athens
28 May 2019
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I arrived in Athens not quite sure what to expect. I'd had such a relaxing stay in Milos and wasn't sure I was ready for the hustle and bustle of a big city. This was the view from my apartment.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc9JRT-LdtrJoe9lyZG_Oc6TNaUz0Gmfiu0fyPsMFChyphenhyphenOKMEUpbouSNXkt9zZG_RZuHmDIkhGYaPuPrwDuhgBmaPvFuG7qJpkRpDvVfm45Dm2PvcYA62eZfpToArjrxUJjRJGY1Q/s1600/blog-21.jpg)
First thing on my agenda was to visit the Acropolis. I'd read all the recommendations - rubber soled shoes, water, hat and an early start and did all of those things.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy7vq3Q_pOr_Yomhe-nFwJ1EvfqaQ9ZUFunfaa4leRDTJWJPL6RBlOffBQssxRvsLW7oXRvR_mXXlIGtQaotrVxM88IMWBmixYCdcqToaSW77NkpD0qypogxKh8JBvf3WQKIMbQA/s1600/blog-20.jpg)
I scaled the heights and discovered waves of tourists wielding cameras and selfie sticks and endless scaffolding. I was a bit disappointed.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjNLujSQ6lvDVT_lFwaYkOMBvQcpPluq-jREIfk5Ae6343aF3ffvHDic1li2pVXPXaKEFYYJrZtE5NDrfIs8O_6b5fV1Z9bmi5bGW_KdOiPSlIMnsDMMkdkOGTUzXjCg9wkkP_PA/s1600/blog-6.jpg)
My favourite part of the Acropolis was the Caryatid Porch of the Erechtheion.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbLUZWtYEr9CX5PNShc9HYwB-M57szRqMmTQZCrdnYZ-brZs8X6XJb7UZkiOIP1JwRLjd7H9maj0N5aA_PdviWvB96aZ7SqkOYgfBYUcl54etucTbeEZ3chkCIBa2CMSfN2Ksrpg/s1600/blog-22.jpg)
Details of the Acropolis.
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The Acropolis Museum was so helpful putting everything into context.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRaLABNW6X0ttS4LHtCT6n0oI1DL7PRMljEgvgzgIxBb71Qnz0FmWey8GwTxnVDFy7JVZClaL_Y5L3lEsWP4ET2mDv4fTqkbRpx-KZzqSQ2F7MqKbn7PGiLkE883EM5xHhRA5K3A/s1600/blog-2.jpg)
The Theatre of Dionysus. I'm not sure how comfortable those marble seats would have been.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYomSI5x2FUuZbm8hFCxDcM9I-crOEBinHHUwBWtIdCvAktDpizxANzqCR1De4XueFudTBqVTFg51MfEYNwBicMVZnm8X54P_PwqBxL-f7eBjhvOVpBy_jsi7-30yiE1OaTZ09QA/s1600/blog-7.jpg)
The ancient agora was much more my style.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiokKN6CuBzmvqFDxpcMjjJG6Vz6bgJ3dKONomRBRkbZVLG0ALoRGusQYPCkZHqFz2I9Y1wdaQblkz9t0UsTzbY0G3_oy0P4vLRc1CtlmAdxNMjNe3UUO_iJHjaSJm7ZIBUw18oWQ/s1600/blog-17.jpg)
The Stoa of Attalos.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY2qaGY_donrxYB6-x_UZTRcSLE1Ub_JnCdeIaLlukxzQ2g9w6EgDn6lYnAEYuAPzDVoJsIP7ETxADrLT_FzDnI9wy11wzJrkGQ8MlaUQhQpro8K9SrNaPijDOcH181XBp_ImRdQ/s1600/blog-18.jpg)
The Acropolis from the Ancient Agora.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijwEDpqFhb3s9G-VdLnMcWV7wpaEGfWe9qZoQL-4U47OPokYLV1FbplT6VIaeVgeFU0Z1yQYubeOAxxFLe8x1aA0EO01zmqx_8NXpCyYup4tengvDD4U2pkorr2xAjkFRw2CU3Bg/s1600/blog-3.jpg)
The Church of the Holy Apostles.
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The next day I was out and about early to watch the changing of the Presidential Guards.
