Our visit today to Athens began with the most famous temple of the Ancient City - the Parthenon, dedicated to Athena, the patron goddess of Athens. We arrived before it even opened so therefore walking up the winding path towards the Acropolis there was no one around. We walked passed the Propylaea, one of the masterpieces of classical architecture, seriving as the entrance tot he complex of buildings.
Eventually we reached the top and saw the natural fortress of the Acropolis, standing 230 feet above the city. The Acropolis is the symbol of the glory of ancient Greece. The Parthenon was designed as a shrine to Athena and at one time housed a massive gold and ivory statue of the warrior goddess.
We saw the Temple of Athena Nike (Wingless Victory) and the Erechtheum temple with its classical Porch of Maidens, the Caryatids in the distance.
Next we took a scenic drive of Athens to some of the most important sites of the city. We went to the Temple of Olympian Zeus which took over 700 years to complete.
We stopped at the Marble Olympic Stadium and walked around the area.
Then we headed towards Constitution Square, to view the former Royal Palace where the Evzones National Guard keep watch in their traditional costume over the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior. At each hour, there is the changing of the guards and the ceremony was incredible to watch.
We stopped at the National Gardens and drive along University Street, who numerous neo-Classical buildings include the University and the Library.
Next we went to the Plaka or the Old Town area and walked around this historical center of Athens. There were tons of outside cafes and restaurants lining the area. The little narrow, cobblestone streets, have really remained the same for centuries, and around every corner is some little gem of a scene. There was a guy selling coconut candy that I just had to try, and it was delicious! We had lunch, the best gyros, with Mike and Pauline at a corner cafe and they were only 2 euros each! We walked around the Plaka, looking at the stores and checking out the bakeries. We found this small little bakery that sold the most amazing cream puffs! It was a cold creme fresh and they were incredible!
Finally, we went to visit the surviving treasures of the Acropolis, which are seen together in one place in the New Acropolis Museum. Works previously held in storage, in other Athenian museums, and museums abroad were brought together within one museum close to the original location. The collections on display are finds of the Acropolis, Post Parthenon and Roman Period. This splendid modern building is built over ruins of the ancient city that are still an archeological site. As soon as you enter the outside entrance, there is a glass floor that looks down into the ruins, where people are working to reconstruct this site. This architectural detail of glass floors is carried out through out the 3 story building. When Greece hosted the Olympics recently, they continued to dig up ruins, and they didn't have time to do anything with them, just "park" them for later.. as the city is virtutally one big ruin. They also have the philosophy that these ruins belong to the world, as the foundation of our modern civilization were first here. The highlight of the museum is the display of the Parthenon Frieze, located on the top floor.
We got back to the ship and had a meal in the Lido, where all our friends gathered and we ended up sitting and talking over our days with one another till late in the evening.
