DAY 105 - ATHENS - MAY 12, 2010

WE WERE UP EARLY IN PREPARATION OF THE ANCIENT CITY OF ATHENS. ALTHOUGH WE HAD CONSIDERED CANCELING OUR TOUR BECAUSE OF THE DOMESTIC RIOTS.

THE RUINS OF ATHENS IS A MUST SEE. ALTHOUGH THERE WERE SEVERAL TOURS OFFERED FOR THIS PORT GEORGIA AND I NEVER CONSIDERED ANYTHING OTHER THAN SEEING THE ACROPOLIS.

THE BUSES LOADED QUICKLY AND WERE OFF THROUGH THE STREETS OF PIRAEUS, THE PORT CITY, FOR OUR FIRST STOP. AS WE DROVE TO THE OLYMPIC STADIUM BUILT FOR THE 1896 MODERN DAY GAMES WE PASSED A NEW INDOOR STADIUM BUILT FOR 2004 VOLLEYBALL OLYMPIC GAMES.

THE STADIUM BUILT IN 1896 WAS USED IN THE 2004 GAMES FOR THE MARATHON EVENTS, IN VERY GOOD SHAPE AND IS USED ON A REGULAR BASIS FOR CULTURAL EVENTS. IT HOLDS SIXTY-THOUSAND PEOPLE AND IS OPENED AT ONE END, SOMEWHAT LIKE SEVERAL OF OUR MODERN FOOTBALL STADIUMS IN AMERICA.

IN AS MUCH AS THE PACIFIC PRINCESS WAS ONLY ONE OF FIVE CRUISE SHIPS IN PORT TODAY, THE BUSES LINED UP ON THE STREET SEVEN OR EIGHT DEEP AND THE CROWDS WERE HEAVY. EVENTUALLY WE WERE ABLE TO GET CLOSE ENOUGH TO TAKE PICTURES WITHOUT OTHER PEOPLE INTERFERING. THE VERY NICE FEATURE OF THIS TOUR WAS THE USE OF HEADSETS. EVEN IF WE STRAYED, A FEW WORDS OVER THE HEADSET AND WE KNEW EXACTLY WHERE TO GO.

WE BOARDED THE BUS AND DROVE PASSED THE HOTEL THAT JACKIE ONASSI LOVED, BIG DEAL, AND THE ACADEMY OF FINE ARTS WHICH FEATURES SEVERAL UNIQUE SCULPTURES. THE ATHENS LANDSCAPE IS SUCH THAT ALTHOUGH YOU MAY SEEM TO BE IN THE MIDDLE OF A BUSINESS OR RESIDENTIAL AREA, OLD GREECE JUST POPS UP OUT OF NOWHERE. ADDITIONALLY, WE DROVE PASSED THE FORMER ROYAL PALACE, WHICH IS NOW SOME FORM OF GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION BUILDING. THE ROYAL FAMILY LIVES IN EXILE IN ENGLAND.

OUR DRIVE TO THE ACROPOLIS RAN INTO A SNAG AS WE HIT THE NARROW CROWDED STREETS CLOSE TO THE ENTRANCE.OUR GUIDE HAD JUST MADE THE DECISION TO EXIT THE BUS SEVERAL BLOCKS FROM OUT DESTINATION WHEN THINGS BEGAN TO CLEAR.

AS WE WALKED THROUGH THE PARK AT THE BOTTOM OF THE ACROPOLIS OUR GUIDE GAVE US ALL THE INSTRUCTIONS IN CASE WE SEPARATED AND GOT OUT OF HEADSET RANGE. WE BEGAN OUR LONG WALK UP A COBBLESTONE STREET TO THE ENTRANCE OF THE RUINS. AS WE WAITED FOR HER RETURN WITH OUR TICKETS WE HAD TIME TO WALK OVER TO, AND CLIMB THE STAIRS, TO MARS HILL. MARS HILL IS THE SITE OF ST PAULS SERMON TO THE GREEKS QUOTED IN THE BIBLE, ACTS 17.

THE VANTAGE POINT FROM THE TOP OF THE HILL PROVIDED SEVERAL BEAUTIFUL PICTURES OF THE AGORA RUINS, THE AGORA STRUCTURE, THE TEMPLE OF HEPHAESTUS, IS ACTUALLY ONE OF THE BEST PRESERVED BUILDINGS OF THE PERIOD. THE ENTIRE BUILDING STANDS COMPLETE WITH ALL ITS PILLARS, STATUES AND ROOF STILL INTACT.

ADDITIONALLY, TO THE LEFT AND ON ANOTHER HILL IS A BEAUTIFUL NEW BYZANTINE CHRUCH WITH MULTIPLE DOOMS.

WE HEARD THE CALL TO REGROUP AND RECEIVE OUR TICKETS FOR ENTRANCE TO THE ACROPOLIS AND PARTHENON. FACTS THAT I HAD EITHER FORGOTTEN, OR PERHAPS NEVER KNEW, WAS THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN THEM. THEREFORE I SHALL TAKE THE TIME TO REMIND US, THE ACROPOLIS IS THE SITE, THE PARTHENON IS THE STRUCTURE. (END OF TODAYS LESSON)

AS WE WALKED THE PATH TO THE TOP OF THE SITE OUR GUIDE STOPPED ALONG THE WAY TO POINT OUT OTHER STRUCTURES SLIGHTLY OVER THE HILL FROM OUR VANTAGE POINT. ONE SUCH RUIN WAS A SMALL AMPHITHEATER, HEROD ATTICUS THEATER, USED FOR ASSEMBLIES. VERY WELL PRESERVED, THE BACK WALL HAD SEVERAL ARCHES WHILE THE SEATING PROVIDES AMPLE ROOM FOR LARGE CROWDS.

