Ancient Athens

The day after the marathon, Rob and I forced our sore bodies out of bed to hobble around Athens and see some of the awesome sites of the ancient city....
Of course, the main thing to see in Athens is the Acropolis--a prominent hill in the center of the city. The ancient inhabitants long considered the hill itself to be sacred, and the Athenian youth would come to the caves in its side to swear an oath to defend the city state and its traditions. As time progressed, the Athenians built temples on the top of the Acropolis--the most famous of which is the Parthenon. It was awesome to see the building that has become such a world icon.

Normally, hiking up to the top of a hill isn't a problem, but because our bodies felt like they'd been run over by 3 or 4 trucks, the slow, slooww shuffle up the Acropolis felt like quite an accomplishment! :)

Just below the Acropolis, we saw the outdoor Theater of Herod Atticus (shown in the picture) and the Theater of Dionysus (where classical dramatists like Sophocles, Aeschylus, and Euripides performed their plays). I think it's amazing that these ancient architects could design theaters so that thousands of people could hear the actors speak without any kind of microphone system. Apparently they still use this theater of Herod Atticus for concerts today...it's hosted the Miss Universe pageant and Yanni....Yanni is kind of like Sophocles, right?

At the base of the Acropolis is the Ancient Agora--a kind of town square, market, and public assembly place that was the center of life and government in Ancient Athens. It was built in the 6th century BC and had fountains, a drainage system, and temples to the Olympian gods. Even though there isn't a lot standing now, it's easy to imagine it being a thriving, bustling center of life.

[Also, trivia for the day: the word agoraphobia, the fear of public situations/places, derives from the word "agora" in its meaning as a gathering place.]
Now, this picture doesn't do its subject justice. This is a gyro from a little place really close to our hostel. It's the perfect meal--tender meat, juicy tomatoes, perfectly crisp french fries, and tangy tzatziki sauce all wrapped in a delicious chewy pita. And it really was as delicious as it sounds...and as proof, I'll admit that Rob and I ate at this place 5 times in 4 1/2 days... Wow. :)