Athens’ Acropolis, Parthenon and Dionysus …

DSC_0010 Day 1 in Athens. We’ve learned that the signs are impossible to understand and that our GPS is a godsend! 

While en route to the Acropolis we passed by the DSC_0214stadium which hosted the first “modern” Olympic Games in 1896.  We also saw lots of stray dogs and cats and everywhere you looked there is graffiti.  

We toured one of Athens most popular historical sites, the Acropolis and the Parthenon. Towering above the city, the Parthenon is quite an impressive sight! It’s hard to DSC_0087imagine what it would have looked like when it was completely intact. The guide books make note of the fact that many of the works of art that originally adorned the Parthenon were stolen, with the “worst plundering of the monuments taking place in the 19th century by Lord Elgin of Great Britain”.

Nearby the Acropolis is the theatre of Dionysus (or the God of Wine). Built around 160 A.D., this DSC_0178theatre continues to be used in the summer months to host concerts and theatrical productions during the festival of Athens.

 

Nestled at the foot of the Acropolis is the Plaka, referred to as the “neighbourhood of Gods”. With its  narrow paved streets, this bustling DSC_0227marketplace is filled with traditional Greek restaurants and souvenir shops. We ate gyros filled with meat, vegetables, tzatziki  and french fries! Who knew french fries were a part of a gyros??

Comments

  1. louiserunApril 18, 2011 at 5:45 PM

    What about the cheeses? Have you tried any ice cream?

    ReplyDelete

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