2023/09/18 : Athens - Acropolis/Poseidon

18/09/23 : Athens - Acropolis/Poseidon

We got up early and walked to Hotel Novotel to be picked by bus and we were taken around the city and then up to Acropolis, which was built on top of the hill. It was a travel back in time to see the thriving empire of ancient Greece, on full day tour of Athens city. In the morning, visited classic and contemporary sites to gain holistic picture of bustling Greece capital which included Acropolis and Acropolis Museum.

<-View of Acropolis from city below

Remains of Temple of Athena                                                                                                                                                                                Veranda of Athena Temple

<- View of the temple remains and picture of how it was before

   

View below from the Acropolis

Verandah outside Athena's Temple

We moved on to the Acropolis Museum which has votives, statues from the Archaic period, Caryatids and ofcourse the Parthenon hall with the metopes, the pediments and the frieze, which was impressive.

Statues of beautiful women

                                                                                                Temple of Olympian Zeus

Fight between Athena and Poseidon

Temple of Poseidon : Then after savoring a delicious Greek lunch with wine, we headed out to the Saronic Gulf to Cape Sounion where the great Temple of Poseidon is still standing.

The Cape's Temple of Poseidon is perched on a rocky hilltop overlooking the sea.  The view across the Aegean sea is magnificient with one of the most breathtaking panoramic views in the world.  The Temple of Poseidon was built in 44 BC and many of its original Doric columns are still standing.  The precipice is a sheer 197 foot drop to the sea.

Picture of the temple as it was and how it stands now, with only columns still standing.

 

2023/09/16

 16/09/23 : Mumbai -> Athens via Istanbul 

Good morning. We are off to Greece for 2 weeks holidays from 16th  n will return 29th Sept. No calls or msgs until I get connected to WiFi.

Flew to Athens by Indigo airlines at 6.40 am and arrived in Athens via Turkish Airlines 14.50pm.  Taxi was there to pick us up from the airport and he dropped us to our hotel Candia which was a 3star hotel.

We freshened up and rested for the day.  In the evening we are set to look out for Novetel Hotel which was some blocks away. It was here, our tour operator would pick us up.  Asking people around was difficult but we managed and found it.  Returned back to our hotel.  Ate our dinner and went to sleep.

 

2023/09/17 : Athens - Delphi

17/09/23 : Athens - Delphi 

We got up early, had our coffee and sandwich.  We walked all the way to Novetel hotel, our pick up point for our tour to Delphi. Waiting inside the hotel.  On way we had breakfast at restaurant.

Waiting the hotel

Ride in the bus

Key tour personnel picked us up from Novetel hotel n took us in nice bus n 3 hours drive to Delphi site. Our Guide was good n took us around the Museum first n then the site of Delphi n it was good experience. 

We made our way inside the Delphi Archaeological Museum and explored the veritable treasure trove of artifacts and relics.  They honored their leaders naked figures with muscular bodies.

Bronze Charioteer with eyes inserted with precious stones.

   

 

Mummies buried with gold ornaments 

Then we climbed the archaeological site of what remained of Temple of Apollo n oracle place

Temple of Apollo: Greek God who prophesied the future incl famine and wars. In turn  beneficiaries brought gifts. The Acropolis monuments were built in honour of goddess Athena. Athena was unmarried and powerful daughter of God Zeus. Zeus had two brothers Poseidon God of oceans and Pluto God of underworld.  There was competition between Athena and Poseidon.  Athenians preferred Athena over Poseidon.

 The sacred Ompalos of Delphi, believed to have fallen from heavens, was shaped like conical stone devoid of artistic shape, It was the stone thrown by Zeus from the heavens to discover the centre of the world.  According to mythological tradition Zeus released two golden eagles in different direction and the pair met, Zeus threw down stone that landed in Delphi. The Omphalos held an important place in divination at the oracle

Ancient Amphitheater where the folks gathered around to hear, prayer and enjoy their theatrical evening

                                          Parthenon                            Treasure House where the offerings in gold and                                                  precious stones were stored

The Parthenon was the gigantic and gorgeous  temple dedicated to goddess Athena built in 6th century BC. Now it is seen in ruins without roof and pillars and without the statues of Athena that are either broken by enemies, stolen by British or now in Acropolis museum in semi damaged condition . Greece has seen many wars between city countries of Athenians, Spartans, Macedonians,  Minoans etc . Which were combined under Alexander of Macedonia. The temple was destroyed by Persians many times, Romans tried to preserve them,  Ottomans used the temple to store ammunition and Italians bombarded them under Mussolini and captured by Nazis in 2nd world war.

Then he took us to restaurant for Greek lunch with wine n salad. Now we are back in bus, back to our hotel.  We got our selves dropped at the City Centre - Syntagma.  We walked upto the Parliament House where we got to  the see changing of Guards, in their Greek costume.  It is changed every hour.  Nice rituals, reminded us of the changing of guards at the Buckingham Palace.

 

We walked back to the City Centre, then entered the Pedestrian zone onto the beautiful old Orthodox Christian church in Plaka old city .

 Beautiful facade inside the church.