Ancient/Modern Athens 11/21-24

Returned our car in good shape the 21st. Hotel very small but has a tiny lift (elevator) which took two trips to get up all our baggage and us. We have the only room in the hotel that has a room on the top floor with a balcony that overlooks the Acropolis which is lit up at night and is magnificant. A couple of challenges - the bathroom is VERY TINY! The shower has a curtain over only part of it with a hand shower hooked on the faucets. If you try and take a regular shower you will drown the entire bathroom and the toilet paper! The 22nd we caught a city bus to the National Archaelogical Museum. On our way a woman walked out into the street right by my window, looking the other way (dangerous to do in Athens with the motorcycle nuts and other crazy drivers) and got hit. Everyone vacated the bus and we walked to the museum (see pics). From there we walked to the Romand Agora and then the Ancient Agora (Market Place) where Paul preached. It is at the base of Mars Hill and the Acropolis. (see pics) We also walked to a beautiful Temple where our pic was taken by an Argentinan couple. (see pic) From there we walked through a more modern agora (local people, local feel) and returned to the hotel - miles of walking - tired but happy. Ate dinner at the same restaurant as last night - around the corner from the hotel. On the 23rd awoke with a panic after rereading some of the instructions for boarding the ship tomorrow which addressed the need for VISAS! OF WHICH WE HAD NONE! Called our favorite taxi driver, Tasos - who rushed us to several embassies only to find out that they can be obtained at the arrival ports. Too bad the American Embassy didn't tell us that when we called this AM! Spent the rest of the day with Tasos, taking him to lunch and driving over to see the new 2004 Olympic complex which was a site to behold - designed by a Spaniard. Tonight we will pack so that Saturday (tomorrow) we can join the ship and only unpack one more time.

I'll have to ask Don if that was the Spaniard - it could very well have been - everyone one of the 6 or so complexes we saw were magnificant.

Can you tell us the name of your ship? Then we can look it up and find some pics. Thanks! ARic

Was Calatrava the Spaniard who designed the Olympic Complex? He is from Valencia and is outstanding! He also designed the Gugenheim in Bilbao and the art museum in Milwaukee (those Spaniards get around.) kathy

Hi Gram and Grandaddy! Happy Thanksgiving! Don't forget to bring a present for Maya from Egypt...Maya Don't forget to have a card from Egypt...Karis Don't forget to have a little car for Aniko...Karis Don't forget to have a little house and a computer...Karis Please get me a house to live in in Greece, it's for the animals...Karis Don't forget to go to the bathroom in the toilet and don't pop on the guard...Maya and Karis Yes! Pop on him!...Karis Bye-bye!