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Published: October 10th 2016
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The ship is docked at Pireus, the port of Athens, Greece. It is another spectacular day; nothing but blue skies. We are on a bus heading for Athens with our guide Joanne. Her English sounds Australian; turns out her language teachers were all Ozzies.
Our first stop in Athens is the site of the first modern Olympic Games back in 1896. The facility was completely rebuilt for the 2004 games. Trying to entice visitors to have a photo taken with them are soldiers in Ancient Greek battle dress and goddesses in traditional white Greek dresses.
Back on the bus. As we drive along, the Acropolis, and specifically the Parthenon, is visible perched high on the rocky craig in the centre of Athens. In fact, no matter where you go in Athens, you can likely still see the Acropolis. We drive by several sites of interest announced by Joanne, although it is hard to get a good look at them from the bus, much less a photo. Traffic is heavy and slow.
Finally we reach the foot of the mountain of the Acropolis, the top of which lies 156 m above sea level. And we start climbing. The first
part is through a garden area planted with small trees and lovely flowers. Then the climbing gets serious, as we tackle the combination of ancient marble steps and modern cement and wood ones that lead up to the Acropolis.
The first structure we come across is the amphitheatre, spreading down the hill below us to the right. Johanne tells us that it is used for concerts and has welcomed some of the greatest performers in history. The next structure is the Propylaea, the monumental gate to the Acropolis. We laboriously climb between its two twin towers, at which point we are more or less at the top. A remarkable view of the city stretches out below. You can actually see as far as Pireus to the southwest. In the opposite direction is Mount Licabettus, an even higher peak that falls within the borders of modern Athens.
The flat top of the Acropolis is dominated by the Parthenon, often described as the most beautiful building ever erected by the hand of man. Dedicated to Athena, the eponymous goddess-protector of the city, it was built in the period 447-438 B.C. by Phidias, whose work was so important to Olympia. Serious
Amphitheatre
Athens, Greece restoration has been under way since 1983 and will continue for decades to come. I was here in 1971, at which time the Parthenon was mostly stubs of ruined columns that one was free to climb over. Today, it is much easier to visualize its original splendour, as the majority of the outer columns and lintels have been put in place. To one side of the Parthenon is an older temple, the Erechtheion, which includes a famous porch featuring six columns in the shape of women, known as the Caryatides.
We have about 30 minutes to circumnavigate the Parthenon before heading down. It's obviously easier to descend, but the heat and exercise are taking a toll. When we arrive at the garden area, we take an expansive promenade that gently descends into the old section of Athens, called the Plaka. It's about a 15-minute stroll. Once in the Plaka, we poke around the small, narrow streets with their many tourist-oriented shops. We rejoin our group across the street from a park that features the Arch of Hadrian and the Temple of Zeus/Jupiter, both completed by the Romans. I zip across the street to take some pictures.
Back to
the ship. Restorative showers absolutely necessary. Our dinner companions tonight are an older couple from New York City, instantly identifiable by their accent. The husband has the classic sardonic NYC attitude to life. We spend the rest of the evening with the mighty fine B.B. King All-Stars.
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