Acropolis

I know it has been a long time since I have posted, but believe it or not, I have found a place in Earth with no internet service. It is Kardiani, Tinos, Greece and it is a village that is easily hundreds of years old.

However, over a week ago, I visited the Acropolis. Here is my brief account. I will try to post pictures over some time....

Acropolis

Getting around in Athens is fairly easy if you can locate a bus route map and a train map. Finding the train map was not difficult, but the bus station map was not. Louis' father, Peter suggested that instead of taking the tram train into town, we should take the bus. He told us where to catch the bus that would take us to the train stop and then on to the Acropolis. Well, first I should mention that he was going to meet us at the hotel, then accompany us to the Acropolis. Louis said that Peter would meet us tfor breakfast at 830 and then we would go. I bet Louis 10 Euros that there was no way that was goingto happen....and I won. I was up and down at breakfast at 8. I did not see anyone else until about 9-930. We were all exhausted. I was having trouble sleeping and the kids schedules were off and they were irritable. We didn't get started for the Acropolis until about mid-day, and Peter thought it would be too hot, so he decided not to go. That's when we had to brave the busses on our own. Now, I was perfectly willing to take the tram in because I understood that schedule, but the tight ride yesterday sort of left everyone wanting a better ride.

The bus driver told Louis to ride this to the end of the stop and get off. What Louis did not realize is that this bus made a continuous loop around it's route. About 3 stops heading back the direction we came, I alerted Louis that I thought we were headed back to the hotel. He asked the bus driver and it turned out to be that I was right. We got off the bus, waited 15 minutes for the next one, and then got on again. Then, I told Louis where to catch the train. I feel it is odd that I can figure out how to get around and I don't even speak Greek.

WE caught the train to the Acropolis and it turned out the Peter was going to meet us anyway. We stopped at a small bakery to feed the children and ourselves before we began the accent up the hill. I have to tell you that at mid-day in Athens, it is about 100 degrees. I had been guzzling water all morning and still did not get enough. We kept stopping to rest, to something for the kids, figure out how to buy tickets, take pictures, bathroom, whatever. It seemed like it took hours just to get there. And when I finally made it inside and up the steep steps, I thought I was going to die from heat exhaustion. I was overheated, dehydrated and my sugar was LOW. I found the bathrooms down below and then took a few minutes to try and cool off before going back out. Meghan and the crew finally came up after me and luckily she had a Lara bar to eat. I felt better and began to snap 100 pictures of the oldest ruins I had ever see. And it was AMAZING!

The Parthenon is huge. I have no idea how someone could make such a building without the use of a crane. It was beautiful. We were not allowed to touch the marble on any of the structures and I wanted very badly to go inside, but that was not allowed. I took panoramic shots of the entire city of Athens. You can see the ocean from up there even though you are somewhat on the inner part of the city. It was hot, it was dusty and it was windy, but it was amazing.