AS WE CLIMBED HIGHER THE STONE PATHWAY BECAME MARBLE STAIRS AND A MARBLE PATH. IN SEVERAL AREAS THE MARBLE IS SO WORN THEY HAVE CONSTRUCTED WOODEN STEPS TO PROTECT AND PRESERVE THE ORIGINAL STAIRS. WE WEAVED THROUGH THE SWITCHBACK PATH AND AS WE WALKED UNDER THE TALL MARBLE ARCH BETWEEN THE PILLARS THE HUGE PARTHENON COMPLEX CAME INTO VIEW.

EVEN THOUGH THE STRUCTURE IS CURRENTLY UNDERGOING RESTORATION, THE SCAFFOLDING IS NOT THE FIRST THING TO WHICH YOUR EYES ARE DRAWN. THE EIGHT TALL MARBLE PILLARS ON THE FRONT SIDE AND THE DECAYING MANTEL IMMEDIATELY DRAW YOUR FOCUS. THE BUILDING IS RECTANGULAR IN SHAPE AND THERE ARE A TOTAL OF 46 EXTERIOR PILLARS AROUND THE PERIMETER.

THE Parthenon was constructed between 447-432 BC., to be the focus of the Acropolis building complex. it was dedicated to the goddess Athena Pallas or Parthenos (virgin). The temple’s main function was to shelter the monumental statue of Athena that was made by Pheidias out of gold and ivory. 

TO THE LEFT OF THE PARTHENON IS THE ERECHTHEION.The elegance and delicate forms of the Erechtheion contrast sharply with the neighboring Parthenon. The temple IS Lined WITH long Ionic columns. one SET at the northwest corner which is supported by tall PLAIN columns, and ANOTHER SET at the southwest corner which is supported by six massive female statues, the famous Caryatids.

The Caryatids have become the temple’s signature feature, as they stand ON ONE LEG and seem to casually support the weight of the porch’s roof on their heads. Their identification, or the purpose for such elaborate column treatment is lost through the centuries, but it was by no means a new feature in Greek architecture.

WE GATHERED FOR A BRIEF HISTORY LESSON AND MOVED TO THE FAR END OF THE PARTHENON STRUCTURE. AFTER A FEW INSTRUCTIONS AND AN AGREED UPON MEETING TIME WE WERE ON OUR OWN FOR AN HOUR TO EXPLORE AT WILL.

PART OF THE ORIGINAL SITE IS ELEVATED AT THE FAR END AND IT PROVIDES AN EXCELLENT OBSERVATION VIEWING POINT FOR SNAPPING UNOBSTRUCTED PICTURES OF THE CITY. SEVERAL MILES AWAY A CHURCH SITS AT THE HIGHEST PEAK IN THE CITY. LYCABETTUS HILL IS THE SITE OF THE CHAPEL OF ST. GEORGE.

RETURNING TO GROUND LEVEL WE HEADED TO THE LEFT OF THE PARTHENON TO VIEW THE LARGER AMPHITHEATER, THE THEATER OF DIONYSIOUS, USED FROM ANCIENT TIMES FOR PERFORMANCES.THIS SITE IS CURRENTLY GOING THROUGH RESTORATION. MUCH LARGER THAN THE HEROD THEATER SEEN AT THE BEGINNING OF THE WALKWAY IT DOESN’T HAVE LARGE ARCHED WALLS BUT THE SEATING CAPACITY SEEMS TO BE GREATER AND THE STAGE IS MUCH BIGGER.

THERE ARE ALSO SEVERAL PILLARS BEHIND AND TO THE LEFT OF THE THEATER. THEY ARE THE REMAINS OF THE TEMPLE OF ZEUS. THOSE PILLARS STILL STANDING ARE IN EXCELLENT SHAPE. THE ORIGINAL TEMPLE MUST HAVE BEEN QUITE LARGE.

TIME WAS RUNNING OUT AND GEORGIA AND I BEGAN WALKING BACK TOWARD THE ENTRANCE. FREQUENTLY TURNING TO LOOK BACK FOR ONE LAST GLIMPSE WE SNAPPED PICTURES AS IF THERE WOULD NEVER BE ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY. AS WE RETURNED TO THE CAR-PARK, AS THEY CALL THEM IN OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD, WE REJOICED IN THE FACT WE WERE GOING DOWN THE HILL AND NOT UP. THE HEAT WAS BEGINNING TO BECOME MORE INTENSE AND WE INQUIRED ABOUT BUYING A SODA.

OUR GUIDE KNEW EXACTLY WHERE TO SEND US AND ONCE THERE WE WERE HAPPY CAMPERS. WITH OUR COLD CANS OF COKE IN HAND WE WERE THE ENVY OF THE BUS.

THE RETUN TRIP TO THE SHIP ONLY TOOK FORTY MINUTES AND ONCE SAFELY ON BOARD WE HEADED TO THE BUFFET FOR SOME SOUP AND A SANDWICH. WE HAD A WONDERFUL DAY BUT REALITY WAS BEGINNING TO SET IN AS OUR THOUGHTS TURNED TO PACKING OUR LUGGAGE.

HOWEVER, IT’S NOT OVER YET, ITALY HERE WE COME.