One Day and One Day Only

Athens is our shortest trip and we are so thankful our jet lag didn't hit us until we got to Paris. Our time there was so short but we were able to accomplish as much as humanly possible in one day. We weren't in bed till two thirty after being up at six thirty in HK, jumping over 5 hours of time zones, and having the only true close calls in our flight/cab connections which can exhaust one mentally as well as physically. That's 25 hours of travel. A few short hours of sleep, a quick cycle of dirty laundry washed in the sink of our room with concentrated detergent we brought, (which for the first time this trip was proving to be a very smart plan),and out the door. 

First stop was a cafe right up from our hotel, Hotel Hera, that was one of many all in a row serving similar fare at this hour, coffee and crepes is what we wanted/needed. Don't have the name of the place but it delivered nicely. Turkey, ham and corn crepe for him and a fresh fruit and honey crepe for her, which we both liked the other one's better so we swapped. Espresso for him (wifey doesn't do caffeine) and we're off. 

Destination número uno is of course the Parthenon, which is literally like 2 football fields away from our hotel. We decide to hit up the Acropolis Museum which is even closer to us than the actual ruins. The museum is built on top of some of the ruins and has a good bit of clear acrylic flooring in the entry and throughout the first floor to show the remains underneath. The history this mountain of rock has endured is quite overwhelming and we had just enough time to see and hear the cliff notes version. I know that first construction of this thing started in 1200 BC or something redonculous like that. Thousands of years to build and has seen a lot of war, it was burned down and also exploded from within, but a good bit still stands. It is now being carefully restored and preserved. They actually clean statues and pieces that are removed with laser technology and go at it a pace requiring a q-tip, so perhaps a few more thousand years to complete that. 

While at the museum we snapped a few photos of the view and my camera battery died. I hadn't used my camera at all the day previous while traveling and did not bother charging, but apparently should have. So no need going up the mountain with no chance of documenting it, so back to Hotel Hera to get some juice to the camera. So now we need to kill a couple of hours. We head north on foot to Syntagma which is en route to an area full of shopping and authentic Greek cuisine. Syntagma is where the capital building is and where all of the rioting was happening just a few short weeks ago. The concierge assured us it was safe so we proceeded there, but with caution. We took a lot of back roads and got somewhat lost but never too far off course, which we were happy to do because as it turned out these streets were really the best part. Small and very true Athens. Old world charm and beauty we would not have seen had we stayed on the "main roads". With the aid of our map we arrive in Monastiraki where we hit up an outdoor flea market, and if we had more than ONE bag we probably would have bought some stuff. We sit down at an indoor/outdoor restaurant, as they all are in Athens, under an awning at prime dining time for Europe. All restaurants are full but we find a table wedged amongst the mass of diners. Pork kabob for him and shredded pork for her. Grilled veggies, pita, and sauce on both dishes. Mine with fries which of course I shared. My pork was dry but hers was juicy and had some fat content, yum. All in all it was very good and I will crave that meal in the future, we are both hungry right now and definitely could go another round there. A bit more shopping after lunch and walk off our big lunch paired with local beer called Fix. Back to the hotel to snag the camera and off to the Parthenon. 

A healthy walk up to the mountain of rock but a windy one and partly shaded, very hot in the sun in Greece. Walk up got the heart pumping but nothing compared to the steps to the Big Buddha. The view of Athens even before you reach the top promises an awesome experience aside from the fact that there is a centuries old church to be seen. 

I can't put in words how incredible it is to see the Acropolis in person. I will conserve my time right now and reserve the next few thousand words and let my pictures speak them for me.

 A quick nap/rest and up one flight of steps to the Peacock, the rooftop restaurant at Hotel Hera for dinner and drinks with an unobstructed view of the Parthenon. Glass of wine and vodka tonic, as well as a few sips of ouzo, to start and then to our table with the perfect view. We opt for just entrees and save room for dessert. Stuffed sea bass and veg for her and calamari and saffron risotto for him. I clearly out ordered the wife on this one. Hers was very good but mine was superb. Sautéed calamari was the most tender I have had. Retreat back to the bar for fried doughnuts covered with honey and nuts and 2 glasses of dessert liquer compliments of our server, Arye, who was awesome btw. A perfect meal, with a perfect view, to end a perfect day in a wonderfully historic and beautiful city rich in culture and welcoming to all who visit. We will return to Greece. Probably for the islands next time but will have to make a day trip to Athens to relive the memories we made there. 

Magnifique! Off to Paris!!!
(where I am actually writing you from now)

Cheers to the Greeks, well done...

Andy and Carrie