Athens   Arachova & Delphi   Meteora & en route   Tinos & Delos   Mykonos & Santorini    Naxos & Syros   Crete   Cats

For decades, Greece and its islands had been high on our list of places we wanted to visit. Finally, it all seemed to come together with a trip offered by Overseas Adventure Travel. The beauty and history we expected were there, plus some surprises ... such as fantastic spring wildflowers.

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One of the first things that struck us Floridians as we entered Athens was the beautiful, healthy, tall orange trees, up and down many of the streets.	The best known sight in Athens, the Parthenon, is visible from many places in the large city, including the dining room of the Hera Hotel, our first stop. Also visible were the many civic improvements made for the 2004 Olympics.	Because it was Greek Independence Day our first full day in Athens, the Parthenon was closed ...	... So we took a walk through the Plaka, the old part of Athens
See more Greek cats ... click here.	There we met our first of many of the charming Greek cats, left, and saw the remains of the ancient Greek agora, or marketplace.	In the nearby Roman agora, the Tower of the Winds dates from 1 B.C.  Click to see a detail of the artwork.	A beautiful Greek Orthodox Church overlooks the agora.
The time came for our visit to the Parthenon. We first stopped at the Areopagos, where Socrates was probably tried. It is also believed to be where the Apostle Paul spoke in 51 A.D.	The Theatre of Herodes Atticus was built by a wealthy Roman in 161 B.C. and has been restored. It is used for performances of drama, music and dance.	The crowds going up to the Acropolis were enormous, but the beauty of the Parthenon, meant as a "showpiece" when it was built, still stood out.	Of course, we needed at least one "tourist shot" to prove we were finally really here.
The actual sanctuary was the Erechtheion. It was here Poseidon struck the ground with his trident and Athena produced the olive tree.	The guardian Caryatids (originals are in museums) remain beautiful even today.	There is a fantastic view of Athens from the Acropolis. This is looking towards the sea at Piraeus.
Another view of the Parthenon, taken from in front of the refurbished Olympic stadium ...	Modernized for use in the 2004 Olympics, this stadium is on the site of the original Olympic games. Right, a guard outside the Greek Parliament
Our last days in Greece were near another landmark, Lykavittos Hill, with only one night at the beautiful St. George Lycabettus Hotel. We loved the multi-head shower and artsy sink.	While we didn't get to do much birdwatching in Greece, we did see this Eurasian Blackbird.	The walk down to lunch in a large shopping area was fine, but it was slower coming back.	This sidewalk taverna, lining both sides of a pedestrian walkway, was the perfect spot for our final glasses of ouzo and a light supper. It wasn't totally traditional, however. The waiter sent in our order via his Blackberry.