After an hour flight from Santorini, we arrived at Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport in Athens.
Athens. "The city with the most glorious history in the world, a city worshipped by gods and people, a magical city. The enchanting capital of Greece has always been a birthplace for civilization. It is the city where democracy was born and most of the wise men of ancient times. The most important civilization of ancient world flourished in Athens and relives through some of the world's most formidable edifices." Greece-Athens.com
In 1834 Athens was chosen to be the capital of the newly established Greek State. The city that now hosts more than 4,5 million people, was constructed around the Acropolis walls. Today it is the political, social, cultural, financial and commercial center of Greece.
After about a 40 minute car drive from the airport, we arrived to what would be our home for the next 4 days, and we couldn't have picked a better place. The Acropolis View Luxury Penthouse - Beta* is a three bedroom, 2 bath apartment with spa showers and jacuzzi, washer/drier, full kitchen, living room with an entertainment center, computer with dsl, and a private veranda. The apartment is located on the vibrant Ymittou Street. Grocery store, restaurants, a mall, shops, movie theater, coffee shops were all right outside the complex. We highly recommend this place. We spend our first day in Athens grocery shopping and doing laundry; we felt just like we were home.www.athenspenthouses.com/Beta.html 
On our first sight seeing day, we headed over to the Filopappou Hill across from the acropolis. Filopappou Hill was built opposite from the Acropolis in the second century. It houses the monument of the Roman benefactor of Athens, Gaius Julius Antiochus Filopappou.
Socrates and many other philosophers walked on Filopappou Hill's paths. In this park, you can see the prison where Sokrates was incarcerated.
After reaching the monument of Filopappou, we were able to enjoy some of the greatest views of the Acropolis.
The Acropolis of Athens is the best known Acropolis (high city, The "Sacred Rock") in the world. Although there are many other acropoleis in Greece, the significance of the Acropolis of Athens is such that it is commonly known as The Acropolis without qualification. The Acropolis is a flat-topped rock which rises 150 m (512 ft) above sea level in the city of Athens. It was also known as Cecropia, after the legendary serpent-man, Kekrops or Cecrops, the first Athenian king.
Temple of Hephaestus is is the best-preserved ancient Greek temple in the world. It was built in about 449 BC on what was then the western edge of the city of Athens, in a district which contained many foundries and metalwork shops. It was therefore dedicated to Hephaestus, the god of blacksmiths and metallurgy. It was designed by Ictinus, one of the architects who worked on the Parthenon. It stands on a slight rise and in ancient times commanded a fine view of the Agora.
On the background, you can see the Church of the Holy Apostles (Aghii Apostoli). This Byzantine Church is one of the oldest churches in the area, having been built in the 11th century. The church is almost always closed, but we were lucky that it was opened the day we visited the Ancient Agora grounds. Inside the church, you can appreciate well-preserved frescoes of Christ Pantocrator (Ruler of All: in the dome), John the Baptist, cherubim and archangels. Parts of the original 11th C. iconostasis have been preserved.
Plaka originates from the days of the Greek revolution. Under the Acropolis Plaka was built by the first construction workers that come from Anafi cycladic island and built Athens main buildings.
Pláka (Greek: Πλάκα). This the old historical neighbourhood just under the Acropolis is made up by labyrinthine streets, many restaurants and plenty of souvenir stores. It is visited by hundrends of thousands of tourists around the year. 
Monument honoring George Gordon Byron, 6th Baron Byron of Rochdale. Byron was an Anglo-Scottish poet and a leading figure in Romanticism. Among Lord Byron's best-known works are the narrative poems Childe Harold's Pilgrimage and Don Juan. Lord Byron's fame rests not only on his writings but also on his life, which featured extravagant living, numerous love affairs and debts. He travelled to Greece to fight against the Turks in the Greek War of Independence, for which the Greeks consider him a national hero. He died from fever in Messolonghi.
Some Greek refugees from Asia Minor established themselves In the neighborhood of Byron (Vyronos). These Greek refugees came from Asia Minor after being evacuated/deported from Turkey following the Treaty of Lausanne which resulted in the Population Exchange between Greece and Turkey around 1923.
