Magnificent Athens (top view)
I have been to Greece many times, but it turned out that only in the summer, so I did not choose large cities as a place to stay. Still, Greece is a sunny country, and you want to lie on the beach at least once a year. Moreover, the sea is simply amazing in literally every corner of Greece. This time I decided to rest in the northern part of the country - in Halkidiki. I will say right away that I liked it here much more than on the islands. It is not so hot here and there are enough places to walk around. And the kitchen. . . mmm. . . wonderful. There are simply no words. But still, to visit Greece and not see Athens is the same as not knowing the country, as they say here. Therefore, without thinking twice, I gathered my thoughts and bought an excursion to Athens. I didn’t want to shake for several hours on the bus, so a little more than half an hour on the plane suited me perfectly. Believe me, it significantly changes the mood and feelings of the trip. But it's worth starting from the beginning.
We arrived in Athens early in the morning. (Well, for me, before 11:00 is early)))). They flew great. So good, I don't think I've flown yet. Maybe because it's only 35 minutes, or maybe because the airline is great. EllinAir was a pleasant surprise. The stewardesses are all right. Neat, combed, painted. In general, beauty. In addition, we were also offered drinks on the plane + sandwiches. In general, on an empty stomach, as if no one was driving. So… I got distracted… We flew to Athens in the morning and immediately went with a guide to the famous Evzones who serve near the Parliament building. I remember the changing of the guard very much. They have such an interesting “ritual”, if I may say so... It seems to me that literally all the tourists who are in Athens at that moment come running to see how these military men walk. Indeed, it is impressive))). Our guide said that the Evzones perform a war dance that imitates the step of a horse. It's impossible to describe, you just have to see it.
Then we went to the Acropolis. I don't think this place needs a description. But, believe me, in reality, the Parthenon looks completely different from the picture. He seems to be floating in the sky. So huge, majestic… It seems to me that this is the place that people fall in love with. Of course, you can argue. I know many people who, in principle, do not like Athens, but I'm not one of those. The only thing that spoiled the impression of what he saw was the heat and the almost complete absence of greenery. But this is not a botanical garden. After walking around the Acropolis a bit, taking a lot of photos of Athens from the observation deck, we went to the New Acropolis Museum. If you think that museums are boring, then you should definitely visit this place. When you walk on a glass floor, where a huge number of excavations of ancient times are located below, you are afraid to even breathe, not to mention thinking about what is not interesting here. Moreover, our guide was just wonderful.
Yes, of course, the heat is a little tiring, but the impressions left the sea. So, all satisfied and happy went to a tavern not far from the museum for lunch. I think they literally ate everything. Salad, main course, appetizers, an amazing dessert from the chef and, of course, wine. Where in Greece without wine? Everything is so delicious that it is impossible to tear yourself away. And, in principle, it seems to me that in this country it is impossible not to get better. The Greeks are very meticulous when it comes to food. Here it is customary to eat a lot and tasty. That's why the portions are so big.
After lunch we had some free time to walk around the Plaka. Not enough, of course, but for me personally, this was enough to buy home souvenirs and local sweets.
And here we are again in the bus and we are already going to Lake Vouliagmeni. To be honest, when I heard from the guide that, according to legend, mermaids live here and drag young people to the bottom, I did not believe it. But when something softly pinched my leg, I got scared. I don’t know if the story affected me that way or it was just from surprise, but the sensations are specific. It turned out that small fish swim here, which sometimes bite. But it doesn't hurt. Such a kind of peeling is obtained)))). Fatigue goes away. After such a swim, I would have walked around Athens once more, but it was already too late. Unfortunately, we had to go to the airport. They also flew well back. Pilots - well done, it was not felt at all how the plane touched the ground. Closer to 10 pm I was in the hotel and went to bed with a sense of accomplishment.
I wish you all a good holiday in Greece! And to visit this country and not see Athens is just a crime.
