Athens

I have decided to go through my grand tour, city by city, and post what is still fresh in my mind. Each city had a different feel to it and compounded with the memories we made as a group, created some fond remembrances.

(This may actually be more for my benefit than yours as a reader, but I do hope it is interesting to read!)

Athens was a city that I had longed to visit and could hardly believe I was going to get the chance. I am a lover of classical antiquities and so looked forward to all the iconic architecture that I would see.

I think perhaps this strong art/architecture focus of mine protected me in a sense. Other girls had their preconceived notions shattered because their perception of Greece in general was white houses and blue skies. Well Athens is a booming, smelly, strange, often times scary metropolis. The streets are filled with creep-tastic men, the restaurants with unfamiliar food and the hotels with cramped showers and seat-less toilets. All of it proved to be too much for some. I don't blame them, it was an incredibly different place.

What I do love is that first day climbing up to the Acropolis and being moved by what I could and was about to see. The place was gorgeous, sunny, tourist laden and overwhelming- in a good way! I love the park we sat in forever and a day after spending our first full day walking for hours in the heat. I love the old man chess group we stumbled across and the live band playing in the streets. The guards at the Royal Palace are hilarious and just so stoic in their frilly and feminine thick wool uniforms. Seeing the finds from Mycenae in the National Archaeological Museum was fantastic and fulfilling after spending so many hours researching the topic.

I loved my hotel, not only because of the oh so cute concierge who was fluent in half a dozen languages, but because we had free internet, breakfast albeit it freaky...we're talking cold cooked veggies here, decent bathrooms and clean rooms. Mostly I loved this hotel because every time I walked around that corner in Omonoia, my heart lifted when I caught sight of the Hotel Zinon sign...it meant I was safe and not lost!!

Greece was such a fantastic place to start, so rich in history and an absolute must see on my list.