Trip to Greece : Day 9, Athens, Monastiraki and Agora

Breakfast at hotel. 

Around  Monastiraki Square.

Found flea market and antique shops in Monastiraki on the way to Ancient Agora. Stuff at Flea market/shops are either junk or expensive looking. Fun to watch, but no appetite for shopping.   People watching was more fun!

A male cat named Kefailos(?) sat on my lap at the entrance of an old print store. I said sorry about blocking the entrance, but the store owner kept smiling and said it’s beautiful. 

And more cats. We're lucky to meet them when flea market people fed them.

Ancient Agora. Another hot day in ruins. 

Museum. 

 Temple of Hephaestus. Liked the temple more than Acropolis. Nice relief with pigeons and grass.

 

Back to Monastiraki square and had a yummy pizza bread and a can of Amstel beer at a bakery. Young people in black T-shirt (found out later that they're anarchists) gathered at a corner of the square, putting banners, playing pop-rock music from speaker. More men than women, but still seemed like more women than other crowd I saw in Greece. Several cops were present, but seemed peaceful. 

 

Trip to Greece : Day 8, Athens, Acopolis and more

Finally got to Acropolis, very hot (upper 80F) and sunny with no shades. The ruins themselves were just like seen on photos, plus many people and construction. But felt the location was really meaningful for its importance in not only mythology but also in strategical point (able to see everything).

 View from Acropolis

The museum structure is neat; it was built on the ruins and we saw the ruins form above at the entrance. Reliefs at the museum were quite interesting.

Heat made me exhausted. Lunch at museum café. Minestrone-like veg & pea soup, lukewarm but good, comes with smoked herring and olives, bread (8.6€).

 Around the museum.

Trying to go back to hotel by taxi, then, came across Hadrian's Arch and Temple of Olympian Zeus. Both were built in 2nd century BC.

The temple looked more authentic than Acropolis in terms of atomosphere and design. It looked better in late  afternoon lighting. It was also nice that after a Chinese tour group left like a storm, it became quiet. Dwarfed Acropolis and Lycabetus Hill were seen on its extension and felt like we're at the center of the world. Definitely a superb power spot and our fatigue from heat and walk was gone.

Took a cab to hotel. Enjoyed Shower and beer after lots of walking in heat. Dinner at Noodle Bar near hotel. Ramen soup tasted like non-spicy Tom yum and its noodle was like patai's. Thai fried rice tasted like American-Chinese one.

Window shopping at Plaka and on Pandrossou St.Wanted to buy sandals or bag for a souvenir, but couldn't find anything that I would like to take home.Wine at a café at Monastiraki Square.

Strolled around Ancient Agora. lots of accessory vendors. We’re lost on the way towards our hotel. Found a small Greek orthodox Church of the Holy Apostle Philip during service. Acapella chorus by a few men was fascinating, especially in dimness and incense. It was covered with icons and frescoes up to the ceiling. Figured out the way to the hotel by asking several times. It was like a dry summer. Comfortable walk. Took sometime to get to the hotel rooftop lounge since its elevator only carried up to 3 people. Finally saw the lit-up Acropolis. More beautiful than flat midday view. Had ouzo and a vacation cigarette.