Fall break in Athens - Day 4

Our last full day in Athens started off much quieter than the rest.  We slept a little later, enjoyed our breakfast, and then wandered out toward the Acropolis and Plaka to do some shopping and sightseeing. We met the early crowd as the shops opened.

We found some very interesting things for sale but decided we didn't need a full Spartan helmet.

We did, however, need to try several kinds of candy.

Plaka was lovely and full of picturesque streets and alleys. The hill of the Acropolis made it easy to stay oriented.

We went up through Monastiraki square and loved the modern mixed with the historic in the most unexpected places.

It was the most perfect weather and we enjoyed our lunch at a sidewalk cafe.

Hoocut had been highly recommended for the best gyros ever and we did not leave disappointed! Ben even had a second.

We did our final tour with Antonis and explored south along the coastline, called the Athenian Riviera.  The water was incredibly clear and looked so inviting.

We saw Vouliagmeni Lake, which is a very interesting combination of hot spring and ocean water. It's a popular place with the locals.

The fall weather was just perfect on this day and the skies couldn't have been any prettier.

We finally made it to Cape Sounio and got a view of the main attraction from our dinner restaurant - the Temple of Poseidon.

We had dinner at a little waterfront restaurant and let Antonis do all the ordering, including fresh flounder and snapper caught that morning.  The vegetables were also so fresh and tasty.

Just in time for sunset, we drove over to the tip of the peninsula to explore the temple and soak in our final evening in Greece.  I couldn't think of a more perfect place to do it!

It was pretty windy on top of that hill! I couldn't find a hair band to save my life so we got some interesting pictures.

I wasn't sure if this graffiti was real or not, but apparently most of it is legitimate.  People used to travel with stonemasons in the 1800's to literally leave their marks on these amazing structures.

This was the most intact temple we visited and, being waterfront, had fantastic views in every direction.

As soon as the sun set, the rangers were blowing their whistles and herding everyone out of the park.  There was a good crowd, but we went the long way to get a few extra minutes while most everyone else lined up for their tour buses.

Thanks for the incredible memories, Greece! There is so much we still want to see there but we're incredibly grateful that we got the chance to soak in all the things we could squeeze into our four days. Definitely a change from our usual swimsuits and sunscreen and a trip we will never forget.

 

Fall break in Athens, Day 3

We had booked another tour with Pavlos bright and early on our third day, but this one was not educational in any way - just purely for fun! We had two off-road vehicles and headed north to Evia Island to get away from cities and tourists and see some nature.

Greece is surprisingly undeveloped once you leave Athens, where nearly half of the country lives. We wanted to do all the things we never get to do in Indonesia - see wide open spaces with no people, enjoy the clear skies, and get out into nature, and it didn't take long to find it.

We explored some dirt roads through the back country and then started a steep climb up to Mt. Dirfi. It's not huge at 5,700 feet but it was a fun journey.

There is a paved road to the top that we crossed a few times but it was much more fun taking the off-road route!

Suddenly we could see the other coast from the highest point we reached.  The winds were extreme so we decided not to go all the way to the peak.

There were wind alerts all over the area that day and it was pretty incredible coming through the mountains. Our guides estimated 60-70mph.

It was cold and brutal! I didn't last long and enjoyed taking photos back inside the car.

We came down to a quiet village for some hot tea and hot chocolate. It was so peaceful and people were very nice.

There is a charming little church in the woods near a natural spring and it was the perfect spot for a picnic lunch.

Our traditional Greek lunch. Not sure what all we ate but I loved it. I never got tired of feta cheese and olives and some of the best tomatoes ever.

The church was open so we peeked in after lunch.  They built it straight into the side of the rocks and even had a little place where you could see the natural spring running underneath it.

These roadside shrines are all over Greece.  While they're sad because someone died here, they're really beautiful and the look changes from region to region.

After lunch, it was time for the real fun. We went through a much more challenging area with several river crossings and got to enjoy some true off-roading adventures.

