Sunday 4 November 2012

Aegean Odyssey Day 1. Athens Exploration

Me about to get on the Red Bus
The weather in Athens has been unseasonably warm and dry so when i woke with the sun streaming through the hotel window I anticipated a very pleasant day exploring the city. After walking through some of the the narrow streets in the Plaka, and picking up almonds and walnuts from one of the stores, we decided to take a Hop-On Hop-Off Red Bus and tour the city.
The Acropolis was on winter hours and closed at 3, so at the Acropolis stop we got off the bus.  For reasons that were unclear, admission was free today. Lucky us!
We walked around the Parthenon, which is still undergoing restoration work, and also visited the Erecthion.  From the summit  the panoramic view of Athens was amazing - the city stretches out for miles in every direction. I believe the population is around 6 million people.
From the Acropolis you can look down on the oldest theatre in existence. This ancient open air theatre in Athens is where Greek drama originated and is really the birthplace of the modern theatre that we enjoy today.
We got back on the bus to complete the city tour and then wandered up to Adrianou Street which is restaurant row. It was jam packed with people dining. No sign of a failing economy and people saving their euros.
We had dinner at Kuzina, which had been recommended to us. Enjoyed a good meal and then wandered back down the hill to the hotel. It was already dark by 6:30 but Greece is already on daylight savings time unlike North America which has just changed this weekend.
With the transit strike we have to figure out how we are getting to the cruise ship. Another adventure.

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