Oh what a beautiful day!!!!!
As we entered the harbor near Athens I could hear beautiful church bells ringing. What a great way to start the day. I'm a bit apprehensive about today's tour. We have signed up to climb to the top of the Acropolis and see the complex of ancient buildings including the Parthenon. Excited but a bit concerned about all the climbing. We'll see how far I get! More when I return.
Later that day....WOW!! I feel like my granddaughter, Reese, when she says excitedly "I did it, I did it"!!! When we arrived at the parking lot of the acropolis and looked up at the big hill I was thinking to myself that I would just climb as far as I could and then come back down. After my fall the other day I don't need to do any more damage Our guide assured us that it wasn't as difficult as it looked and we would be fine. She told us that we would be moving very slowly and there were only 87 stairs. What she failed to mention was that between the stairs there were areas of uphill ramps. In addition, some of the stairs were HUGE and some of them were marble so they were slippery. In one section, just before the top, we were climbing over rocks with no handrails. Thankfully, Bob helped me in the rough patches and I made it up successfully. What a magnificent view. Looking down we could seed the Ancient Greek theater as well as the ancient Roman theater of Herod Atticus. On top we visited the famous Parthenon, widely considered the world's most perfect example of classical architecture. It was completed in 432 B.C. and has served as a treasury, Christian church, and mosque before an explosion severely damaged the structure and it sculptures in 1687. Although it was reduced to ruins it is being rebuilt so that tourists can once again appreciate its beautiful, graceful and amazing architecture.
There were other structures on top of the acropolis which we visited as well. One I particularly appreciated was the Erechtheion. It was built between 421 and 406 B.C. and is admired for its complexity and exquisite perfection. My favorite part of the structure was the porch which is supported by six caryatid figures. These are draped female figures which support an upper balcony in the same way as huge columns. The figures were huge but elegant and graceful. Loved it.
We had a beautiful panoramic view of the city of Athens below. What a beautiful place. Our destination lecturer told us Athens had become a concrete jungle but somehow had retained its charm. As we looked down we could see ruins setting directly next to new buildings. There were beautiful shiny domes and towers of orthodox churches. The harbor was filled with cruise ships, ferry boats, and container ships. Many locals use this main harbor to travel to the other Greek islands so the boats are constantly traveling back and forth. Our little ship was parked next to a gigantic German ship which probably accommodates 3,000 people. Thankfully, as their tours were just reaching the top of the Acropolis we were leaving.
I gave myself plenty of time to make the climb back down the hill and return to the bus. It takes MUCH less effort to get back down and I was happy to be back on flat ground. However, I'm so glad I made the trip. It was an absolute highlight of our world voyage.
Our other stop on today's tour was the new Acropolis Museum which is approximately 160,000 square feet of exhibition space. It's a beautifully designed structure with unique viewing areas. As we walked around the first floor we were able to look down through the clear glass floor on which we were walking and watch the workers excavating the ruins underneath the current building. Once completed, visitors will be able to view the ancient Athenian city through the glass - a remarkable sight. Our guide told us there should be a dress code for the museum since many of the floors are clear glass and you can see the people walking above you (so perhaps females should not wear dresses)! She then explained how Greek art evolved. We learned about pottery, paintings and sculpture. It was absolutely fascinating. However, I will spare you a lengthy discussion of what we learned about Greek art (I can hear some of you yawning already)!
We were ready for a panoramic drive through the city, viewing some of its important sites. We saw some of the venues from the 2004 Olympics. We also saw the stadium where the first of the modern Olympics were held in 1896. It was really exciting to think about the events that have taken place in this stadium. Loved it.
Our guide today, Ava, was wonderful. Throughout the day she would refer to our little tour group as her "family". She would say "Come closer, family, so you can hear me" or "Family, I want you to notice the stadium on our right". At the end of the tour, as she was saying her goodbyes she said "Now you have family in Greece so you must come back to visit." It sounded a bit odd at the beginning of the day but by the end I think we all felt a little like her family. Greece is a wonderful place. I love the attitude towards life here. They take their time and savor every moment. Family is tremendously important. They genuinely care for each other and want the best for them. Sometimes they can be a bit loud and their fights are often fiery but there is such a love and appreciation for life that I admire.
Finally, it was time to return to the ship and set sail for Sorrento, Italy. We have a day at sea tomorrow so I'll have a chance to rest. Yay!! I'm certainly tired but feeling so thankful about everything we did today. Athens is definitely a fascinating place to visit and I hope to return someday and visit "family".
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