Sara's dad grew up in this neighborhood. His house used to stand where the new condominium complex stands now. Sara's grandmother went from living in a huge house in Alacam, Asia Minor, to a small, very modest 1 bedroom refugee house. The refugees' new life in Athens was a magor contrast to what many of them were used to since the Asia Minor Greeks constituted one of the wealthiest groups of the ethnic Greeks anywhere. They held much of the economic life and the trade of Anatolia in their hands.
The conditions of their expulsion and relocation were worsened by the fact that the vast majority of the refugees were women and children (aged under 15), since the male population was not allowed to leave Turkey. According to the statistics, 60%-73% of the refugees were women and children. The 1/3 of the refugee families did not have a surviving male member.
Chryssoula was John's childhood schoolmate and playmate, and her mother was a friend of Sara's Yiayia in Athens. Yiayia and Chryssoula corresponded via mail until Yiayia's passing in 2000. Chryssoula showed us the old neighborhood while her husband drove around because we could not find a parking space.
This park is located right across where Yiayia's house used to be. John, Sara's dad, used to climb the trees of this park.
The neighborhood hospital where John almost got his leg amputated after an injury got infected.
Chryssoula and John's childhood school.
After the tour of Sara's Dad's old neighborhood, Chryssoula and Yiannis invited us to their place for dinner. Their house has a huge backyard where Yiannis has planted most of the vegetables they use for cooking. Back there, you can get tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, olives, lettuce, and many other fruits and vegetables. After getting to know them, we realized how much pride and joy Yiannis takes from managing his garden.
Chryssoula prepared a feast for us. We had mussaka, chicken souvlaki, homemade pita, salad, homemade olive bread, olives, yogurt and some great sweet wine. Plus, we got to take all the left-overs home.
Yiannis and Chryssoula made us feel like family. We hope to be able to visit them again in Athens in the near future.
In our third day in Athens, we decided to do what tourist do when visiting Athens. Unfortunately, it was raining, better said pouring. On the positive side, there were less people at the main sights. Our first stop was going to be the Acropolis.
The Erechtheion was built to accommodate the religious rituals that the old temple housed. Construction of the Erechtheion began in 420 while the Peloponnesian war was interrupted by the Peace of Nikias and continued through some of the most difficult times for the Athenians at war.
The Erecthion sits on the most sacred site of the Acropolis where Poseidon and Athena had their contest over who would be the Patron of the city. Poseidon thrust his trident into the rock and a spring burst forth, while Athena touched the ground with a spear and an olive tree grew. Athena was declared the victor and the great city of Athens
The Caryatids have become the temple's signature feature, as they stand and seem to casually support the weight of the porch's roof on their heads. Their identification, or the purpose for such elaborate column treatment is lost through the centuries.
The Parthenon and other main buildings on the Acropolis were built by Pericles in the fifth century BC as a monument to the cultural and political achievements of the inhabitants of Athens.
View of the Temple of Olympina Zeus and the Panathenian Stadium, better known as the Marble Stadium, from the Acropolis.
Taking a stroll alongside the Acropolis on Stratonos Thrasyllou (street).
The Temple of Olympian Zeus, also known as the Olympieion, is a temple in Athens. Although work began in the 6th century BC, it was not completed until the reign of the Roman Emperor Hadrian in the 2nd century AD. Hadrian, a great admirer of Greek culture, finally brought it to completion in AD 129.
There used to be 104 Corinthian columns when Roman ruler Hadrian completed it, but today only 16 remain. In the background, you can see the Acropolis topped by the Parthenon.
The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Greece, which is located at the Parliament Building. Every hour, guards called Evzones perform the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Greece changing of the guard.
Some of the inscriptions scattered around the tomb quote fragments from Pericles' Funeral Oration of 430 B.C., delivered after the first year of the Peloponnesian War to honor the fallen Athenians. There are other inscriptions that commemorate past Greek army victories like the 1821 Greek Revolution.
