Athens, Greece

We spent Athens 4 days visiting Athens:  the cradle of Western civilization and the birthplace of democracy. We did the Hop On/Hop Off bus tour, which proved to be an easy and convenient way to explore the city and catch all the sights.  Our favorite stop was the Parthenon and Acropolis - so much history!  Next, we visited the Temple of Zues. We stayed on the bus for the full ride through the city. Then, we decided to explore on foot. After getting lost on foot, we hailed a taxi to the bottom of Lyvattis Hill, where we caught a tram to the top.  Once on top, after being chased indoors by pigeons, we enjoyed a few glasses of vino.  While in Athens, we also visited the Athens Archeological Museum. On Sunday morning at 11 am, we saw the parade and ceremony at the tomb of the unknown soldier in Syntagma Square. We couldn't help but notice that they put the tall, good-looking soldiers up front!  After some Greek yogurt, we headed to the crowded Sunday Market. As we were walking along Plaka and Monastraki, we bought more luggage to better distribute our weight.  Also, I bought a tin wine pitcher that reminded me of dining at the Greek tavernas. We enjoyed bargaining with friendly, energetic shopkeepers.  We spent our last day in Athens at Pounda Beach, a beach club. We've gotten quite spoiled with the lounge chairs and hand delivered cocktails.


We've both enjoyed our time in Greece, and not just because of the beautiful landscape, spectacular views, sunny beaches, and amazing food and vino. We valued the warm hospitality of the Greek people and the value they place upon leisure and having a good time, despite their worries and the crippling Greek recession.  The Greeks know how to live in the moment. They have a reputation for being loud, gossipers, and complainers.  Maybe by being so vocal they get everything off their chest and they're better able to kick back, relax, and enjoy life.  Randi and I enjoyed the slower-paced, more relaxed lifestyle so much that we were sad to leave.  Hopefully, I'll be back in another 6 years. Sa Gapo Greece.

~ Stacy