Flying from KWI to Abu Dhabi then onto Athens arriving bright and early Friday morning! The airport was quick, the flight was not.
Never in my life have I heard 3 women talk so much and for so long. On a flight at 1am why..why would you talk? It is common courtesy to all passengers on board that you pipe down put on your sleep mask and dream of landing.
We were so ecstatic to land that I pretty much bolted through customs.
Getting a taxi into Athens took about 30 minutes.
Our hotel was Phaedra Hotel located below the Acropolis in an amazing location. We were in front of Hadrian's Gate, amazing little restaurants and fun shopping.
Hop on Hop off is about 50 feet up the road :)
We were in desperate need of breakfast so we began to wonder. We found an adorable yogurt shop called Fresko (you can find them on Tripadvisor) . M got honey and nuts while I chose strawberry toppings.
ACROPOLIS BOUND...hike.hike.hike
We made the walk up the Acropolis bright and early in hopes of missing the large groups.
Note: It is a steep long hike up, wear the right shoes. I did see many ladies in high heels. Props to them and their feet. I wore sandals.
We got our tickets and made our way into this ancient monument. The views were amazing of Athens to the sea.
Parthenon:
Is currently under renovation as expected but it was still amazing. To think this was where everyone climbed to talk and worship.
Caves:
We saw the caves of Zeus, Pan & Apollo.
Erechteoin:
This temple was very interesting as the 6 women face the Parthenon yet you can go behind and see other carvings in the marble.
The guards were hanging the Greek flag and singing. It was a neat show.
We walked to the Agora & all around the area.
We decided to have lunch at Gyristroula. Amazing Greek salad, pork sausages, & pita bread. A fun break from being in the Middle East. They even offer free wifi !
Walking along the streets by the train tracks many small vendors are selling local goods. You can find silly souvenirs or homemade jewelry.
I got a bracelet made with my surname on it in Greek. Love it! 5 Euros.
After a quick break we decided to see all of Athens we should try the Hop on Hop Off bus. They were ending early that day because of the protests for the Euro Zone. We drove all around town seeing all of Athens. Really beautiful city.
