2011 - My Tiki Tour (Part 8 - Athens)
To the birthplace of democracy, souvlaki and ouzo.
Friday 15 April 2011 - Tuesday 19 April 2011
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2011 tiki tour
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Friday 15 April to Tuesday 19 April - Four days of wandering around by foot and tram one of Europe's most historic cities. The weather was again not very good with hazy sunshine and rain in equal doses.
I managed to climb up the hill to the Acropolis to be greeted by (i) hoards of tourists doing the same thing, and (ii) lots of scaffolding. The new Acropolis Museum is also worth wandering around, especially as it started to rain.
The Acropolis.
The Odeon of Herodes Atticus.
The Odeon of Herodes Atticus.
Ancient and modern on the Acropolis.
More detail of the Parthenon.
The eastern end of the Parthenon.
The Erechtheion Temple.
The north east corner of the Parthenon.
The Caryatids on the Erechtheion temple.
The Erechtheion Temple.
Hoards of tourists on the Acropolis.
Athens has a new tram system that runs down to the coastal suburbs and it was a good trip down there for lunch. The Agora is the old city centre and is covered in old Greek and Roman ruins.
The Acropolis as seen from the Agora.
The Stoa of Attalos.
The Stoa of Attalos.
A poppy in the Agora.
The Stoa of Attalos (reconstructed as a museum).
An arty photo of the cafes next to the Agora.
The Temple of Hephaestus.
The Temple of Hephaestus in the Agora.
On the Sunday I managed to catch the changing of the guard ceremony in Syntagma Square, outside the main parliament building.
Here comes the band. Out of step as usual.
Changing the Guard at Syntagma Square.
The Guards.
Hotel review: The Athens Centre Square was very nice indeed. It was right next to the main fruit and vegetable market on Athini Street in Monastiraki area. The hotel was very new and provided a great breakfast. At night the area was not the greatest with interesting "wildlife" wandering the back streets which are best avoided. Other than that, the hotel is highly recommended. It also has a superb view from the roof bar (not open at this time of year) over the city and the Acropolis.
The Acropolis from the roof of my hotel.
The Acropolis from the roof of my hotel.