The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Greece is also the monument of choice during major holidays, where top officials of Greece lay wreaths in honor of the nameless fallen Greek soldiers from battles gone by.
The Evzones wear curious uniforms with pom-poms on the toes of their shoes and skirts with stockings. The Evzones are soldiers in the Presidential Guard. 
Evzones are trained to remain silent and nearly motionless for hours.
The National Garden is a peaceful, green refuge of 15.5 hectares in the center of the Greek capital. It is located directly behind the Greek Parliament building (The Old Palace) and continues to the south to the area where the Zappeion is located, across from the Panathenaiko or Kalimarmaro Olympic Stadium of the 1896 Olympic Games.
In our last night in Athens, Yiannis invited us to enjoy the symphony at The Athens Concert Hall or "Megaron." The symphony was amazing, so it was the perfect way to spend our last night in Athens.
The Athens Concert Hall or "Megaron," since it opened its doors to the public in 1991, has been regarded as one of the most comprehensive culture centres in Europe. Its superb acoustics has been acclaimed both by the public and by renowned performers of the music and art world.
The Panathinaiko Stadium (also known as the Kallimarmaron, or the "beautifully marbled") is the only major stadium in the world built fully of white marble. The stadium is located in the center of Athens, and it was reconstructed in 1895 to become the main stadium to host the 1896 Olympic Games.
Hadrians Arch was constructed in 131 AD by the Roman Emperor Hadrian as part of a wall separating the old and new cities of Athens. Two inscriptions are carved on the architrave of the arch's lower level, one centered over the arched opening on either side. On the northwest side (towards the Acropolis), the inscription was: ΑΙΔΕIΣ ΑΘΗΝΑΙ ΘΗΣΕΩΣ Η ΠΡΙΝ ΠΟΛΙΣ (this is Athens, the ancient city of Theseus). The inscription on the southeast side (facing the Olympeion) read: ΑΙΔΕIΣ ΑΔΡΙΑΝΟΥ ΚΟΥΧI ΘΗΣΕΩΣ ΠΟΛΙΣ (this is the city of Hadrian, and not of Theseus). 
On May 27th, with a feeling of sadness, we left Athens at 6:15 PM in our way back to the USA, and we arrived to Frankfurt Germany at 8:15 PM where we spent the night. We stayed at the Frankfurt Marriot Hotel where I requested one of the top floors. From our room, the view of the city was outstanding. The breakfast buffet at the Marriot was top notch.
We had planned to explore Frankfurt, but a thunderstorm and tiredness kept us in our room.
On our first sight seeing day, we headed over to the Filopappou Hill across from the acropolis. Filopappou Hill was built opposite from the Acropolis in the second century. It houses the monument of the Roman benefactor of Athens, Gaius Julius Antiochus Filopappou.
Socrates and many other philosophers walked on Filopappou Hill's paths. In this park, you can see the prison where Sokrates was incarcerated.
After reaching the monument of Filopappou, we were able to enjoy some of the greatest views of the Acropolis.
The Acropolis of Athens is the best known Acropolis (high city, The "Sacred Rock") in the world. Although there are many other acropoleis in Greece, the significance of the Acropolis of Athens is such that it is commonly known as The Acropolis without qualification. The Acropolis is a flat-topped rock which rises 150 m (512 ft) above sea level in the city of Athens. It was also known as Cecropia, after the legendary serpent-man, Kekrops or Cecrops, the first Athenian king.
Temple of Hephaestus is is the best-preserved ancient Greek temple in the world. It was built in about 449 BC on what was then the western edge of the city of Athens, in a district which contained many foundries and metalwork shops. It was therefore dedicated to Hephaestus, the god of blacksmiths and metallurgy. It was designed by Ictinus, one of the architects who worked on the Parthenon. It stands on a slight rise and in ancient times commanded a fine view of the Agora.
