| Greece, Athens, September 2011 |
More than 30 years after my first visit to Greece, I have gone back to the cradle of Western civilisation..:-).
A trip to Athens, Delphi, Meteora, the Sporadic Islands and Santorini. Too many pictures to publish in only one Multiply album.
Here is part 1, Athens.
From the airport we took the Metro to Monastiraki Station in the Plaka, where we had booked a hotel.
When you exit from the station, you find yourself in the middle of the animated Plaka crowd.
Our hotel was only a five-minute walk from the station and from the roof terrace we had a spectacular view of the Acropolis.
No problem to find a restaurant here. Tsatsiki, Souvlaki, Greek salad, Retsina, a real Greek dinner.
The next morning we started our tourist activities with the Acropolis. We were not the only ones, although October is considered off-season.
The Parthenon temple is under renovation for decades already, not easy to take pictures without cranes (or tourists).
The next day we visited the Roman Agora and the Ancient (Greek) Agora with the Hephaisteion temple. Lots of walking. In the afternoon we took a taxi to the Lykabettus hill, where we waited until sunset, with a beautiful view of the Acropolis as a reward.
The following day we left Athens for Delphi and Meteora (see next album), but we came back at the end of our trip and visited the National Archeological Museum, one of the leading museums in the world.
And of course we went to Syntagma Square to watch the changing of the guards (the Efzones). You are allowed to have your picture taken, next to a guard, but you can not touch them or speak to them.
Next: Delphi and Meteora
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 Arrival in Athens
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 The Acropolis in the distance!
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 Our hotel in Athens
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 Our first Greek dinner!
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 Acropolis view from our hotel
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 Morning view from our hotel
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 Propylaea, the entrance to Acropolis
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 Temple of Athena Nike (~410 BC)
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 Detail
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 Erechtheion (421-406 BC)
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 The famous Caryatids
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 The Parthenon temple
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 We have been there!
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 Detail
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 Theatre of Dionysos (~500 BC)
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 Lykabettus hill
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 Temple of Zeus
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 Ancient Agora with Hephaestion temple
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 Greek Orthodox Church
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 Another one
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 Theatre of Dionysos
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 Detail
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 General view
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 The Plaka district
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 Calamares, Tsatsiki, Greek Salad
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 Roman Agora, Tower of the Winds (~50 BC)
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 Detail
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 Ancient Agora, Hephaisteion temple
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 Front view
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 Stoa of Attalus (restored)
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 Now a museum
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 Phallic statue
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 Lunch
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 Lykabettus hill
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 Waiting for the sunset
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 The Acropolis
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 After sunset
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 The National Archeological Museum
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 Inside the museum
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 Kouroi
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 Zeus (or Poseidon) ~450 BC
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 Ephebe of Marathon (~300 BC)
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 Jockey of Artemision (150 BC)
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 A horny Satyr god
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 Grave memorials
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 The mask of Agamemnon (~1500 BC)
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 Aric and a Cycladic goddess
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 Cycladic art (~3000 BC)
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 Photographer in action
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 Souvenir hunting
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 The famous Evzones guards
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 A tourist attraction
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 Changing of the guards
2 comments |
 Allowed to take pictures
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 So, here we are!
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 Temple of Zeus
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 Corinthian style
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 Arch of Hadrian (~130 AD)
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 Farewell lunch
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wrote on Oct 24, 2011:
strange dressing :) |
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wrote on Oct 24, 2011:
Yes, but don't be fooled. They belong to the elite Presidential Guards, are well trained and at at least 1.86 tall. You should see them parading, THAT looks strange...:-) |
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