Athens Day 6

We decided to finally take Lycabetos Hill on foot.

It does loom large over the city and our hotel.

The hillside is covered in New World plants, agave and cactus.

A good view of the hill, and agaves in bloom, and the beautiful family.

Along the way, places to rest and take pictures.

Impressive view

A good look at the cactus and agave. And Zach being silly! 

Agave stalks in bloom.

The view from the top.

A panoramic view (if possible)

After hiking down, we watched the parliamentary changing of the guard ceremony. 

Turns out military service is obligatory, but they only need to serve eighteen months)

Athens Day 5

We took it easy today. The kids went shopping again at the plaka with little trinkets and stuff. Then we took a cab out to the beach again in glyfada.

On our way back in we took a cab to the subway station and took the subway in. The anti Euro demonstrators were converging peacefully in Syntagma square.

Here's a video:

It filled up pretty quickly with thousands of demonstrators. We wanted to get a better view.

Athens Day 4

Today was one of my favorite days traveling. 

Breakfast at the hotel with the Parthenon as our view.

Bank ATM machine line.

The Parthenon from the Agora (which was my favorite place candidly)

Temple of Hephaestus

The stoa

From the second story of the stoa.

Mars hill from the bible fame.

In the new museum of the Acropolis.

The Acropolis through Hadrian's arch.

We went back out for shopping at the Plaka and had gyros al fresca, bought our gifts and souvenirs, wandered the city. There was a pro euro demonstration near the hotel in Syntagma square, but nothing drastic.

Athens Day 3

This is the view of the Acropolis from our hotel breakfast

The Acropolis

The parliament building from our hotel.

Collin was a little sick this morning so we all chilled most of the day after this in the room. Lori and Jeff and Zach went out to the plaka.

After a bit we tried swimming in the hotel pool. Collin is feeling better, just jet lag and tired.

We had a private dinner on the beach.

 Kids loved it

Athens Night 2

We wandered off Jeff, Lori, and I in the evening. Had dinner at a small outdoor cafe, souvlaki and gyros. For dessert, yogurt and honey.

Lycabettus hill

We think the National library, with Athena on the left, Apollo on the right. The pantheon above in the triangle area.

Socrates

Plato

This really is the best photo of Athens. Gorgeous ancient place, covered graffiti from the election. "Oxi" is no.

View from the top of the hotel staircase.

The Acropolis from our hotel roof at night.

Athens Day 2

We took a tour of the city and the acropolis.

First up was the Olympic stadium for the first modern Olympics, in 1896. It's not a normal shaped track, but very long and narrow. Sprinting the curve would have been rough.

Modern Olympic stadium

The acropolis is the name for the whole hilltop. On the hill are various buildings. This is the Odeon, which is an amphitheater with a roof (the roof came down in 200 CE)

Another view of the Odeon, with the sea in the distance.

Near the top is a gate, not pictured. From the gate, this is the view. The rocky hill straight ahead is Mars Hill with Peter from Acts of the Apostles fame. The temple to the bottom right us for Hephaestus

This is the Parthenon, the temple to Athena, patron god of Athens, and art and knowledge. Some construction and scaffolding.

The expanse of green is the National Gardens. You can see the temple of Zeus on the right. The zappeion in the center.

Over the right of Jeff is the National Parliament building. Our hotel is touching his right ear.

The Parthenon from the side.

This is of the gates, but after having already crossed through them, in between the gates and the Parthenon.

The old temple of Athena, off to the left of the gates and Parthenon.