This time, JD’s Wide World Tours stopped in ATHENS I spent the most amazing 3 days in Athens, Greece. I have wanted to visit this city for a long time. I finally decided to make it happen and it was well worth my time.

After my flight to and the taxi ride to the hotel I arrived in Athens in the early afternoon and decided to just walk around a bit with no particular destination in mind. I backtracked to a building I saw during the trip. Turns out it was the National Academy of Science.

The next morning I set off for Mt. Lykabettus. I had read the view from the summit was an excellent way to get your bearings. In every direction all I could see was low-laying building. The view was awesome, but I can't say it helped me for later.

I got my first real look at the Acropolis. The picture didn’t come out too well, but it was an impressive site.

The chapel of Agios Georgios atop the summit was quite interesting. But it was time for something else so I headed down the mountain.

The first impression of the Parliament building was the patriotic music playing from the loud speakers. I think it was marching music – it had a good beat, but you couldn’t dance to it…lol. This is one of those places were pigeons come for a free meal. There was a little boy there with his Grandpa that tried to hide behind me when all the birds came to him.

One of two guards at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. When visiting any Tomb of the Unknown it’s important to know why it’s there. This is a countries way of paying tribute to men and women who have died in service to the country. A tradition at the Tomb is the changing of the guards. Because they have to remain motionless while on watch, they only remain in place for one hour. Ceremonial Uniform

All I can say is you have to see the changing of the guard. The soldiers make a series of precision maneuvers. There is a lot of high stepping, a lot of pausing for effect, and a lot of rifle movements. It was very cool. The tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Virginia "Here Rests In Honored Glory An American Soldier Known But To God"

This is a layout of the Acropolis in it’s original condition. Most of the buildings are from the 4 th century B.C. That’s about 2400 years so you can imagine it’s a bit worn down. The fact that is stands at all is testament to the architectural skills of the ancient Greeks.

Several buildings line the path to the top of the mountain where the main structures of the Acropolis rest. When approaching the Acropolis the first structure I actually noticed was the Odeon of Herodes Atticus. It had a capacity of 5000 was originally roofed, and was constructed around 161 A.D. Herodes Atticus

Herodes Atticus was a Greek Sophist, rhetorician, and patron of learning. A great public benefactor, he used his fortune to adorn Athens and other Greek cities.

Heading up the hill from here you quickly arrive at the Propylaia (the main entrance up top). It to was originally roofed.

Once through the Propylaia and just to your left you are immediately faced with the façade of the Parthenon. Even by today’s standards it is huge and imposing. This chief temple of the goddess Athena was built on the Acropolis between 447 and 432 B.C. and is considered a supreme example of Doric architecture.

To the left of the Parthenon sits the Erechtheion. Constructed between c.421 B.C. and 405 B.C. to replace an earlier temple to Athena destroyed by the Persians. The southern portico is known as the Porch of the Caryatids from the six sculptured draped female figures that support its entablature.

Theatre of Dionysus Dionysus is the god of the vine. He invented wine and spread the art of tending grapes. He has a dual nature. On the one hand bringing joy and divine ecstasy. On the other brutal, unthinking, rage. Thus reflecting both sides of wines nature.

When you get the full view of the grounds you can imagine the grandeur the place once commanded. The pilgrims must have loved it back in the day - much in the way Catholics experience St. Peter's, or Muslims in Mecca.

ME!!!

I next hit the Acropolis Museum, which housed a nice collection of artifacts from the site. The bronze weapons pictured was the first display. I bet those left a mark. A mythological winged creature having the head of a woman and the body of a lion, noted for killing those who could not answer its riddle. Sphinx

Loin winning a fight with a bull Statue of a favorite servant found in the tomb of an aristocrat

Once back outside I spent a little time just wandering the mountaintop, taking in the views and enjoying the moment. In the end you can only look at the Parthenon, but it was well worth the look.

With not particular destination in mind I strolled down, and up, a narrow cobblestone path. As chance would have it I was heading towards the Monument of Filopappos. I didn’t know what it was or even that it was there.

There was no one else around and I only saw four other people the whole time, but as it turned out the path was worth it because it offered the most spectacular views of the Acropolis.

Plaka is a shopping area with lots of restaurants and souvenirs to buy.

A Native American show in Syntagma Square. They looked really cool but I wondered what the Greeks thought.

Kouros (male) Kore (female) The next day was slotted for the National Archaeological Museum. Once the Greeks attained the skill to produce natural lifelike form, the sculptors progressed from idealized representations of deceased men and women to realistic identifiable works.

The attention to anatomical detail in kouroi and korai was remarkable. Zeus or Poseidon (they aren’t sure which one)

Mosaic (remember these) Warrior (Don’t you think his helmet looks like a Hershey’s Kiss…lol)

My final picture of Athens was something special. The Parthenon lit at night. Who knows what’s next on JD’s Wide World Tour

My guess is you came across a few words you didn’t know. Don’t feel bad, I did not know a lot of the words myself. I would suggest you do what I did. I researched the words so I would understand what I had seen. Here are a few that might have stumped you: Acropolis Herodes Atticus AthenaDoric entablature Dionysus Persians pilgrims Mecca aristocrat cobblestone idealized anatomical Places/ThingsPeople/Characters rhetorician sophist caryatid