Sunday In Athens

We arrived in Athens this morning to very nice weather. After grabbing a pastry at the International café, we joined out small tour group and headed out for the day. Our tour guide and driver had all the ladies in a twitter. He was tall, dark blue eyes, and Judi says “really blue eyes,”-- she repeated this several times. I guess you would have to say he was the epitome of the Greek man. He spoke very good English and we were driven in a brand new Mercedes van. What more could the ladies want? We arrived at the Acropolis early and Judi and I were the first ones through the gate. As I said the weather was clear and warm, not hot and on top of the Acropolis, there was just no one else around. What a great way to experience this magnificent piece of history.

We strolled around the Acropolis taking pictures and enjoying the views of Athens from the high hill. The first temple was built by Erechtheus on the reputed site of Athena’s contest with Poseidon. He later became deified and worshipped as well. The Parthenon, the temple of the Virgin Athena, the Goddess of Wisdom was erected by the Olympian Pericles. The temple was completed in 438 B.C. The temple is 228 feet long, 101 feet wide and 66 feet high at its highest point. It is surrounded by 46 columns, the diameter of which are 6 feet 1 inch and are 34 feet high. This is not a small place.

The Erechtheion is the most sacred of all the temples in Athens. It consists of three separate parts. The first is the Temple of Athena Polias, which takes up almost half the space of the Erechtheion. The second is the Temple of Erechtheion and the third is the Temple of the Nymph of Maiden Pandrosus. She was one of the daughters of Cecrops.


The Theatre of Dionysus was opened in 534 B.C and 13,000 people crowded into the theatre to listen to the works of Aeschylus, Sophocles and Euripides, Three tragic and five comic poets each year.

The Odeon of Herodes Atticus is on the southern slope of the Acropolis. Emperor Hadrian had the 5,000-seat Odeon carved into the rock cliff in 161 A.D. It is used today for summer concerts.

After leaving the Acropolis, we visited the site of the Temple of Zeus. In front of the Temple is the Arch of Hadrian. It separated the city of Hadrian and the city of Theseus in ancient times. Just past the arch is the Temple of Zeus. Hadrian built the Temple of Zeus, using 104 marble columns. It was 354 feet long and 135 feet wide.

After leaving the Temple of Zeus we drove to the highest point in the city. The view give us an opportunity to see just how big Athens is. Greece has 11 million people and 5 million live in Athens. Leaving the hill we drove past the Olympic stadium where the Olympic Games were reintroduced 1896. From there we went to the 19th century shopping district called Plaka. The crowds were thick and after grabbing a Gyro we headed back to the ship. We relaxed and got ready for Katakolon, Greece.