Aug 13

Aug 13 The Temple of Olympian Zeus - Athens, Greece

About three months ago I was given the opportunity to travel to Greece with my dear friend, Tess, and her family. Never one to turn down a travel opportunity, I immediately booked a round trip ticket to Athens from New York.

I flew solo and met the group at our lovely Airbnb in central Athens. From the upstairs terrace we could see the back of the Acropolis.

To toast our arrival, we sampled the local brew: Mythos.

Then we hit the streets! To fight jet lag, and explore the ancient ruins that mix in with modern Athens.

This is the Temple of Olympian Zeus. Work on this began in the 6th century BC, but was not completed until 132 AD due to conflicting design ideas and heavy looting. Most of the materials originally used for this project can be found in other ancient structures around Athens.

This column collapsed in 1852 from the strong Etesian winds that roll through Greece and Turkey yearly to this day.

Both stray animals and graffiti are common sights around Athens. But these two ladies are most unique and wonderful!

**Feta Saganaki with sesame seeds and honey... YUM**

**A delicious mix of chicken, pickles, tomatoes, and cheeses**

While we feasted, live Greek music set the mood. This is our group in Athens (minus Ben who disappeared for this pic).

This part of Athens comes to life at night, with tourists and locals mixing to eat, dance, and shop. We were happy to discover that most stores were open until around midnight - so we could wander and fit everything in that we wanted to do.

We did have some trouble with a pickpocket here, but luckily one of our friends caught her hand before any damage could be done. As always when traveling, be sure to keep your belongings close.