These vehicles were impressive! And the drivers had some real skills.  We hit a few things and came back with a few more dents.

This was the crossing where we finally had to turn around.  Some construction had recently passed through and it was just too soft to attempt.  That meant we got to pass through all the fun crossings going back the other way!

We stopped back in Chalkis for some ice cream and got to see some sea turtles feeding around the bridge.  This area is famous for its currents - the water changes directions several times a day depending on the tides.

We made it home before dark and got to enjoy the rooftop to our hotel at sunset.

We went to dinner at the nearby Niche Hotel and they have a window down into the ancient ruins below their lobby.  No biggie. Just more ancient stuff in Athens!

This view never gets old! The Acropolis hill is huge and a great way to stay oriented as you wander through the city.

Just a fun elevator selfie to remind the kids that they have a really fun mom!

 

Fall Break in Athens, Day 2

We left the city on Day 2 and headed out on an adventure with our tour guide Nikos. He picked us up in his car and we drove a few hours out into the hills and mountains, and then stopped in Livadia. It was a charming little town with a clear spring-fed river running down the hill.

It was a quiet Sunday morning and a perfect moment to enjoy the serenity of the area.

We walked a little farther up the canyon and found the local theater where they have outdoor performances during the summer. We also learned that the Greek kids like graffiti a LOT.

Our next stop was the 10th century Monastary of Hosios Loukas (St Luke, but not the author of the new Testament book Luke). It was an impressive sight on the hill in the distance.

We drove through countless olive groves on the way there.  Interesting fact - most families own their own olive trees somewhere and have their own olives harvested and pressed into oil each year.

The monastary is no longer active but the complex is huge and has been recognized by UNESCO as a world heritage site.

The artwork inside the church was stunning - all mosaics depicting the life of Christ and His followers. It is still an active church and we saw a baby baptism while we were there.

Next up was the main event - the UNESCO site at Delphi, where the temple of Apollo resided in 600BC. Pilgrims came from all over the ancient world to ask a question of the oracle and brought fantastic gifts and offerings.

The Temple of Athena Pronaia would have been the first place visitors stopped.  It was unique as a round temple and would have been one of several temples, although the others have been destroyed.  Lots of earthquakes have happened in the past 2600+ years.

We stopped to sample the Castalian Spring, which has been flowing since at least 600BC. Travelers would have stopped here for a drink and pilgrims would have bathed in the nearby pool, which was created with aqueducts when the temples were built.

There are still remnants of an old track where athletes competed in physical games.

As we worked our way up to the Temple of Apollo, we saw the remains of what would have been fantastic gifts and offerings from pilgrims and entire regions.

The "treasure" offering from Athens along the Via Sacra

Most of the delicate pieces were moved to the nearby museum, but some pretty incredible pieces are still standing.

This was the base of the Serpentine Column, which dates back to 450BC. It was a trophy from a military victory and would have had 3 serpent heads holding up a cauldron, but they are all long gone.

The remains of the temple of Apollo.

The site the ancient people chose was pretty fantastic.  The sea is just behind the farther mountains.

There was a theater higher up on the hill and even a stadium beyond it!

Amazing views!

It was really interesting to see what still remained and how well they planned this massive complex on a steep hill.

The archaeological temple next door housed many beautiful remains that were found in the excavation in the 1800's and need more protection from the elements.

After our incredible afternoon, we went back to Arachova, a quaint little ski town in the winter, to enjoy the sights and have dinner.  Or to our Greek tour guide, a 5pm lunch.

Alex found that he was a huge fan of Greek steaks, much like any steaks he's ever met.

By the time we were done, the sun was going down and the temperature was dropping. It was a beautiful and chilly evening!

 Our sweet guide Nikos never rushed us and we had over two hours to drive back to Athens.  We arrived after 9pm at our hotel completely amazed and exhausted from our day.