On the background, you can see the Church of the Holy Apostles (Aghii Apostoli). This Byzantine Church is one of the oldest churches in the area, having been built in the 11th century. The church is almost always closed, but we were lucky that it was opened the day we visited the Ancient Agora grounds. Inside the church, you can appreciate well-preserved frescoes of Christ Pantocrator (Ruler of All: in the dome), John the Baptist, cherubim and archangels. Parts of the original 11th C. iconostasis have been preserved.
Plaka originates from the days of the Greek revolution. Under the Acropolis Plaka was built by the first construction workers that come from Anafi cycladic island and built Athens main buildings.
Pláka (Greek: Πλάκα). This the old historical neighbourhood just under the Acropolis is made up by labyrinthine streets, many restaurants and plenty of souvenir stores. It is visited by hundrends of thousands of tourists around the year. 
Monument honoring George Gordon Byron, 6th Baron Byron of Rochdale. Byron was an Anglo-Scottish poet and a leading figure in Romanticism. Among Lord Byron's best-known works are the narrative poems Childe Harold's Pilgrimage and Don Juan. Lord Byron's fame rests not only on his writings but also on his life, which featured extravagant living, numerous love affairs and debts. He travelled to Greece to fight against the Turks in the Greek War of Independence, for which the Greeks consider him a national hero. He died from fever in Messolonghi.
Some Greek refugees from Asia Minor established themselves In the neighborhood of Byron (Vyronos). These Greek refugees came from Asia Minor after being evacuated/deported from Turkey following the Treaty of Lausanne which resulted in the Population Exchange between Greece and Turkey around 1923.
Sara's dad grew up in this neighborhood. His house used to stand where the new condominium complex stands now. Sara's grandmother went from living in a huge house in Alacam, Asia Minor, to a small, very modest 1 bedroom refugee house. The refugees' new life in Athens was a magor contrast to what many of them were used to since the Asia Minor Greeks constituted one of the wealthiest groups of the ethnic Greeks anywhere. They held much of the economic life and the trade of Anatolia in their hands.
The conditions of their expulsion and relocation were worsened by the fact that the vast majority of the refugees were women and children (aged under 15), since the male population was not allowed to leave Turkey. According to the statistics, 60%-73% of the refugees were women and children. The 1/3 of the refugee families did not have a surviving male member.
Chryssoula was John's childhood schoolmate and playmate, and her mother was a friend of Sara's Yiayia in Athens. Yiayia and Chryssoula corresponded via mail until Yiayia's passing in 2000. Chryssoula showed us the old neighborhood while her husband drove around because we could not find a parking space.
This park is located right across where Yiayia's house used to be. John, Sara's dad, used to climb the trees of this park.
The neighborhood hospital where John almost got his leg amputated after an injury got infected.
Chryssoula and John's childhood school.
After the tour of Sara's Dad's old neighborhood, Chryssoula and Yiannis invited us to their place for dinner. Their house has a huge backyard where Yiannis has planted most of the vegetables they use for cooking. Back there, you can get tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, olives, lettuce, and many other fruits and vegetables. After getting to know them, we realized how much pride and joy Yiannis takes from managing his garden.
Chryssoula prepared a feast for us. We had mussaka, chicken souvlaki, homemade pita, salad, homemade olive bread, olives, yogurt and some great sweet wine. Plus, we got to take all the left-overs home.
Yiannis and Chryssoula made us feel like family. We hope to be able to visit them again in Athens in the near future.
In our third day in Athens, we decided to do what tourist do when visiting Athens. Unfortunately, it was raining, better said pouring. On the positive side, there were less people at the main sights. Our first stop was going to be the Acropolis.
The Erechtheion was built to accommodate the religious rituals that the old temple housed. Construction of the Erechtheion began in 420 while the Peloponnesian war was interrupted by the Peace of Nikias and continued through some of the most difficult times for the Athenians at war.
The Erecthion sits on the most sacred site of the Acropolis where Poseidon and Athena had their contest over who would be the Patron of the city. Poseidon thrust his trident into the rock and a spring burst forth, while Athena touched the ground with a spear and an olive tree grew. Athena was declared the victor and the great city of Athens
The Caryatids have become the temple's signature feature, as they stand and seem to casually support the weight of the porch's roof on their heads. Their identification, or the purpose for such elaborate column treatment is lost through the centuries.
