlooking a valley and with views to the sea. Delphi is the area that was believed to be the naval of the world and was Apollo's sanctuary (hence the temple). The myth is that there was an oracle there for many centuries before Apollo took over in around the 6th Century BC. He made the oracle his and since then pilgrims visited the temple and brought gifts to ask the oracle a question. With the eventual invasion of the Romans and then Christianity, Delphi became an outlawed area and the oracle was no longer worshipped from about 350AD. Anyway, it is a gorgeous area and we even used the old stadium that was used for the Pythian Games (diff. to Olympics that were held for Zeus but still run every 4 yrs) for our own running race. Johnno won, but he's a boy with long legs so I wasn't surprised. We also checked out the Temple of Athena which is down the road and the museum also. So cool to see original
Me in front of Temple of Apollo, oracle was in a room to the right of this photo (below ground)
The resurrection of the great Pythian Games... Johnnus Goateeus Long-leggedness and Claireus Stunningite the Great.
Temple of Athena
Original sculptures found in Delphi, 6th Century BC, 'twins of Argos'
We arrived on Friday night from Delphi - a very crazy drive really with lots of strange sights along the less than impressive 'past National Highway' that was a single-lane road most of the way with many trucks (avoiding the toll-roads like us???). Popped out near Omonia Square and managed to drive straight past our hotel! This place is great (see it here)!! Recommend it to anyone - 10 Euro each for a 4-bed room with en-suite and breakfast.
A Greek hillbilly?
So Saturday we walked into town and it was, sadly, Dan's last day travelling with our merry little band. Lei, Johnno and Dan went up to the Acropolis & were impressed with the heights at which someone could fall to their death. But disappointed with the endless scaffolding (grrrr, worse than when I was here). I checked out the Ancient Agora and witnessed a very happy band of 'Clean Up Ancient Agora Day' participants. There is not many buildings left in the Agora area, but the little museum on site is very good. I am constantly amazed at looking at little figurines from the 14th Cent BC and there was even a grave of a girl, with partial skeleton from about 900BC.
The only complaint I have is about the sleazy, old men that like to blow kisses and whistle way too often... But I guess that's just life as a 20-something female traveller :)
But first I should update on Delphi - a great place! We visited the ruins on Friday morning - in a fantastic position on the side of a mountain (Mt Parnassos) overlooking a valley and with views to the sea. Delphi is the area that was believed to be the naval of the world and was Apollo's sanctuary (hence the temple). The myth is that there was an oracle there for many centuries before Apollo took over in around the 6th Century BC. He made the oracle his and since then pilgrims visited the temple and brought gifts to ask the oracle a question. With the eventual invasion of the Romans and then Christianity, Delphi became an outlawed area and the oracle was no longer worshipped from about 350AD. Anyway, it is a gorgeous area and we even used the old stadium that was used for the Pythian Games (diff. to Olympics that were held for Zeus but still run every 4 yrs) for our own running race. Johnno won, but he's a boy with long legs so I wasn't surprised. We also checked out the Temple of Athena which is down the road and the museum also. So cool to see original
Me in front of Temple of Apollo, oracle was in a room to the right of this photo (below ground)
The resurrection of the great Pythian Games... Johnnus Goateeus Long-leggedness and Claireus Stunningite the Great.
Temple of Athena
Original sculptures found in Delphi, 6th Century BC, 'twins of Argos'
We arrived on Friday night from Delphi - a very crazy drive really with lots of strange sights along the less than impressive 'past National Highway' that was a single-lane road most of the way with many trucks (avoiding the toll-roads like us???). Popped out near Omonia Square and managed to drive straight past our hotel! This place is great (see it here)!! Recommend it to anyone - 10 Euro each for a 4-bed room with en-suite and breakfast.
A Greek hillbilly?
So Saturday we walked into town and it was, sadly, Dan's last day travelling with our merry little band. Lei, Johnno and Dan went up to the Acropolis & were impressed with the heights at which someone could fall to their death. But disappointed with the endless scaffolding (grrrr, worse than when I was here). I checked out the Ancient Agora and witnessed a very happy band of 'Clean Up Ancient Agora Day' participants. There is not many buildings left in the Agora area, but the little museum on site is very good. I am constantly amazed at looking at little figurines from the 14th Cent BC and there was even a grave of a girl, with partial skeleton from about 900BC.
Girls' skeleton - some bones still preserved
Later we caught up for dinner and had a brilliant time at a cafe near the Agora - was quite cheap and delicious food. Lei and I had very pokey-out bellies after eating such great food (she: mousaka & greek salad; me: veal in red sauce with pasta & greek salad. We all shared fresh bread and local red wine). The boys loved their dinners too - particularly Dan who had some fantastic calamari - which I originally thought was cold and boring.. I'd cut up a piece of bread and was munching on that instead of the calamari, which was, in fact very tasty!!!
Today - after saying farewells to Dr Silver (aka Dan) we three checked out the Temple of Olympic Zeus. Third time I've been there now and I still love it!!!! DON'T miss it if you come to Athens. I then wandered around the Plaka for hours and bought various touristy things :)
Spotted some very bad fashion sights but generally the Greek people are insanely fashionable!! Lei and I have decided though, that the patterned stockings are so NOT COOL. Otherwise, a big thumbs-up that makes me want to buy lots of stuff... ** whimper.
Clean Up Ancient Agora Day
Later we caught up for dinner and had a brilliant time at a cafe near the Agora - was quite cheap and delicious food. Lei and I had very pokey-out bellies after eating such great food (she: mousaka & greek salad; me: veal in red sauce with pasta & greek salad. We all shared fresh bread and local red wine). The boys loved their dinners too - particularly Dan who had some fantastic calamari - which I originally thought was cold and boring.. I'd cut up a piece of bread and was munching on that instead of the calamari, which was, in fact very tasty!!!
Today - after saying farewells to Dr Silver (aka Dan) we three checked out the Temple of Olympic Zeus. Third time I've been there now and I still love it!!!! DON'T miss it if you come to Athens. I then wandered around the Plaka for hours and bought various touristy things :)
Spotted some very bad fashion sights but generally the Greek people are insanely fashionable!! Lei and I have decided though, that the patterned stockings are so NOT COOL. Otherwise, a big thumbs-up that makes me want to buy lots of stuff... ** whimper.
Clean Up Ancient Agora Day
Some birds out the front of a pet store in Athens
South American Indian performing group that attracted some weirdo who wanted to dance with no clothes on. Note, his bike packed to the hilt (it included bongos on the front)
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