Admiring Athens

Next up for the Lowry Olympics was visiting Athens for a few days as we anticipated the arrival of Luna Bay back in the Med.

We stayed in an AirBnb close to the Acropolis in a very neat residential area with lots of restaurants and cafes called Koukaki. Our mission was education and we hit all of the ancient sites with our resident historian and Greek mythology expert, Ryan!

The highlight, of course, was the Acropolis and the Parthenon.

The Acropolis has an excellent museum that houses the remaining original sculptures from the frieze and pediments of the Parthenon, and that was our first stop, before climbing the hill to see the temple itself.

We had an excellent tour guide named Maria who detailed told us about the history, development, ultimate pillaging, and preservation of the Parthenon and the other temples around it. Meanwhile, Ryan told us all about the myths and legends to go along with it. Maria and Ryan got on like a house on fire, and of course, they are now Facebook friends (through Mommy, of course!).

It really is stunning to see these original temples and the works of art that were housed in them that were made/built 2500 years ago. The Parthenon itself was constructed in only 9 years, which is mind-boggling to think about. It's certain that it could not be built in that amount of time today.

It was also great to see Ryan so inspired by Maria, who with degrees in art history and greek antiquities, was really able to bring the stories to life for all of us. Athena, as Ryan will tell you, is her favorite goddess (because of her "wisdom") and Ryan was beyond excited to see the ultimate temple to Athena. She did have some of those same feelings she had in Syracuse about why various conquerers over the years desecrated, repurposed, or stole parts of the ancient temple and it's artwork, but above all she appreciated this special place. Plus, she was able to tell us all about the stories that were depicted in the pediments, which was really helpful!

Ryan and Maria walking and talking -- this is how it was for about an hour and a half, with the three of us trailing behind!

Of course, it's not just the Parthenon that is in and around the Acropolis. Up on the Acropolis hill are the Erechthion:

...and the Temple of Athena Nike:

Around the Acropolis are lots of other sites, too. This is the Theater of Dionysus:

The Temple of Hephaistos, the most well preserved of Athens' ancient temples:

And plenty of excellent views of the Acropolis:

One of the remarkable things about a city like Athens (and places like Rome, as well) is how the most ancient and significant ruins are right in the middle of the bustling city. There is just nothing like that in North America. As you weave your way through the old city....

You come across important sites both Greek, and in this case, Roman. This is the Roman Forum.

Hadrian's Gate, which marked the dividing line between the ancient Greek city and the new Roman city named by Hadrian for Hadrian (the Emperor thought a lot of himself):

We also had some fun seeing the stadium in which the first modern Olympic Games was held in 1896. Mommy is showing her athleticism here while Ryan approves.

And, of course, Ryan pet all the cats in Athens:

Next up, more friends come to visit!