Athens, Greece

It was early July and I was getting cranky about our upcoming vacation. Every time I tried to plan the trip -a roadtrip to the Bugaboos?- with Brandon, he would come up with something else to do and evasively avoid all questions.

He was definitely 'up to something' so, finally, I called him out. His ultimate plan was to tell me nothing, pack my bags for me, and only reveal the big secret upon arriving at the airport...but I spoiled it and demanded he tell me what was going on. I was thrilled to find out he had planned a trip to Greece!

We took a lot of pics so we did our best to divide them up by category for your viewing pleasure.

Athens- is mostly just a big city. It is crowded, sprawling, and filled with crazy drivers. However, Brandon had picked a hotel in the middle of the Plaka neighborhood, which is the charming 'old town' part of the city, with quick/easy access to the ancient ruins.

The Plaka neighborhood, "Old Athens"

Marble steps -slippery with time & use- up to the Aeropagos viewpoint

View of the Acropoli on the 'Sacred Rock', from nearby rocky outcrop Aeropagos

Part of the Acropoli,

which contains great marble temples

built on the 'Sacred Rock' of Athens in late 5th Century B.C.

...not sure which temple of the Acropoli we're in front of?

The Caryatid Maidens of the Erechtheion

The Parthenon, built to honor the goddess Athena

Herodes Atticus Theatre, 161 A.D., still in use today...

The Acropolis Museum was built on top of ruins,

so this is the view through the glass floor

The Roman Forum, a marketplace built & used in 1st Century A.D.

One of many feral cats in Athens, lounging in the Roman marketplace.

The Tower of the Winds, 50 B.C.,

was used as a sundial, water clock, and weather vane

Scrappy has it good...

these Athens cats are always hunting for shade and food

...light streaming into a small church in the Roman Forum

A Jesus Fresco

A View Within the Agora, the marketplace used from 6th century B.C.

Temple of Hephaestus

Torso Sculpture...