After the awe-inspiring visit to the Acropolis and environs, we toured via coach, modern-day Athens, viewing more monuments and places of importance and interest throughout the city. The organized part of the tour ended at a present-day McDonalds in the heart of downtown Athens! Many of us disembarked and flowed into the masses there, breaking into groups reflecting those things eager to accomplish this last afternoon before boarding the ship and leaving the city first thing in the morning - shopping for souvenirs or gifts, climbing Mars Hill, exploring more of the relics, etc. The group we ended up in accomplished all of the above - sort of! First, lunch where we were served with a very touchy-feely Greek waiter! Ann and Kay (pictured) were first to receive his "personal" attention! Charlie and Connie, Jane, Larry and I marveled and tried to avoid the giggles - but we were very well accomodated while we ate Greek pizza, salad and more!
Energized with lunch under our belts, we headed out to the ancient Athens agora or marketplace which we had spied from the Acropolis.
We walked through the present day agora and several of us made purchases from present day shops ( with supprisingly agressive sales people who meet you on the sidewalk outside the door of the store, hoping to lure you in with a loud recitation of the goods inside!) - pashimina wraps, jewelry, souvenirs, etc. We even experienced Connie demonstrating the age-old process of "bartering", which we were told by our first bus driver, is the way to go in Greece! "Never buy something for the marked price!"
We were not disappointed with the trek to the agora! Here tucked in the midst of Athens is a look back at the marketplace of centries earlier. The agora was the civil center of ancient Athens. Here social, political, and legal meetings took place. Disputes, discussions and inquiries took place at
stoa, colonnaded structures bordering the marketplace. Here again, we found the bema and are assurred that Paul probably "held forth" in the name of Christ in this very place. Amazing!
The Stoa of Attalos was reconstructed in the 1950's using funds from US donors and today it serves as a museum. Larry is walking among the retreived pieces in the area that had become a shopping mall of sorts for the weathy. Retreived the day we experienced this amazing area was Kay's camera - PTL!
The museum held many interesting relics which serve as pictures of life in those times. One of the most interesting was a large croc with a spout - it was a timer for an orator - when all the water had flowed out, his time was up! The more important the speaker, the larger the container! Also, early voting ballots - stones upon which names were carved for the vote.
We walked up to the foot of Mars Hill, the Areopagus (named for Ares, the Greek god of war) and climbed it to finish off the afternoon! Larry joined the others while I waited and served as photographer.
And, I didn't mind in the least - no handrails!
Kay, Connie, Marty, Ann and Jane resting at the base of Mars Hill.
After a quick change at the hotel, we headed out again for the hotel with a recommended sunset and Acropolis-at-night view - the King George, a 5 Star in downtown Athens! Only, we really weren't welcomed there ....
But, because of the social expertise and enterprise of certain un-named members of our group ( you go, girl and "RescueMan"! ), we made it to the terrace with a promise of a quick look! The sunset WAS lovely and the view of the city, worthwhile - but the lighted Acropolis against the dark velvet of the Athens night sky was surely rewarding!
It was a nice touch that the quite proper and accomodating server brought us hors-d'oeuvres. When it was time to go, he asked to what room he could bill it to! It was then we quickly took our leave - and left a nice tip for the gracious waiter!
Connie and Charlie at the King George terrace dining room.....
After leaving the King George, we popped into the Hotel Brittania next door under the stern gaze of selected dark suited men in the lobby. It, too, was lovely and occupied by the rich and famous, we were sure -
we didn't recognize any of them!
we didn't recognize any of them!
After rubbing elbows with said rich and famous, we embarked on a "short ten minute walk" (would you believe that translates to about "30 minutes a pied") to our dinner location among the common folk - and had a delicious Greek meal together, celebrating and reminiscing the afternoon's activities and evening's entertainment! It came complete with musicians in the background and a metro station a stone's throw away!
The bed felt really good about midnight when we made our way back to the hotel! Tomorrow - the Greek isles!
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