Athens, Greece

I will admit that at the beginning of our day in Athens, we were very tired. We were looking forward to seeing Athens, however with this being the fifth day in a row of excursions, we were looking forward to the day at sea on Wednesday (actually today as I write this).  We began the day as usual with a quick breakfast. Going to the formal dining room was also an option, but we chose to sleep a bit later rather than take the time out for an “ordered” breakfast.

Once locating our bus at the dock, we began tour through a town called Pireaus. A very large shipping port in Greece, it was about a half hour drive to Athens and the Parthenon where our first stop was planned. The trip description warned that it was about 2-300 steps up to the Parthenon, and while it was a substantial walk, it did not seem quite that far. One of the interesting things we found at a number of the stops in Greece on both days was the number of dogs just hanging out at sites. They had the temperament of house dogs and were clearly unattended. We found out later that the city actually cares for them, including daily feeding and veterinarian care.  I did not understand it, but I did get a brief  “dog fix” since I could not pet my own.

Regarding the Parthenon, I am not even sure where to begin, so I may just post a number of pictures for you to see. Like the pyramids and Sphinx, you can read all you like about it from home. Being here and standing next to it is another story. To consider who was here and what went on here several thousand years ago is overwhelming. I hope each of you are able to travel here some day and see these magnificent cities and structures for yourself.

Building that the Apostle Paul preached in

As we left the Parthenon and toured part of Athens on the way back to the ship, we stopped at an amphitheater that was built in 1892. A British gentleman came to Athens and inspired them to build one for the Olympics. At the games held this year, only men were allowed to participate, and they had to be naked. Hence, the number of statues of naked men that are scattered around the area. Notice the Parthenon sitting atop the Acropolis in the background.