Up at 6:45 for room service and to get ready for departure from our ship. Our color was called at 9 am so it was down to the departure point on level A, onto the gang plank and out into the cruise terminal. Located a van to take the four of us and our luggage to our hotel in central Athens for 90 euro, an exorbitant amount for a 20-minute ride but we wanted the least amount of hassle for departing the cruise terminal.

Our driver Vassilios wanted to take us on a couple of side trips to show us some sights but we insisted on a straight run to the hotel so we could get settled in. He found the Hotel Tempi without any hesitation and dropped us within 30 metres of the door. From there it was a simple matter of hauling the luggage that short distance. Once inside, Yannis the owner and proprietor, checked in LeVerne and Carole and promised us our room would be available within a half hour.

  
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While we were waiting, we walked over to Monistraki Square to check out the Metro and the flea market off on a side street. Monastiraki (literally little monastery) is a flea market neighborhood in the old town and is one of the main shopping districts in Athens. The area is named after Monastiraki Square, which in turn is named for the Church of the Pantanassa that is located within the square.

LeVerne tried to get some cash from an ATM but at the end of the transaction the machine just went back to ready, no cash or receipt. Again, lots of small shops and everyone wanting you to come in to visit. Found another ATM on our way back to the hotel and this time LeVerne was successful in obtaining some cash, but only on the third try. Spent an hour or so wandering, then back to the Tempi.

      
    
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Our room was still not quite ready so we ventured forth again in search of a café for lunch. Found a very nice little pastry and sandwich shop that we liked a couple of blocks away. By the way, there is no shortage of coffee shops and cafes in downtown Athens. Every second doorway opened up to one. After some pastry stuffed with meats, veggies, other unidentifiables and a couple of coffees it was back to the Tempi again. Third try successful. Our room next to the Ellsworth’s was ready and we were finally able to settle in. The room was small, quite sparse with two single beds and a handheld shower with no curtain in the tiny bathroom. The sink had no hot water but the shower did. We were set.

  
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After unpacking we ventured out again. We ended up on the south side of Monastriraki Square again but continued on around it. Walked past Hadrian’s Library and across to the Greek Folk Art Museum. While Carole was popping into every little shop along the way, Lee and I ventured down a side street and found a restaurant we thought would be nice for dinner. Carole and LeVerne agreed so the die was cast. Back here for dinner tonight.

    
  
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Meanwhile, we discovered the Athens Happy Train. A sixty-minute ride which would take us by open car past some of the sights we wanted to see and on up to the Acropolis. It was hop on, hop off so that suited us.

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First stop was the Odeon of Herodes Atticus built in AD 161 in memory of his Roman wife. It was originally a steep-sloped theatre with a three-story stone front wall and a wooden roof made of expensive Lebanon cedar. It lasted intact until it was destroyed and left in ruins by the Heruli in AD 267. The audience stands and the orchestra (stage) were restored in the 1950s. It is now used as a venue for music concerts with a capacity of 5,000. It's now the main venue of the Athens Festival, which runs from May through October each year.

      
    
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The Acropolis of Athens is an ancient citadel located on a rocky outcrop above the city of Athens, and contains the remains of several ancient buildings of great architectural and historical significance. It was Pericles (c. 495–429 BC) in the fifth century BC who coordinated the construction of the buildings whose present remains are the site's most important ones.

As we entered the site through the Acropolis Propylaia which has served as a model for many other monumental gate buildings, we got a very nice overview of the Temple of Hephaestus. This well-preserved Greek temple dedicated to Hephaestus remains standing largely intact.

    
  
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Next was the Parthenon, a former temple that was dedicated to the goddess Athena during the fifth century BC. Its decorative sculptures are considered some of the high points of classical Greek art, and a symbol of ancient Greece, democracy and Western civilization. The Parthenon was built in thanksgiving for the Hellenic victory over Persian Empire invaders during the Greco-Persian Wars. Like most Greek temples, the Parthenon also served as the city treasury.

      
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The Erechtheion or Temple of Athena Polias is an ancient Greek Ionic temple on the north side of the Acropolis alongside the Temple of Athena Nike.

      
  
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The remainder of our time on the hill was spent admiring the view of Athens from this high vantage point.

        
      
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After an hour and a half or so, we had covered the site as much as we wanted to. After walking back down the hill to the train stop, it was a half hour wait for the next train.

  
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Once back on, the train pretty much made a bee-line back to the square as it was quickly getting dark. As we crossed the square to walk back to our hotel, we noticed the police setting up crowd control tape on the road alongside the square. Wondering what was going on, we continued towards The Tempi and kept running into knots of police in riot gear and armed soldiers in battle dress. There was an aura of uneasiness on the streets and as far as we could figure, they were preparing for a demonstration in the area later on in the evening.

After a brief stop at the Tempi to freshen up we again ventured out to go back to the restaurant we had located earlier for dinner. On the way we had to walk the 3 blocks to the square, through the square and a block past. The police and military presence had increased and the number of under 30’s milling about had increased dramatically as well. Obviously a fairly substantial demonstration was forming but all we wanted was safe passage to our restaurant of choice.

We finally arrived without incidence, were seated and settled. Dinner was a great experience with everyone having traditional Greek meals, local wine, and Greek beer. We ended dinner with cake and a shooter, both compliments of the house.

      
        
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Meanwhile, we could hear loud voices in the street from time to time and kind of joked about the demonstration spilling down onto our street. It wasn’t so funny when we asked our waiter for our check and he said it would be better for us not to leave the restaurant quite yet. They had also brought their tables and chairs from the sidewalk into the restaurant and shuttered the windows. We couldn’t really tell if there was an issue or not, but decided to heed their advice and stay put for a bit.

After a half hour or so, they opened up the windows and doors again. We paid our bill and left, expecting to see the aftermath of a full-blown riot in the streets and the square. Happy to report that there was no indication something had been going on. The police and military were gone and the crowds were too. We decided to make the 10-minute walk back to the hotel and call it an early night. Made a slight detour into a bakery that was open late.

  
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We shut it down at 7:30 and were in bed by 9:30 after a long and tiring day.