Apparently these are from the ancient Roman baths built here just after the Romans conquered the area, and only unearthed when the Athens metro system was being built a few years ago. So cool! We then wanted to walk around some more, so M suggested we try going up to a look out point near the Acropolis. I was cool with that. The walk was long and hot, but felt neither, and photographic opportunities abounded as we climbed ever higher around the cobblestone pathways.
We all adore this hill. We don't know yet if the Monastery only admits male visitors (several of them around here stick to that policy) but if we can get in later, we will.
Cutest picture of the day winner!
A week later, I cannot get over how blue the sky is here. This on one of the "least clear" days so far.
Such a cute restaurant! M had met the owner previously and he recognized her and flagged us all down to say hello. I'd like to eat here sometime. It's a fantastic location and the food smelled great! I nearly got run over by a surprise street-jumping car that sped up the walkway beside us without warning. The hill was so steep he had to stop twice, wheels spinning, to make it all the way up to where we were. Also, for anyone who doesn't read Greek, the restaurant's name translates to "Honored Guest Friends of Zeus". Really cool and witty to scholars, anyway. (/geek-rant)
A lovely shot of a few churches and Athens spread beyond. The views were so spectacular.
We think this was a temple of Zeus, but from the distance we couldn't really tell. (K just confirmed that it's in fact to Hephaestos. Learn something new every minute around here!)
M and G chillin' in Athens.
What are they pointing at?
Oh! What a lovely view!
Hooray! We found Athens!
Oh? Is there something else in the distance?
Beautiful.
M and G admiring the Acropolis, right next door.
Yay! We found it!
Slight Photobomb. That guy was from Poland, with a huge group that came up just a second later. He was so outgoing and funny. :)
G looking like a model.
M dancing. :)
Hey, where'd it go?
We lost the Acropolis!
Oops, never mind, there it is!
Looking around at the many sights.
I discovered some naturally growing mountain tea. So much happiness!
One last shot of the beautiful Acropolis before I actually make it up. We didn't go up there today (we couldn't tell if we would have to pay or not, and we were pretty tired by this point anyway.
G in a beautiful stairway coming down from the mountain.
More ruins. They're everywhere I tell you!
Hadrian's Arch. Just chillin' in downtown Athens.
Some more ruins. We think they might have been Roman given their location, but we couldn't get close enough to tell. (K says they're awesome because - we think - they're the skinniest Corinthian arches found to date. :D).That adventure culminated WITHOUT getting lost (hooray for us!) and we were temporarily rejoined by K and SS (SE is at her grandmother's this weekend) before we lost internet. BUT(!) SS and I were able to fix it (for the first time) and now we can all connect again (though some people still don't have wireless. We're working on that.)
K and I made salad from all the greens we bought at the street market yesterday, some roasted lamb from the gyro shop down the street, spices, tzatziki, squeezed lemon, and carrots. We will be cooking like this much more often from now on. The gyro shop threw in the lemon and some bread with the lamb, apparently at no extra cost. A wonderful night, ending with G and M off to meet a native Greek for coffee, K and I having a very quiet dance party, and all of us sharing in tea and Greek cookies. Excuse me - "sweet biscuits".
Kαληνύχτα!
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