Team Toad Med 2004: Athens
Med > Flight | Barcelona | Ship | Marseilles | Nice | Pisa | Rome | Napoli | Herculaneum | Athens | Other Ships


Our last stop in Europe was Athens. First we stayed downtown in the NJV Athens Plaza, which was a very nice hotel located on Syntagma Square. This was a great base for exploring Athens on foot.

It's hard to believe that our visit to the Acropolis wasn't the best part of the trip (that honor goes to Herculaneum), but seeing the ruins of ancient Greece was a very close second.

Our plan was to spend two days in downtown Athens, one day seeing the Acropolis and one day shopping. Then we were to spend three days on the beach at the Astir Palace.

The first days in downtown Athens were great. We walked, we ate, we shopped, and we explored.

But when we got to the beach resort, we discovered why the most famous Greek literary work is about a man who has a lot of trouble while traveling.

Our hotel wasn't ready.

Not our room...the whole hotel was still under construction. The staff silently sent us to a different property at the resort, and we didn't actually discover we were at a different hotel until we tried to find the restaurant and discovered that

Their solution was to send a small car for us to shuttle us to their original hotel for dinner, but we could only go in groups of three, so we had to split up for the meal.

Our answer was to call our travel agent, arrange to come home early, and to call Bank of America to contest the room charge.

If you're planning to go to the Olympics, better call to see whether your hotel exists, yet.

IMG_1581 Jacey's sleeps the day away after partying all night the last night of the cruise
Jacey's sleeps the day away after partying all night the last night of the cruise
Kelsey takes advantage on a free WiFi connection
Kelsey takes advantage on a free WiFi connection
While Debbie reads
While Debbie reads
Fuzzy's turn at the Internet
Fuzzy's turn at the Internet
More gaming on the plane to Athens
More gaming on the plane to Athens
Hydrofoil (by Debbie)
Hydrofoil (by Debbie)
Landing in Athens
Landing in Athens
Hope that bungee cord holds
Hope that bungee cord holds
This vertical curve supports a pedestrian walkway in Athens
This vertical curve supports a pedestrian walkway in Athens
A runner in glass, sculpture in front of an Olypmic venue
A runner in glass, sculpture in front of an Olypmic venue
Sure they gave me the roll-away bed, but I got the free bottle of wine
Sure they gave me the roll-away bed, but I got the free bottle of wine
Syntagma Square and the Parliament building
Syntagma Square and the Parliament building
Like much of Greece, the Square is clean, new, closed to the public and still under construction
Like much of Greece, the Square is clean, new, closed to the public and still under construction
Arriving at 6pm on a Saturday, McDonald's was much cheaper than room service
Arriving at 6pm on a Saturday, McDonald's was much cheaper than room service
I guess not everyone was happy to see us
I guess not everyone was happy to see us
The weekly parade for the changing of the "Evzones" guard
The weekly parade for the changing of the "Evzones" guard
The military band plays
The military band plays
Three new guards arrive
Three new guards arrive
To relieve the three on duty
To relieve the three on duty
Heavy equipment in Athens
Heavy equipment in Athens
"The Party"
"The Party"
This looks like a nice restaurant
This looks like a nice restaurant
Kelsey waiting for breakfast
Kelsey waiting for breakfast
Our first view of the Parthenon
Our first view of the Parthenon
The Acropolis seen from the southwest
The Acropolis seen from the southwest
The Agora
The Agora
Debbie braves the slippery marble rocks to view the urban area of Athens below
Debbie braves the slippery marble rocks to view the urban area of Athens below
Fuzzy on the hill (by Debbie)
Fuzzy on the hill (by Debbie)
The Acropolis
The Acropolis
Debbie below the Acropolis
Debbie below the Acropolis
The amphitheater at the Acropolis (by Dan)
The amphitheater at the Acropolis (by Dan)
Kelsey
Kelsey
Kelsey, Fuzzy and Dan at the Propylaea
Kelsey, Fuzzy and Dan at the Propylaea
The columns of the Propylaea (by Dan)
The columns of the Propylaea (by Dan)
Kelsey surrounded by Ancient Greek splendour (by Debbie)
Kelsey surrounded by Ancient Greek splendour (by Debbie)
Fuzzy at the Parthenon (by Dan)
Fuzzy at the Parthenon (by Dan)
Dan at the Parthenon
Dan at the Parthenon
Debbie and Kelsey at the Parthenon (by Dan)
Debbie and Kelsey at the Parthenon (by Dan)
Kelsey and the Erechtheion
Kelsey and the Erechtheion
Dan and the Erechtheion
Dan and the Erechtheion
Erechthion (by Dan)
Erechthion (by Dan)
Dan, Debbie and Kelsey at the Erechtheion
Dan, Debbie and Kelsey at the Erechtheion
The Parthenon (by Debbie)
The Parthenon (by Debbie)
Karyatids
Karyatids
The Erechteion
The Erechteion
Original Karyatids (by Dan)
Original Karyatids (by Dan)
Fuzzy and Dan overlook Athens
Fuzzy and Dan overlook Athens
Debbie and the Parthenon
Debbie and the Parthenon
Dan shoots another photo of Athens
Dan shoots another photo of Athens
Temple of Zeus (with Herod's gate below and left)
Temple of Zeus (with Herod's gate below and left)
Dan and Debbie in front of the Parethenon
Dan and Debbie in front of the Parethenon
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244W9474
Fuzzy the ancient explorer and Debbie in front of the Erechtheion (by Dan)
Fuzzy the ancient explorer and Debbie in front of the Erechtheion (by Dan)
The entrance to the Erechtheion (by Dan)
The entrance to the Erechtheion (by Dan)
The Karyatids
The Karyatids
Dan and two ancient sculptures
Dan and two ancient sculptures
Dan rides to victory in battle
Dan rides to victory in battle
A fountain in mid street
A fountain in mid street
Dan chasing pigeons in the marketplace
Dan chasing pigeons in the marketplace
Kelsey is happy to have found a bread vendor
Kelsey is happy to have found a bread vendor
Fuzzy sips a milkshake while the girls shop for clothes
Fuzzy sips a milkshake while the girls shop for clothes
Mother and daughter shopping
Mother and daughter shopping
A Byzantine statue in Monisteraki
A Byzantine statue in Monisteraki
A tiny church
A tiny church
Trying Mexican food in Greece
Trying Mexican food in Greece
The shops of Plaka
The shops of Plaka
Debbie watches a sleeping cat in Plaka
Debbie watches a sleeping cat in Plaka
The Acropolis towers above the marketplace
The Acropolis towers above the marketplace
The sculpture restoration works below the Acropolis
The sculpture restoration works below the Acropolis
The Parthenon from the east side
The Parthenon from the east side
No entry
No entry
Tribute to a fierce fighter
Tribute to a fierce fighter
Herod's Gate near the Temple of Zeus
Herod's Gate near the Temple of Zeus
Waiting for the bus
Waiting for the bus
More heavy equipment in Athens (Fuzzy's is bigger)
More heavy equipment in Athens (Fuzzy's is bigger)
Riding to the beach (by Dan)
Riding to the beach (by Dan)
Pounding Dan into the sand
Pounding Dan into the sand
Dan is stuck in the sand
Dan is stuck in the sand
A French warship guarding the area
A French warship guarding the area

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Last updated 30-Jul-2004 Lazy Toad Ranch