Athens (...and 3)

On Sunday, after all Saturday night partying, we woke up late in the afternoon. Therefore, we decided to take it easy and relax. We decided to visit the Olympic Stadium, not the old one, but the one used during the Olympics in 2004.

The whole area was designed by the Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava, and as many of his designs, the area was full of blue pools with water and white archs and buildings. Typical his!



This is me with the Olympic Stadium.



Afterwards, we moved to Pyraeus, the beach area in Athens and went to a nice cafeteria there. It was like an open house next to the beach. A really laidback environment! From there, we enjoyed a colourful sunset and nice frappes (special coffee fashionable in Greece now).




Next day, we went downtown to finish visiting the last places in Athens. We took the metro to Syntagma Square (where the Parliament is) and walked around. Near that square, we found an old nice Bizantine Church: Kapnikarea.



Afterwards, it was time to visit the Temple of Olympian Zeus. The entrance is called Hadrian's Arch. In the following photo, that arch together with the Acropolis (behing the gate).



And this is what is left of the Temple of Olympian Zeus.



Finally, we visited the first Olympic Stadium. The one where the First Modern Age Olympics where held in 1896. It looked nice with the running lanes in black.



After that, just walked around downtown and moved to the airport to come back to Holland. When I arrived in the evening, I had to go to a great punk rock show: Bad Religion was playing in Melkweg!!!

Athens Part II. The cultural day

Our second day in Athens was the day when we visited most of the major sites in the city. We started with Hadrian's Library and then went to the Roman Agora. There, the Tower of the Winds (in the back of the following photo) was the most outstanding element.



Afterwards, we walked in the colourful streets of Plaka in the direction of the Acropolis. The views over the city were once again one of the highlights. After a while walking, we reached the Acropolis. The first thing we saw was a theatre and then the main entrance, the Propylea. When you walk past the Propylea, you find yourself in one of the most historical places on Earth. On your right stands the Parthenon, the famous temple dedicated to the goddess of the city, Athena.



On your left, the Erectheion, the house of the Porch of the Caryatids: a beautiful view.



From the further end, just behind the Parthenon, we could see Likabettus Hill, the hill from where I took the photos of the Acropolis I showed to you yesterday.



Next, we went down Acropolis and passed by an ancient Greek theatre on our way downhill.



The next stop was the Kerameikos, the site of the ancient cemetery. Finally, we went to the Ancient Agora: Athens market and where philosophy kicked off. There was a museum there with some of the pieces found there. For example, this typical jar.



This was the main building remaining in the Ancient Agora. It was really nice!



That was on Saturday, on Sunday, we would take it easy and relaxed. On Monday morning, we wrapped up our historical visits... that will come tomorrow!

Αθήνα (Athens) Part I

Last weekend, I visited Athens. This was my first visit to Greece and it caused a great impression! Everything looks like in Spain. People behave similarly, party time extends until well into the next morning, dinner is late... ahh, and the weather is good!

I arrived on Friday night at midnight after a short stopover in Rome. I took the bus from the airport directly to downtown, where my friends would meet me. The first thing I saw was therefore, the parliament in Syntagma Square.



Afterwards, I met Paula (from ESTEC and who had arrived a few hours before) and Kostas (a former Greek YGT with whom we were going to stay all weekend long), and went partying until late at night!



Before going back home, it was time to check the first touristic place of the weekend! It was Likavetos Hill. The views over the city were breathtaking! Such a huge extension covered by white houses, and everything bathed by the first lights of the morning Sun... Beautiful!!



And for the first time in the weekend, I got to see the Acropolis!



After that visit to this great site, it was time to go to bed... it was past 7 oclock...