Athens

sr
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. . . is how one of the guidebooks described Athens - and that's pretty darned accurate! They skyline is a jumble of buildings with 5th century b.c. ruins, big block buildings from the 60's, new construction, and everything you can imagine in between.

The whistles. Dear god, the whistles. That's the sound that stays with you. Too many traffic cops, each armed with a whistle emitting a jarring screech that jolts your brain. Below it is the continues rumble of 4 million people driving, walking, working, and living in the city.

Not a graceful city . . .

They still use the Odeon for classical plays and concerts. -sr
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I think we ate outside for almost every single meal, and it's so relaxing, especially at night when the pace of the city has slowed almost all the way down. A few blocks from our hotel was a little area of restaurants and cafes where we ate dinner a couple of nights. Locals filled the cafes in groups of friends or families and it was so appealing that I wanted to just join one of them to be a part of it. Luckily, I managed to control myself and just enjoyed soaking it all in.

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Athens is not a graceful city, and a little bit of it goes a long way, but I was charmed all the same.

Learn more (am I geek, or what?) about some of the places we saw:

National Archeaology Museum

The Acropolis

The Bronze Poseiden - National Archaeology Museum
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The Temple of Zeus

The Ancient Agora