In which I finally get to see the Acropolis up close and personal

Breakfast was amazing. Real Greek yogurt with a little honey drizzled on top is the best thing in the world. And so much fresh fruit you could cry. Plus a delicious rice pudding that tasted like the best vanilla and cinnamon in the world. After breakfast, we left to see the Agora. We had glimpsed it many times through a fence yesterday but we were too late to actually visit at the time. Out leader's friend, David, who has been working in the Agora for twenty years, was kind enough to take us on a tour of the area and talk to us about things. First stop was the reconstructed stoa. 

It was huge. And it was amazing to be able to see the building as it would have looked like in its hay-day.  The outside parts was full of busts and models. 

The inside part at the back of the building was for records and excavated pieces to be worked on. David talked about vases and field work and we even got to see a field book from the 1930s. After we finished there, we made our way to the Hephaestus, on of the most iconic structure in Athens. Unfortunately, these is where my camera died and I was forced to take terrible pictures with my phone. We then had a two hour break break to eat and rest, during which I tried to charge my camera. After, we all met up to discuss the Acropolis and the Parthenon on the second highest point in Athens, a giant rock next to the Acropolis.

Again, Athens is huge. Another long hike up to acropolis and we were there. I finally got to see the place that I have wanted to go for so long. The entrance was huge, it would have been amazing to see it fully constructed with a ramp that spread down the hillside. Then there was the Parthenon. It was as amazing as it looked in pictures, more amazing actually, despite the amount of construction and repairs that were being done to it.

It probably would have taken three of me to wrap my arms around one column. I wanted to be able to help put it back together, to actually see it whole and in its glory. It would have been even more impressive, though I don't know how. We then walked a few feet to the Erechtheion that was placed right next to the Parthenon. 

It was after that that I once again lost power to my camera. It was a very trying day, especially when my phone is horrible at taking pictures. But we only went to the New Acropolis Museum after, one of the newest and highest tech museums standing right now, so I didn't have to worry about taking more pictures. The museum was unlike anything I have ever seen before. When digging to build the building, they stumbled across ruins of a Hellenistic residential area. Instead of tearing them all down for the museum, it was built on top of it with clear floors so that visitors could see them as they walked around. I even got to see famous sculptures that I have been reading about for the past two years, such as the Kritios boy or the peplos kore. You don't even know how excited I was. It was amazing. Supper was a sandwich with olive paste, tomatoes and feta and then a hottub, which was awesome because of the Parthenon in the background. 

Tomorrow? We finally make it to Santorini!