July 27 – 28 Last days in Athens

On our last two days in Athens we sheltered inside during the worst heat of the day then ventured out later for a wander. A loittle way down the road from our hotel we found the Metropolitan Cathedral of the Annunciation and ducked in for a look. It is grand and glorious as befits a cathedral.  

Inside the Metropolitan Cathedral of the Annunciation

The exquisitely decoated portico of the Metropolitan Cathedral of the Annunciation

Then we headed for the Plaka and idled along all the narrow streets. Quite fascinating. From salons advertising skin-eating fish where you put your feet into a fishtank and have the fish nibble your dead-skin off to wee lux shops selling gorgeous glass doodads to ancient ruins. Athens has it all! 

One of the many entrances to the Plaka

Skin-eating fish. Quite bizarre but popular

We stumbled upon these ruins of a basilica from the 1st century

Our last supper - Korean

After dinner on our last night, we caught a taxi and headed for Mount Lycabettus - the origin of its name is not known for sure but it is popularly referred to as 'the one that is walked by wolves’.  Its summit is the highest point in Central Athens and is a drawcard (I missed going there when I visited Athens in 1984 as we were watching every cent). People gather there to see the sunset. Like most popular tourist attractions, we waited in line for a long time to catch the funicular to the top.  It is a thing to do! And the panorama is rather amazing.

Crowds line up to ride the funicular 

Standing and waiting room only

Lycabettus is crowned by a church 

Like all high places there were comms towers on top but look at the dazzling white of the city below

It was check-by-jowl standing room only

As the sun set on on the city of light with its not quite yet violet crown, we headed back down the hill and to our hotel. In the morning we would be flying to Istanbul for a few days before joining another cruise.