Later we started went on a night time bus tour followed by a traditional Greek dinner with dancing and singing.
The next day we went on a half day tour which included a bus tour of some of the important monuments followed by a tour of the Acropolis Museum and a walk to the top of the Acropolis to see the Pathenon. This was a great tour.
The museum is built over the top of the old city reins. Archeologist are still excavating and you get great views of the ruins through windows in the floor.
The following who to shows 2 distinct time periods denoted by the 2 floor layers.
This photo shows a clay pipe drainage system.
No photos were allowed in the museum.
We then started our assent of the Acropolis. and passed the once covered theatre of Herod Atticus.
Some historical facts.......
The sacred rock of the Acropolis was for many century the most important religious centre of the city of Athens. The first traces of occupation go back to the Neolithic period. In the Mycenaean times it was the seat of the king, whose megaton stood roughly on the site on which the Erechtheion was built many centuries later. After the 11th century BC it became the home of the cult of Athena, patron goddess of the city that took her name and of other gods. In the middle of the 5th century BC, when Athens was at the height of it's power, the ambitious artistic program of Perikles was implemented: the Parthenon, the Propyleae and a little later the temple of Athena Niki and the Erechtheion were all erected between 447 and 406 BC.
We passed the once covered theatre of Herod Atticus.
Main gate to the Acropolis
Back of the main gate - Propyleae.
The Erechtheion.
Statue Karen in front of the Pathenon.
View of the temple of Zeus.
View of the temple of Hephastus.
View of Hadrians gate.
View of the theater of Dionysis.
View of the new Acropolis museum.
View of the monument of Filopappos.
Karen.....
Me.....
View of Athinas Road.
A remnant marble block showing metal fixings to repair a crack and the stone masons markings.
On the way down we passed by the theatre of Dionysos.....
...and it's elaborate seats.....
There wasn't much on today as there was only one patron (Karen).
The temple of Zeus by night....
Oh....and a bar we went to on the way home.......what a day.
Next day we went on a hop on hop off bus tour and saw the Historic library of Hadrian...
...the National Library.....
...the University of Athens.....
...and the amazing Academy of Athens.....
...with it's statues of Athena....
....and Apollo.
Karen also had a chat to one of the Parliament guards.... He wasn't very talkative.
Another long day so we had to have a drink at a roof top restaurant where we had dinner. It had wonderful views of the Acropolis, by day...
...and by night.
Now off to Hong Kong - good by Europe.
Location:Greece