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I found it quite moving as did the guards participating in the ceremony looking at the intensity in their faces.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-_7kj-o0_-tks3qLibFx4s90eofDOrVvR1H9FW4LLKabH41LGbvgqQAN9fGh2UemfAQ7vS2LZimnIoyPNMM59c-5idWLj_bng2aXaXAwNMQuIJ6KUaDy2LpFl_RKBF6iLhI5DBA/s1600/blog-24.jpg)
Next stop was Hadrian's Library.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEQf8B0guitEfTUdEJULXZVYxKU5sVjMWRz0vXc0_IX6UGPwovC3VFNjEjSSECvDPTOj_cy8Fsumlqq8nIdhVRHBrSH4WF0oRCsGbpTzNDmEAtl1mG24tC5e0TcYXmWRscAA8hXg/s1600/blog-15.jpg)
Another view.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3DgTgWrdXN5137Q7IOpKG74vPLSY2J_dcfIh0ZVzjttRdVMDmj3mXFE_vqOkqmvMZWJuos7OC6snWZH8YQK0pbOBo4keO3aFP0d9BQlshhVPeB93isWxGWO_9_ZGbWu18UT1KSg/s1600/blog-5.jpg)
By then it was time to visit the Plaka, a lively district near the Acropolis.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqpFmeK5z8mf2Qhyphenhyphen7YoaSTNfFTJZq0w5ohN6evXbeXbqffH54JEjcJKIOzqERb2XdpOeD0QeUpUfAZ9DwCo_wipUnWDfJWR2hVSs0FklGNQK94NVu6m-zbb2Se_zOnIzIjIlAKGA/s1600/blog-14.jpg)
Splashes of colour.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgasOl4QBGueX711GmjR0LEXTB8FfziLO0ykZBZHb4RSaHqPTPrLB8QkrY-NPCR_kQwU9FWdcVvPI8yHomO8kecuruHzic8SFwhwLe2sAwcpxqjEpaABnZJB0kRUYvPfgcWNm5_DQ/s1600/blog-12.jpg)
Some old doorways.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdq8IxSRipJoE4D59RoRSBzwaMO93sEuRBbit0w9K28dotquv27Seoi0XHX4ECqKeGv1a2gTw2eS4NdC4dtao6Q5S2V4DMKadZ4rnygKNIh46xh9ggP2unSBVE1YmezpGakVozEQ/s1600/blog-4.jpg)
A local shopkeeper.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4rBxKWWtoO8NdvhvzkH8pDTBQJk9aGlbj87V7fJzSYl283iM34Q7xYvIppjZJaPrkL84jN4BCbc08pMwtevz7nlEmBAAJVHgD0YGAijrrHu87eyjFGKBybv2773rjpmmwgWKFIA/s1600/blog-9.jpg)
Flowers
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From there I wandered to the Anafiotika district, known for it's cycladic architecture.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPFqvgC87WlWzFkHxNfKm1PII5mkV45XmbrPK_ZyfnaCJxzZRBYjppkonj9-EuibxTfNO8MlOW8oD_es5OnN9pNHL7M4GYV_gO1YAINs-4U1DvFp8unrm5JLtCMjNF1XhjTciMuA/s1600/blog-10.jpg)
Yes, this is Athens not Santorini.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSTTA1Gy97p32EzLTXVkbnwq29BwkLKf3u8sw3iTo9eao9JERUfQpx-yc3PxCBjgDGPD7_g_9-xlll9XnfNnhppr2Na8h_zPHrbi5JdVOkze-aULKum5wQxF_CQKyk0C4EDniBoA/s1600/blog-1.jpg)
This is the view.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioWrb7ELABufX83MqGhc1FQS5ZzNG9ETSoPKOjUu-b__PQN4eKmtFOraJ59pZTRSN1sAXdML56FCKfx1BF2_GccgfJNA9sbQtSK9Bd4BeIno9j3kUXvgeMjNHL1NivFKZCopn8Dg/s1600/blog-13.jpg)
My final stop was the Panathenic Stadium home of the modern olympics.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNgjKXYFIVXdn3yzT81aqXCT8qRDYo-Tla_KVtxS8iOXNd-_oXRmvVaP9OmOTqvJirBoqv-WkWdIqGJcadL4l9LQXj__mi0dZavuYaXqcVNn9zOtjEukQ09qsal5PWgP84-ILkcA/s1600/blog-26.jpg)
The stadium is made from marble and it's a thing of beauty.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSqlIPVxxD3Jr7xNxcOylInKHabZEXc6s-pAJ5sPdCaVeVHcgOrXg1LD57Szol3xzNtKu0aZGXwSg7v28fASyBO1X8_t8ARN8KefTCMm0v1WV_N4pJQRMVBnd6DD1AkYSn_Nh3iw/s1600/blog-28.jpg)
I felt a part of the Olympic family.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzklvDXs1LUklaLdXYl0k0tT-UHLA-szygF62P0ckG-h7yI9eGVTPigK2UReq7VOgqY-ngOfbHKsASOB-3h_0oeTDMPEfXmwpYnH3OQEAQT0MXLoTBS-vJ5Bazbt_rkXrgteVyZQ/s1600/blog-29.jpg)
Next stop, the mystical Meteora.
Bye for now,
Jillian