Greece: Day One - Athens!

Since we flew into the Athens airport at 12AM and finally got to our hotel at 2AM, my first true glimpse of Greece was Sunday morning. We stepped out of our hotel room into a crowded street smothered with extreme heat and extreme sunlight. The air felt electric, surging with currents of sweltering warmth. We bought tickets for a “hop on, hop off” bus tour (our favorite way to see cities) and began our “touristy day”. The big red tour bus took us all around Athens, stopping at The Temple of Zeus, the National Gardens, the Olympic stadium, the Acropolis and Parthenon, and more. 

The bus would stop, and we would hop off, excited to explore each stop. We walked and wandered and climbed all over Athens that morning. The landscape was so arid and the air was so hot, even in the shaded gardens.

After assessing the situation and my swollen feet (thanks to the heat and pregnancy), we wisely took a break mid-day to return to our hotel room and rest. After a cool shower and quick nap we set out for the Acropolis. Of course, like everything in Greece, reaching the Acropolis required a long walk up many, many stairs. (My poor feet!) Once we reached the top, the views of Athens were stunning. 

We spent a long time wandering around the gorgeous ruins, taking in the detailed architecture and marveling at the history found in a place like this. In America, our oldest buildings are brand new compared to ancient buildings created in 500 B.C.! If you look closely at the columns, they are actually huge circular disks stacked on top of each other. Incredible.

Day One ended with dinner at street café. I had the only thing I could eat on the menu, a Greek Salad: tomatoes, cucumber, onion, and basil mixed with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. (This would prove to be the first of many. Greek Salads were just about the only thing I could ever find to eat for the entire vacation. I’m surprised I can still face a cucumber…)