Greece - Athens - Day 1

So, that's it for the UK - winter is coming and it's time to fly south. But, before all that, we'll have a 2-week break in Greece. We have a couple of days in Athens, then we will be hiring a car to check out some places on the Greek mainland, then we'll swap the car for ferries and go off to the islands.

Here we go, then; Athens day 1...

The Greek parliament - with their national flag.
Wherever you have pollies, you have security. Here they come now for a guard-changing ceremony.
And, yes, they all look a bit, well, gay! You could always tell them that, I suppose, but you are likely to get a little more than a bad haircut off these dudes.
Men in skirts - just like Scotland! Except for the better weather. And food. And they are not always drunk and abusive. And they have an ancient, civilised culture. And art - lots of art. Did I mention the food?

But, apart from that, just like Scotland.
Parishoners on their way out of church. Seems that every church in the world has their own Flanders.
A local artist eyeing up the subject of his next painting.
The Plaka area of Athens - the old part that is all geared up for tourists; shops, restaurants, cafes, etc.
Climbing up to the Acropolis looking back over the city.
The city encroaches right up to the base of the Acropolis and becomes very village-like the higher you go. This lot have obviously had enough of directing tourists and have resorted to putting up signs.

Day one's assault on the Acropolis ended right here when someone told us that it was closed today because of elections. A Japanese tourist told them that they should use Viagla, then.

Moving right along...


Down is better than up.
Hardian's Arch. Obviously he left the wall-y bit for England.

What's left of the Temple of Olympian Zeus.
Be careful you don't get mugged.
The Panathenian Stadium - built for the first modern olympics in 1896.
Long-shot of the Acropolis with a nice view of the Parthenon.
That's enough sight-seeing for one day. We jumped in a taxi and went out to the port to sort out ferry tickets and car-hire, stopping for lunch in this little bay.