The Acropolis

"The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page." ~Louis-Charles Fougeret de Monbron?

This quote was recently featured in the president's message in the Whitworth Today magazine. Scott McQuilkin attributed it to St Augustine, but a little research told me that it was actually written by a Frenchman, though the wording is not the same. But I like the quote, and Thelma and Louise are out here turning pages! The Acropolis has been on my list since my art history days when I was trying to get the Parthenon and the Pantheon straight for a test. ;)  One of us had a very BIG birthday this year 🙌, and it seemed like the appropriate time to knock it off the list. 

Getting here is no small feat! After spending approximately 15 days on 7 different airplanes, we made it the Athens. 😂 We originally planned on going to the Acropolis on Thursday night, but once we arrived at our hotel, it was very apparent that it wasn't in the cards, so we changed to Friday morning. We stayed at this super cute hotel called Moxy. It's a Marriott property, super whimsical and fun. 

Moxy had a very cute pop art feel and they made a mean cup of coffee!

At this point I don't think we'd slept for at least 24 hours! 

Louise is the travel agent (always), and never leads us astray. We had an 8 am tour that got us in the front gates before the long line of people that assembled. It's unclear why there aren't pictures of the climb up the hill, but it's probably because both photographers were focused on survival! It's actually not a very long climb up, but the stairs are steep, and the walkways are mostly marble, which can be slippery. Oh, and the Grecians built this thing on the surface of the sun! Ha! All of these factors made for a very sweaty and red faced existence. It's also how I got separated from the group. 

I mean, I could hear the guide through my earpiece, but in order to protect my new knees (and my sanity!) I took it at my own pace. The result was that when I got to the top, I was able to take in the Parthenon mostly on my own. Getting there early is definitely worth it because you beat the crowds!

There is really no way to describe the sheer size of the Parthenon. Well, I mean I can tell you the dimensions, but until you are standing in front of it, it's hard to understand. Even more difficult to comprehend is the speed with which it was built. Construction started in 447 BC, and finished in 438 BC, with some of the finishing taking another six years. About 100,000 TONS of marble was mined from a mountain about ten miles away. No semi trucks were used in the making of this item! ;) 

As I mentioned I was separated from the group, and so when I got to the foot of the Parthenon, completely overwhelmed with the idea of just being here, and with being here on my new knees, I pretty much just sobbed. Until a nice lady asked if I would take her picture. Here is the one she took of me. Let's not focus on the color of my face, or my hair, or the liters of sweat coming off my body....look at those knees!!!

Don't worry, Thelma and Louise were soon reunited!

The Temple of Athena Nike was maybe what I was most excited to see. It features six maidens as columns. The ones in place at the Acropolis are replicas, the originals being housed safely at the Acropolis Museum, and at the British Museum. 

On the way down, we were able to also see Odeon of Herodes Atticus, which is an amphitheater that seats about 5,000. It's much newer than the Parthenon being built in 161 AD, and rebuilt in 267 AD. SO much newer. ;) I was pleased to see that it has a black and white tiled floor, just like Westminster Abbey, just like my kitchen (linoleum style!). 

There is so much history here; it is difficult to comprehend, and even harder to describe. Even if you don't buy into Athena and Zeus and their Greek and Roman counterparts, there is something magical about this spot.  This was a good day. 💗

After a loooooong nap, we wandered back out into the city, found an amazing restaurant where met the nicest people - shopkeepers, restauranteurs, and even tourists. This was a great day! 

 

Thelma and Louise have been to some amazing spots, and we are so grateful to have added this to our list. Next up, cruising through the Greek islands!