Acropolis Now!

A beautiful sunrise to start the day. We were up very early. First day of the tour and we were ready an hour earlier than we needed to be. We have both got rather adventurous with our breakfast choices which can include a combination of the following fruit, yoghurt, eggs, cheeses, olives, tomatoes, mushrooms, bacon. Combined with freshly baked croissants, apple cake, mini spinach pies, custard pie etc. On the bus at 8am. A big 50 seater coach for 20 people, bliss. We had a bit of a tour around the city and got to see the Olympic Stadium from 1896, Royal and Parliamentary buildings and the strange antics of the Presidential Guards which were reminiscent of Monty Python’s Ministry of Silly Walks.

Next stop. The  Acropolis. This is a massive site. Lots of marble to walk on and lots of stairs and gravel. Thankfully it was not wet or crowded. It is of course phenomenal. The views are amazing. The Acropolis is the name for the hill which is essentially a sanctuary and defensive area. The main temples, the most famous being of course the Parthenon is being restored at present is majestic and it’s hard to believe you are actually gazing upon this famous icon. The stories of Lord Elgin stealing some marbles and selling to the British were prominent and we certainly became converts that they should be returned to Greece. The picture of the hill is Mt Lybecattus  where we were the other day, we wished we had got a picture of it and it followed us everywhere today.

It must have been so incredible when these sites were complete and in their prime. It was a tough climb up and down but totally worth it. Next activity was a visit to the Acropolis Museum. A very well set up place and the glass floors were a bit freaky at times, especially at the top floor where you could see right down to the ancient ruins below the building. The women in the  Erechthieon below are fake, the real ones are in the museum but one was nicked by Lord Elgin.

A lovely lunch break nearby. We had a beef, tomato, cheese stew and a kinds of  3 meat sausage with tomato yoghurt sauce.

Back to the hotel for an extremely brief 15 min rest. Back on the bus and we made our way down the ‘Greek Riviera’. The light was no good for photos but it was like a Greek Gold Coast, beaches and seafood restaurants and beaches one sides, hotels and rentals on the other. A windy road through some cool rock cut tunnels we made our destination Cape Sounion. There is a large Temple of Apollo and great views out to the Greek islands. This is also where King Aegeas hurled himself off the cliff, when he thought his son had been eaten by the Minotaur in Crete- hence the Aegean Sea.

We drove back as the sun set. Too hard to get good photos but the sunset was incredible. You hear people say particular places have awesome sunsets but it’s not till you see one that it becomes clear. As the sun went behind the mountains it was pretty but it was after that that the sky lit up first orange and then a luminescent red that was painted across the sky. It was a sight for poets, ah which reminds me. Lord Byron the famous poet was a graffiti artist, and Ravel the composer too. Both carved their names into the temple at the cape, it’s hard to make out. Just above the second line.

Back to the hotel about 6. We repacked our bags in preparation for tomorrow’s departure. About 7 we headed back to our friends at El Greco Restaurant, Olga the owner greeted me with a big hug.  We dined on Greek salad, grilled prawns and pork in a lemony, salty sauce. At both lunch and dinner today we received a free dessert; yogurt with honey and the same later but with stewed dates. Home for an early night.