The Parthenon and other main buildings on the Acropolis were built by Pericles in the fifth century BC as a monument to the cultural and political achievements of the inhabitants of Athens.
View of the Temple of Olympina Zeus and the Panathenian Stadium, better known as the Marble Stadium, from the Acropolis.
Taking a stroll alongside the Acropolis on Stratonos Thrasyllou (street).
The Temple of Olympian Zeus, also known as the Olympieion, is a temple in Athens. Although work began in the 6th century BC, it was not completed until the reign of the Roman Emperor Hadrian in the 2nd century AD. Hadrian, a great admirer of Greek culture, finally brought it to completion in AD 129.
There used to be 104 Corinthian columns when Roman ruler Hadrian completed it, but today only 16 remain. In the background, you can see the Acropolis topped by the Parthenon. The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Greece, which is located at the Parliament Building. Every hour, guards called Evzones perform the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Greece changing of the guard.
Some of the inscriptions scattered around the tomb quote fragments from Pericles' Funeral Oration of 430 B.C., delivered after the first year of the Peloponnesian War to honor the fallen Athenians. There are other inscriptions that commemorate past Greek army victories like the 1821 Greek Revolution.
The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Greece is also the monument of choice during major holidays, where top officials of Greece lay wreaths in honor of the nameless fallen Greek soldiers from battles gone by.
The Evzones wear curious uniforms with pom-poms on the toes of their shoes and skirts with stockings. The Evzones are soldiers in the Presidential Guard. 
Evzones are trained to remain silent and nearly motionless for hours. The National Garden is a peaceful, green refuge of 15.5 hectares in the center of the Greek capital. It is located directly behind the Greek Parliament building (The Old Palace) and continues to the south to the area where the Zappeion is located, across from the Panathenaiko or Kalimarmaro Olympic Stadium of the 1896 Olympic Games.
In our last night in Athens, Yiannis invited us to enjoy the symphony at The Athens Concert Hall or "Megaron." The symphony was amazing, so it was the perfect way to spend our last night in Athens.
The Athens Concert Hall or "Megaron," since it opened its doors to the public in 1991, has been regarded as one of the most comprehensive culture centres in Europe. Its superb acoustics has been acclaimed both by the public and by renowned performers of the music and art world.
The Panathinaiko Stadium (also known as the Kallimarmaron, or the "beautifully marbled") is the only major stadium in the world built fully of white marble. The stadium is located in the center of Athens, and it was reconstructed in 1895 to become the main stadium to host the 1896 Olympic Games.
Hadrians Arch was constructed in 131 AD by the Roman Emperor Hadrian as part of a wall separating the old and new cities of Athens. Two inscriptions are carved on the architrave of the arch's lower level, one centered over the arched opening on either side. On the northwest side (towards the Acropolis), the inscription was: ΑΙΔΕIΣ ΑΘΗΝΑΙ ΘΗΣΕΩΣ Η ΠΡΙΝ ΠΟΛΙΣ (this is Athens, the ancient city of Theseus). The inscription on the southeast side (facing the Olympeion) read: ΑΙΔΕIΣ ΑΔΡΙΑΝΟΥ ΚΟΥΧI ΘΗΣΕΩΣ ΠΟΛΙΣ (this is the city of Hadrian, and not of Theseus). 
On May 27th, with a feeling of sadness, we left Athens at 6:15 PM in our way back to the USA, and we arrived to Frankfurt Germany at 8:15 PM where we spent the night. We stayed at the Frankfurt Marriot Hotel where I requested one of the top floors. From our room, the view of the city was outstanding. The breakfast buffet at the Marriot was top notch.
We had planned to explore Frankfurt, but a thunderstorm and tiredness kept us in our room. We had an amazing time during this trip, but it was over after a 10+ hour flight from Frankfurt to San Francisco.
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