Athens

We were up early, boarded our bus and took off from Meteora for the 5 hour trip to Athens.

When we arrived in Athens, we went to the Acropolis Museum.

This museum is located by the southeastern slope of the Acropolis Hill
and only a little over 300 yards away from the Parthenon.  This photo was taken from the museum looking up at the Acropolis.

The museum was built to house artifacts found on the Acropolis Hill from the Greek Bronze age to the Roman and Byzantine eras. The museum lies on the archaeological ruins of part of Roman and  Byzantine Athens. We could see those ruins as we entered the museum.

Dioramas showed the history of the construction of buildings on the Acropolis Hill.

 The statues above are original from the "Porch of Maidens" on the Greek Temple Erechtheion .

Some of the friezes we saw were originals from the decor of the Partheon ( photo below) and some were reproductions like the photo above.

It was an interesting museum and helped us to better understand what we would see the next day as we toured the Acropolis Hill.

That evening we found a wonderful Italian Restaurant within walking distance of our Hotel.

We shared a yummy Caprese Salad to start our meal.

  Steve and I both ordered a tasty pasta dish.                                Hal was hungry for a hamburger - he said that this one was        delicious!

  

Becky enjoyed a seafood dish made with black squid ink pasta.

The next morning we boarded the bus at 7:00 AM and headed for Corinth.

Both on the way to Corinth and on the return trip, we saw the Corinth Canal.  

This canal connects the Gulf of Corinth in the Ionian Sea with the Saronic Gulf in the Aegean Sea. It cuts through the narrow Isthmus of Corinth and separates the Pelopenese from the Greek mainland, making the former peninsula an island. The builders dug the canal through the Isthmus at sea level; so no locks are used. It is 4 miles in length and only 70 feet wide at its base.  This makes it impassable for most modern ships, so it now has little economic importance.  It was completed in 1893.

We crossed the canal on the bridge pictured in the foreground.

Ancient Corinth

Ancient Corinth was one of the largest and most important cities of Greece, with a population of 90,000 in 400 BC.^[After its total destruction in 146 BC ,the Romans built a new city in its place in 44 BC and later made it the provincial capital of Greece.

 Ruins of the ancient Roman fountain.

For Christians, Corinth is known from the two letters of Saint Paul in the New Testament - I and II Corinthians.  Michael Wilcox spoke to us amid the ruins of this once great city.  He taught us about Paul and his teachings on Charity and spiritual gifts. 

 During his second missionary journey, the apostle Paul leaves Athens and travels to the city. In it he meets Priscilla and Aquila, a couple who will greatly aid him in his ministry. When they discover Paul is a tent maker like themselves they let him stay in their home.  (Acts 18 and I Corinthians 11-13)

 The Apollo Temple

Today these flowers are known as poppies but in New Testament times, they were "the lilies of the field".

Our last looks at Corinth

The Acropolis

We boarded our bus and traveled for about an hour back into Athens to see the Acropolis Hill.

Located on a rocky outcrop above the city of Athens are the remains of several ancient buildings (495 BC) of great architectural and historic significance, the most famous being the Partheon. The word acropolis comes from the Greek word  -akron - meaning: highest point, extremity.

 We climbed to the top of the hill for a closer look at these famous ruins.  This photo shows a view of the Propylaea or grand gateway to the Acropolis.

A view of the Propylaea from behind

The photo above shows the porch of the Caryatides(sculpted female figures) on the Erechtheion (temple).

Looking down from the top of the Acropolis Hill  we could see The theatre of Dionysus (dating back to 534 BC.

Looking northeast from the top, we had a wonderful view of Athens.

Looking north, we could see the remains of The Temple of Zeus in the distance on the grassy area.

 Steve was trying to get the "perfect shot".

 Views of the Parthenon

James and Jeanne Okeson - friends we made on the trip

We made our way down from the hill and gathered beneath the adjacent and very famous Mars Hill.  Michael Wilcox  then taught us about the apostle Paul's famous speech to the Athenians delivered on Mar's Hill. He also taught us about all  the good things that the Greeks gave to the world: democracy, architecture, theatre, science, literature, sports, concept of beauty, love of thinking, freedom of speech, how to tell a story and participation in community life for the common good.

We then climbed to the top of  Mar's Hill  for the view and to think about the history of this famous spot.

 Our last tourist stop of the trip was at the  Panathenaic Stadium used for the 1896 Olympics.

 A member of our group - Waldo (Spike) Fobes' great-grandfather and great grand uncle had both been participants in a shooting event at the 1896 Olympic events.

 Steve and Becky with the Panthenaic Stadium  in the background.

Michael Wilcox and our Greek guide

We returned to our hotel after a very long day of sightseeing.

I loved the golden olive trees that decorated our hotel lobby.

That evening, we returned to the Italian restaurant we had eaten in the previous night.  We had made friends with owner and the food was delicious.

 We had another Caprese salad and a bacon, chicken Caesar salad to start.  We then shared  two yummy pizzas.

  The next morning, we boarded our bus  for the last time to travel to the airport for our trip home!

 Our Greek bus driver

 We met many great people on this tour and made new friends.  This photo shows Jay and Patricia Clark  who were from Springville, Utah.  They had served as mission president in the Mongolian Mission.  It was fun to hear some of their experiences and compare notes.

This is a photo of our group.  This was a go, go, go trip and we saw and did so many things.  We had to come home for a rest after this vacation!  It was also, very much a learning experience as we learned about Turkey and Greece as well as the travels of  the apostles.  Michael Wilcox was an excellent teacher and brought a spiritual dimension that made this trip most memorable.  We enjoyed being with our friends - Steve and Becky Smith and sharing this experience with them!