These next two days were completely different experiences but full of incredible sights, food and time learning about this part of the world. In the bible Acts tells us a lot about the apostle Paul’s time in Athens. As a Roman citizen, he ended up on Areopagus also known as Mars Hill which could be seen just below where we stood.
We headed to the Acropolis early in the morning. The heat was building as we climbed the steep ascent to the top with a few thousand “friends” with the same goal. It was long. One of those times when every step mattered. There were large chunks of stone on the paths that had become polished over the centuries and slippery. We decided it had to be marble. Many people slipped and slid. Our trek continued up. We would pause with the crowd as we all would turn and look out over the view of the city and the ruins we could see around us.
Finally we reached the top and I just wanted to stand still and be present.
Even with so many people at ten a.m., it was possible to find a small space just to stand and marvel at the magnificence of the place. I wondered how it looked that day Paul was questioned. He made many comments about the temples that had been built to other gods. As a Roman citizen, he ended up on Areopagus also known as Mars Hill which could be seen just below where we stood.
This is the temple of Athena Parthenos.
The amphitheater we passed on our climb. It is used today for many events.
The temple of Erechtheum.
Our guide later drove us to a lookout over the city that gave us this amazing view.
Hot sun and lots of people.
Our time in Athens ended after a visit to the National Archaeological Museum. Be sure you visit here when you go to Athens. We did the brief overview as we had to head back to our ship. Oh the history of our world. I believe it is critical for us to understand it and how it shaped the world we live in today.
Next day – we find ourselves on the island of Rhodes. We decided to do what was working best for us. We got off the ship without a plan, hired a taxi and asked him to spend the day with us. Our first stop was at an outlook high above the city.
Look at the land in the not so far distance. That is Turkey! Directly below that is where the Aegean Sea and the Ionian Sea meet. The colors are astounding. From the beach to the sky and every shade of green to blue. This was a special place.
He then suggested driving to the other end of the island. Here was our view from there. Along the way we stopped at a jewelry making studio and a traditional ceramic studio where they produced all their work onsite.
Next up – lunch of course.
A small seaside restaurant. It was one of my three favorite places we dined at. Fresh sea bass cooked perfectly tender and moist.
… and a lobster
… and the best dish of the day was fresh octopus, shrimp, fish, mussels, seaweed salad and flash fried sardines.
When we got back to the port, he dropped us off at the walled old city which holds the large market filled with shops and restaurants.
… and we all agreed our day had met and exceeded our expectations. Heading back to the ship and off to the next port.