Blogs from Pláka, Athens, Attica, Greece, Europe - page 6

Yes, I was in a college fraternity, and was often called a "Greek" even though I am not of Greek origin. We were known as a professional fraternity, but had the best parties on campus. But let's take a rather irreverent look at the Greeks, as we know them today. Greeks have the most sex in the world (and have held the title for ten years). Greeks were the first to go "full Monty" with the 1931 film, Daphnis and Chloe. Greeks stick together, as they have the lowest divorce rate in Europe, but have the highest abortion rate A Greek physician, Soranus, believed that sneezing was a form of contraception. . Hippocrates considered the human body to be just a bag of fluid. Before the invention of toilet paper, the Greeks tied sea ... read more

From UNESCO: The Acropolis of Athens is the most striking and complete ancient Greek monumental complex still existing in our times. It is situated on a hill of average height (156m) that rises in the basin of Athens. Its overall dimensions are approximately 170 by 350m. The hill is rocky and steep on all sides except for the western side, and has an extensive, nearly flat top. Strong fortification walls have surrounded the summit of the Acropolis for more than 3,300 years. The first fortification wall was built during the 13th century BC, and surrounded the residence of the local Mycenaean ruler. In the 8th century BC, the Acropolis gradually acquired a religious character with the establishment of the cult of Athena, the city’s patron goddess. The sanctuary reached its peak in the archaic period (mid-6th ... read more

From UNESCO: The Acropolis of Athens is the most striking and complete ancient Greek monumental complex still existing in our times. It is situated on a hill of average height (156m) that rises in the basin of Athens. Its overall dimensions are approximately 170 by 350m. The hill is rocky and steep on all sides except for the western side, and has an extensive, nearly flat top. Strong fortification walls have surrounded the summit of the Acropolis for more than 3,300 years. The first fortification wall was built during the 13th century BC, and surrounded the residence of the local Mycenaean ruler. In the 8th century BC, the Acropolis gradually acquired a religious character with the establishment of the cult of Athena, the city’s patron goddess. The sanctuary reached its peak in the archaic period (mid-6th ... read more

Over the past two years, my visit to Athens has been postponed a half dozen times, due to Covid. Well, Greece opens up to tourists on May 14. When will I get there? May 14! I plan to fly into Athens from northern Europe, and spend a week here, splitting my time between Athens and the island of Santorini. You are probably amazed that I have not been to Greece heretofore. Rather than take you back to Neolithic Age, Pericles, the Ottomans and Greece's long (3400 years old) and colorful history (you can refresh your European history on your own), let's just focus on the present. Athens became the capital of the modern Greek state in 1834. Best of all, the city's historic center has been converted into the largest pedestrian zone in Europe. Let's save ... read more

Day 21 - The Acropolis and Filopappou Hill (and points in between) Our plan was to get to the gates of the Acropolis early to avoid the worst of both the heat and the crowds. We also entered from the eastern gate, the one not used by all the tour companies. This took us past many of the sites lower on the hill such as the Theatre of Dionysus, several temples, caves that had been turned into churches, the work sites of various craftsmen, and a roman era theater that is still used today. We finally made it to the gates of the Acropolis and walked up the marble steps to the summit. We were able to see the Parthenon, the temple to Athena Nike, and many other smaller temples on the summit. The whole area ... read more