Food

One thing that Bob and I love about Greece is the food. Today we went out to a sit down Greek restaurant in Athens for the first time. When we are out on trips, we do this as that is what most of the villages have for food options other than a mini market. When in Athens we usually get street food because it's fast, cheap and good. I realized I have taken lots of food pictures but not yet shared them.

Sometimes meat is just roasting on the street.

Our favorite - Gyros - twirling away.

Gyros Pita (as well as the next two pictures). Often the pork is served with tzatziki, fries, tomato, and onion. Chicken usually has a different sauce (mayo, mustard, or a house sauce) with the same other toppings as the pork and sometimes with lettuce added. In the Northern areas of Greece they often had ketchup and mustard or BBQ sauce. I did not enjoy that surprise and had to say oxi (No) ketchup.

This is what is called a gyros portion. Instead of serving the meat inside a pita, you get it in a box with pieces of pita, fries, and the toppings. This is more expensive, but comes with a lot more meat.

Here we have a grill platter. On top are souvlakia or kalamakia. Meat on a stick. Also included in this mixed grill platter are porkchops, sausages, pita, tomato, fries, and sauces.

eggplant... I think

Often when you eat with a group you order a bunch of small plates (mezedes) and share. This place happened to have a lot of seafood.

Beefteki aka beef

tzatziki (right) and fava bean (left)

chicken hunk

cabbage wrapped meatballs

lamb chops

 I am unsure of what the two pictures of desserts that follow are called.

ice cream!

After posting the photos, I'm thinking they don't look that appetizing, but man, they are delicious.

The Sanctuary of Zeus Ammon and Dionysos

This is yet another site from our first trip back in September that I have yet to post about. You may notice the warm and nice weather.
The Sanctuary was first used in the Early Bronze Age. Located at this site is the Temple of Zeus Ammon, a cave and Sanctuary to Dionysos, a bath, and a modern theater(I don't have a picture). As we were walking to this temple, our leader had said something about how we pass the beautiful beach and beautiful water, but we won't be stopping. I did stare longingly at the water for quite awhile.

so pretty

Doesn't this make you want to run right in?

Those lucky ducks got to enjoy the beach.

The watermill in the area of the Sanctuary of Dionysos.

The Sanctuary of Dionysos and entrance to the cave.

The Small Bath.

The Temple of Zeus Ammon.

 I've decided to end with a few more beach pictures to take me back to a time of warmth and sun.

Sounion (Attica Day Trip Part II)

I believe I last left you standing in the Vari Farmhouse eagerly awaiting me to return for the second half of our trip. We left the farmhouse and headed to Cape Zoster where we went into a private beach club (right near the hotel where Obama stayed during his visit to Greece in November). We ate our lunch by the beach. Although it was cold, it was still a nice view.

Directly behind where we sat was actually the reason we had come to this place. The Temple of Apollo.

Beyond the temple was the Priest's House, which I'm just now realizing I did not take a picture of and had planned to steal one of Bob's but didn't. Nonetheless, we saw it, and we were also told to watch our step; since it's near the public beach people often come up to it and poop there. Fortunately, there were no shoe casualties this year.

Finally on to our last stop, Sounion. There are two smaller temples to Athena located here.

Not much remains.

The Temple of Poseidon at Sounion is the real treasure. The temple was built in the 4th century BCE. There are some inscriptions on the temple including one by the famous Lord Byron (I wrote a blog on this fellow earlier). Over time the temple has collected a lot of graffiti. One I saw said "happy birthday Danielle 1985". I do wonder if that is why the site is now surrounded by a giant fence. We got special permission to go inside the temple, so I got a few up close and personal shots with some of the carvings.

The temple from far away.

In the temple.

You'll notice it looks good from all angles.

Circa 1857 I'm guessing.

Some up high graffiti. How did they even get up there?

Some of the old fortification wall.

I forgot there was a ship shed here too, but I didn't get a picture from Bob.

As always, there was a beautiful view.