First up - the dogs. I thought Greece was known for having a lot of cats running all over the place (which they do), but I wasn't prepared for the plethora of dogs all over the place! They are smart too. I had one follow me across the street. He waited till I started crossing then he knew it was safe (aka he wouldn't get hit by a car) and followed me. It was kinda funny. But anyway, they sleep all over the place. How many can you spot in this photo?
The most important street in ancient Athens was most probably the Panathenaic Way. It was the route the citizens took in the celebration up to the Acropolis to honor Athena every 4 years.
Statue of a bull - one of the gravestone markers.
Statue outside what they think was a gymnasium. The first motivational poster!! (j/k)
This is the Temple of Hephaistos.
Once known as the Theseum (temple of Theseus) - now generally agreed to be the Hephaisteion (temple of Hephaistos), where Hephaistos, god of the forge and Athena, goddess of arts and crafts were worshipped together. It was built between 460 and 420 BC (delays because of building programme on the Acropolis, and the Peloponnesian War) of Pentelic marble, and is the best-preserved Greek temple. The sculptural decoration showed labours of Heracles, labours of Theseus, and battle of Lapiths and Centaurs, and inside were statues of Athena and Hephaistos.
Theseus, as you may or may not know, was the one to defeat the Minotaur. He was supposed to change the flag on his ship from black to white on his return home if he was successful. He forgot, and his father Aegeus saw the ship returning with the black flag flown. He got so upset, thinking his son was dead, and threw himself into the sea. That is why it is known as The Aegean Sea today.
See, I really was there!! Although it looks a little more like Miami Beach than Greece with the palm trees! haha
This was taken in the Kerameikos.
And you can't leave before paying your respects to the dead.
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