My film director, Lydia Nibley, said "you've been to Pitcairn, now you can check off some of the easy destinations" when we talked about how I was going to Greece. For the first time ever on my travels I've seen the Mediterranean with my own eyes as I flew into Athens just after 7 AM from Singapore. As one of the oldest cities in existence, Athens has a history that will beat on your heart and open your eyes and mind. Sleep-deprived: yes. Ready to sleep: absolutely not! Whilst I could have tried to thumb a lift into Athens, I got on the metro, exited Kerameikos Station and called in at Cafe del Sol for coffee and a pizza. I couldn't complete the morning without a brief stroll and signing my first geocache in Greece. You won't be in Athens long without noticing all the graffiti around; after all, the word "graffiti" is of Greek origin. At 11 AM I got to the home of my latest CouchSurfing host, also named Chris (Christos).
I didn't give a rat's ass how exhausted I was...I was getting to the Parthenon and there was no stopping me. Like moths to a flame, some places just demand making a B-line for once you get to a place. Ranging from tacky to jaw-dropping: the Hollywood Walk of Fame, the Eiffel Tower, Big Ben, the Burj Khalifa, Golden Gate, and the Sydney Opera House are just a few examples of where you get off a plane (even if it's after a 14-hour flight with no sleep), leave your bags wherever you're staying, and you get there as fast as you can drag yourself. Some "must-see" sights are tacky, but others are popular for a reason. Some "must-sees," such as Machu Picchu or the Great Wall, require a bit more effort to reach, and you likely won't get to them the day you arrive.
Entry to the Parthenon is €20, but better value at €30 is a ticket for admission to seven different archeological sites over the course of five days. I got that at Kerameikos and then made a B-line for the Parthenon. Often called the Acropolis, but the Parthenon is the building and the Acropolis is the hill that the complex sits atop. It's a fairly steep walk up but by no means difficult. Footwear is required at the site despite many of the marble steps being slippery. Completed in 432 BC, the Parthenon regarded as one of the most important Classical Greek buildings.
The Parthenon isn't the only building on the site. The Erechtheum and the Temple of Athena are also spectacular.
Somehow I never seem to go anywhere without taking a photo of a gorgeous lady. Aleksandra is Polish and has the prettiest red dress.
The Acropolis offers a commanding view of Athens!
I couldn't unleash my daredevil spirit without swiftly being told to get down trying to get a photo. One thing that's a bit disappointing with the Parthenon is all the "artificial" stuff floating around: cranes, construction equipment, scaffolding, vehicles, and the like dominate the area in addition to these magnificent buildings. Summer in Athens is scorching hot, and by late afternoon fatigue had set in. I couldn't leave without visiting the Theatre of Dionysus.
An ice cold Greek beer was in order for me as I walked back toward Chris' flat. The Parthenon can be seen from his balcony. After 12 hours of flying and little sleep I was ready to fall over when I got home. Having been to Greece, I've now been to 50 countries. With the pandemic largely over, I'm now ready for another 50. Today I saw the Parthenon but tomorrow I'll be seeing more of the archaeological highlights of Athens.
