Saturday, July 28, 2012

Second day in Athens

We got up early so we could walk up the hill to the Acropolis before it got too hot.

There was a large area being excavated near our hotel.


It looked like various excavation projects were going on in this area.


There are lots of open air restaurants but we liked to get inside tables by the air conditioner.


This could be the Temple of Hephaestus we could see on the way up.

Because the streets are not ever straight it is hard to locate things at some distance or to know what they are.

Its funny that sometimes there are large signs , in English, pointing the way to something but when you arrive at "something" there is nothing there to tell you what it is.


We are now up on the hill where the Acropolis is looking down on the theater of Dionysus.


The large columns of the Acropolis.


Not sure what this is.  We were up there without a guide.


It is nice to see the buildings more complete than at other ruins.


Back of the Acropolis.


The building beside it.


Some lions watching the gate.


We walked out another direction and came upon this nearly perfect tile floor.


This time we find ourselves walking through a nice district.


We crossed paths with one of the little tourist trains which circles round the old city and we had seen it go past our hotel so we hopped on board for a tour and a ride home.


We stopped at the Acropolis Museum and found the whole thing was over a current excavation.  They had plexiglas panels as part of the floor so you could see it.

You can see the floor panels here in the museum store but it is hard to take a picture through them.


Still on the tourist train we are passing a huge stadium called the Panathinaikon.


This is the Temple of Zeus.


This is Hadrian's Arch.


This is a Mosque and pottery gallery we walked past near our hotel.


Well, I think I am burnt out on ruins, Betty is too.  Tomorrow we have a plan to go to the beach.

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