"Life's greatest accomplishments are those that at first seem impossible..."
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(A graffiti, lost in translation)
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Today we experienced the best of Athens our own way, on the City sightseeing hop-on hop-off bus tour. We choose to travel around in the air-conditioned tour bus rather then on the open-top double-decker and created our own sightseeing itinerary.
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(On the hop on hop off tour bus)
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(The running man of Athens)
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(Dromeas, the famous running man glass sculpture)
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(A big crowd is coming to town)
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(Getting ready for the Grand Parade)
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(Locals and tourists crowding the streets)
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We Learned about Athens’ history from the onboard audio guide and had to choose from various available routes. Many of the attractions had to be explored on foot, at our own pace, but most were seen from the bus route.
Founded in the 19th century, Athens' National Archaeological Museum is the largest archaeological museum in Greece and one of the greatest antiquities museums in the world. The museum is housed in an impressive Neo-classical building huge exhibition space. On display are five permanent collections of exhibits, offering a comprehensive overview of Greek civilization from prehistory through the classical period to late antiquity.
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| (The Temple of Olympian Zeus) |
Dedicated to Zeus, the Temple of Olympian Zeus, also called the Olympieion, was the largest temple in ancient Greece. Though the Parthenon is better preserved, the Temple of Olympian Zeus was an even more monumental structure in its day. The temple dates to the sixth century BC but was not completed until the second century AD by the Emperor Hadrian. In front of the Olympieion, not far from the entrance, stands Hadrian's Arch at the end of Dionysiou Areopagitou.
We passed the Ancient Athens's largest building, the Panathenaic Stadium. It has a capacity for 60,000 spectators. Constructed around 335 BC during the era of Herodes Atticus, the venue hosted the Panathenaic Games where runners competed in races around the track. The 204-meter-long track was designed with four double herms, where runners would turn in the races.
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| (The Panaghia Kapnikaréa Byzantine Church) |
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(Pedestrian square at Ermou Street)
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Gracing a little square that opens onto a pedestrian-only section of busy Ermoú Street, the Panaghia Kapnikaréa Church is a delightful place to visit and a site you are likely to walk past. This church is a splendid example of architecture from the 11th-century Byzantine era and a stark contrast to the modern architecture that surrounds it. It was saved from demolition in the 19th century by the intervention of King Ludwig I of Bavaria. When it was built, domed cruciform churches such as this one were typical. In the 12th century, the church was enhanced with a graceful entrance portico and a narthex featuring four pediments. Inside, the church is decorated with 19th-century paintings created in the iconographic style of the Middle Byzantine period.
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(A typical Byzantine architecture)
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On the site of the ancient Agora, the Church of the Holy Apostles was the only building left standing when this entire quarter of Athens was demolished to excavate the Agora archaeological site. Built in the 10th century, the church stands above a sacred spring. The exterior is notable for its ashlar masonry and its ornamental Kufic, an Arabic script inscriptions. Typical of Byzantine architecture, the church has a dome supported on four columns, and the apse and transepts feature semicircular conches. The interior of the dome is adorned with original frescoes depicting Christ Pantocrator, John the Baptist, adorable little cherubim, and archangels. Much of the original 11th-century wall of icons and religious paintings has also been well preserved.
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(The downtown parade band)
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| (Rhythmic marching through the city centre) |
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| (A ceremonial infantry unit uniform) |
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| (The procession runs for about 90 minutes) |
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(Marching bands, clubs, societies and school children) |
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| (The parade winds its way through the city streets) |
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(The parade ends at Omonia Square)
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For many tourists, watching the Changing of the Guard at Syntagma Square is an exciting and memorable experience. The Soldiers of the Presidential Guard stand in front of the Hellenic Parliament on Syntagma Square 24 hours a day, year-round. The guards wear traditional costumes complete with pleated skirts, leg tassels, and pompom shoes. The Changing of the Guards takes place in front of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier monument at 11am daily. This monument honors anonymous soldiers who died fighting for the country. The monument features a marble relief that imitates a warrior grave stele of ancient times.
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(A leisure walk in wooded shades)
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(Fountains and statues in the garden)
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Before the end of the day, we had a leisure stroll in Athens National Garden. It is the most well-known and favorite park for locals located in the heart of the city, just behind the Greek Parliament and the central square of Syntagma. It is the perfect spot to go for a picnic, go for a jog, or discover the duck ponds and the small zoo. Later we walked along the busy streets on the way to our hotel and watched the local scenes along the route.
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(Rubbish dumbs on the road side)
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(Posters and graffiti on the wall)
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This week, the municipal workers in Athens were on a series of strikes and protest marches set to halt garbage collection and municipal services and disrupt public transport. Protest marches were planned by several unions in Athens a debate in parliament on the proposed government reforms. We could see garbage neatly pile up on the streets all over Athens.
Tonight we indulged in a sumptuous Thai meal at a famous Thai Restaurant in down town.
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(In the comfort of our hotel room)
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