Athens

The Olympieion and my epic friends for scale

My last two days in Greece were spent in Athens. The first day I was able to hang out with friends and, after having lunch at a cafe overlooking excavations at the Agora, we went to Hadrian's Arch, the Olympieion (the Temple of Olympian Zeus), and the new Acropolis Museum. The Acropolis Museum just opened last week, and although I couldn't take pictures, I got to see a lot of things I'd studied. Also, the top floor is kind of awesome--they've reconstructed the Parthenon sculptures (which ones they have--hint hint British Musuem!--and casts of the rest) they way they would have been on the Parthenon. We went to Kessariani for supper with two of Stephen's friends. It was awesome--I had a veggie gyro, as well as some tzatziki and lots of bread and oil for 2.5 euros. Plus dessert from the shop next door which was awesome. Then we hung out for a little while because Stephen had to leave in the am.

Veronica Mike and Stephen at our lunch overlooking the Agora

The brand-spankin' new Acropolis Museum

My second day in Athens, with Stephen gone and Veronica on a private tour, was just me and Mike. We hit up everywhere else--the Acropolis, the Agora, the National Gardens and the National Archaeological Museum. In the evening, Mike, Veronica, and I enjoyed a long supper and a lot of shopping, but then chilled at our hotel and called it an early night since I had to leave at 3am to catch my flight from Zurich.

The Odeion, which is still used for performancesThe Erechtheion, my baby
Me in front of the Parthenon
The Cave of Zeus on the South Slope, with our own reinterpretation
The reconstructed Stoa of Atalos, which holds the Agora MuseumArtemesian ZeusFrom Mycenae, rich in goldMike feeding the pigeons at the National GardensMike in front of ParliamentThe Acropolis lit up at night