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[ Up ] [ Nafplio Journal ] [ Santorini Journal ] [ Crete Journal ] [ Rhodes Journal ]
Greece Journal
We started our Greece journey in Athens. To see journals from our other Greece stops, just click the links at the top of the page.
(Lea) I was going to like Athens no matter what. In Athens we
were scheduled to meet my parents whom I had not seen in 7 months - I would love
whatever city I met them in! We all had a terrific time talking and
laughing. Aside from catching up, we also managed to explore the city and
discovered we liked its atmosphere and liveliness. We wandered through the
winding streets of Plaka with its tavernas, musicians, Byzantine churches and
quaint cafes; we ventured up to the amazing Acropolis, over 2000 years old, with
its marble buildings and temples; and we drank Greek wine (LOTS) while listening
to musicians singing folk songs and playing Mandolins. My dad found it really
interesting to explore the city and compare it to the last time he was in Athens
- during his naval service in the 1950s! After a few days, we all left Athens
for Santorini.
Another quick note on Athens - it made me think of calculus. With all the Greek signs I saw tons of thetas, Betas, and pi. Geeky, I know.
(Keith)
On my first trip to Europe in college, I wanted to visit Athens to see
the Acropolis; to me the Acropolis is the perfect image of ancient civilizations
and conjures images of the gods and goddesses and their fantastic
mythology. Unfortunately at that time I was unable to fit Greece into my
plan.
The Acropolis overlooks Athens and is dedicated to the gods, particularly Athena. Some of its temples were first constructed (and have been destroyed and reconstructed several times) in the Mycenaean era (1900-1100 BC); though the Parthenon (shown in the picture) was not complete until 438 BC.
Our first view of the magnificent ruins occurred one night as we were walking to dinner. The Acropolis stands on a hill overlooking the city; at night it is bathed in floodlight and seems to float . . . further adding to its mystery and charm. Several days later, we got a closer look as we made the trek up the marble stairs that enter into this magical place.
Although Athens is a bustling city (complete with lots of cars and pollution), it has some charming spots. There are numerous places to eat; the best being the street food vendors, where you can get gyros and souvalkis for only a few dollars. We spent several days walking around the Plaka which lies at the base of the Acropolis. Although a little touristy, the old streets were fun to wander. Another memorable activity was hiking to the top of Lykavittos hill for a spectacular view of the city. Overall Athens is a good place to start a journey through Greece; next we are off for some island hopping (Santorini, Crete, and Rhodes).
Check out our Athens Photos.