Athens : Step into a Greek Sandal

And climb up to the temples. Past present or future, it's not easy to meet God. Climbing up to the Akropolis was pretty. You get to see pretty sights, pretty things.

On the way up, people open up stalls by the side selling hair accessories, earrings, necklaces bangles and souvenirs.  I was tempted to buy an anklet which has bells on them. Thinking of my economical state after my spree in Istanbul, i waved goodbye to the homeless anklet.

There were people who were trying to make a living by selling little stuff. People busking playing accordions, selling toys. Live isn't easy in Greece. After the dept issue and dragging the euro down with them, lots of people were homeless and jobless.

Tourism was still one industry that could survive that. Greece is gifted with history.

This is the map of the Acropolis. It's not only one thing. It's a lot of things in one place. In the past, this place was the sacred place for the Gods.

The grand entrance which is the Propyla

It's like the entrance to heaven where you'll be interrogated and denied access. People who would like to talk to God would have to be spiritually clean.

 The famous Parthenon

This temple is dedicated to the Greek Goddess Athena, who is considered the protector of the Greeks. Like the Hagia Sophia, through time, it became a church and also a mosque and presently surrounded by scaffoldings making my pictures not so pretty like in those postcards. 

Temples are used to having statues and sculptures in them made by gifted craftsmen but now, they can only be seen in museums like the Acropolis Museum or the British Museum which is in Britain. Long time ago they took the sculptures to Britain and place it in their home museum and now the Greeks want their artworks back but it's not that easy.

 

 Temple of Erechtheum

Odeum of Herodes Atticus

Built by Herodes Atticus, this Amphitheater was built in memory of his wife. It now host yearly events and concerts and can sit 5000 spectators comfortably.

 Theater of Dionysus Aleuthereus

This marble theater was one of the major theaters in Athens and one of the earliest in the world. Back then people came to watch plays, shows and events of their time here. Maybe nothing like a Metallica concert. But to them it was.

Much of the Acropolis is in ruins an the government of Greece is doing much to restore and preserve it. There were signs to not touch the pillars and take rocks as souvenirs. Most of the marbles are spoil due to rain and well, I guess time, and some are already restored with new ones.

It was a pretty place and I could imagine a greek goddess in chiffon drapes with leaves in my hair looking so amazing.