Going to the Greek

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At 9 am Austin Texas time, Michael and I tearfully dropped Izzy off at summer camp where she will enjoy hiking, wrestling, napping, eating and most likely some behavior modification training. A mere 33 hours later we were having dinner on a rooftop terrace in Athens, Greece with our dear friends (and interpreters) the Kallivokas family-- Loukas, Liana, Fotis & Filippos. On Friday, our group walked from our apartments near the Ambelokipi Metro stop to the Panathinaiko Stadium which is near Loukas' old neighborhood (Pangrati). The current Stadium is constructed of Pentelic marble on the ancient site of a natural depression between the two hills of Agra and Ardettos, over the Ilissos river. In 330-329 BC, Lykourgos had the stadium built as a festive venue for nude male athletes involved in "the noble competition and fair play of mind and of body". Between 140 and 144 AD, Herodotus Atticus restored the Stadium, giving it the horseshoe form or sphendone that was found in the 1870 excavation. It is believed that the ancient Stadium had a seating capacity of 50,000 people and at some point, a few seat backs were added for visiting royalty and dignitaries. In modern times, the restoration of the Stadium was conducted by G. Averof for the revival of the 1896 Olympic Games. The Stadium has been often used to honour the homecoming of victorious Greek athletes, most notably the Greek national football team, after its victory at the 2004 European Football Championship. And, in the 2004 Olympic Games, the Panathinaiko Stadium hosted the archery competition, and the finish of the Marathon.
Did You Know? One Stade is a measure of length equivalent to approximately 185 meters. The Cunei is the continuous curvature which secures the optimum visibility of the track. Bonus: There is a vaulted passage under the stadium where maidens danced naked in the hopes of getting a good husband.
We are looking forward to the arrival of David and Jack in Athens this evening. SCROLL DOWN FOR PICS!

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Photos

Panathinaiko Stadium Royal Seating
reserved for visiting royalty and dignitaries