"It's All Greek to Me!"

Well, here we are, in the middle of Athens, listening to the blaring of horns as the Friday evening drivers vent their frustrations at the slowness of the commute... Our hotel room overlooks what we have been told is the prime square for Athenian protests and riots. Apparently, two policeman were shot earlier this week, in this very square....

Our first impression, both as we drove in to the centre of Athens from the airport, then later as Merlie and I went exploring the area around the hotel, was of a decidedly run-down city, which is not surprising, considering the current ecconomic situation... Later, we took a short metro ride to the area of the Greek parliament buildings, and there the city looked a lot more prosperous. However the nearby National - formerly Royal - Garden looked as though it could use a lot of TLC.

This morning, shortly after breakfast, we were picked up at the hotel, and taken back into the 'age of antiquity' (our tour guide's expression). After a drive around to see many of the well-known sights of the city, we soon found ourselves clambering on foot up to the Acropolis - 'the high city'. It turned out to be a climb not for the faint-hearted, but the destination was definitely worth the effort. Our tour guide, Theoni, was extremely knowledgeable, and a good communicator, so we learned a lot about the early life of 'the high city'. Being at such a high altitude, we were buffeted and blown by the chilly, gusty wind blowing today, but were so thankful that the rain stayed away, as wet marble and uneven ground would have been very tricky to negotiate. Amazing how the Acropolis was built, and how the remains of the Parthenon and other edifices have survived for so long... (Pictures to follow, I hope...)