Athens

We stopped in Pireaus, the port city that serves Athens. We walked from the ship past the cruise terminal and hired a taxi. He took us to sites inaccessible by bus, was expert at avoiding the parts of the city affected by the wildcat strikes, and spoke English. In addition, the taxi for the half-day, was significantly less expensive than if we (two people) had chosen the bus tour from the ship. (Theodore Panagogiannoloulos, Facebook)

The Acropolis is the site of the Parthenon (at the summit).

The Parthenon is one of the most famous sights in the world. Built in 438BC, it is rivaled only by the Egyptian pyramids in its importance.

One of the day's highlights was the changing of the guard at the Parliament building. If you watch CNN, you have seen this building, as the city's frequent protests (and less frequent riots) are usually in front.

We visited a panoramic viewpoint of the city. It was another experience that would have been impossible in a tour bus because of the very narrow winding access. The Acropolis is visible in the background (mouse click on photo).

We had lunch in Pireaus at a harbor front restaurant recommended by our taxi driver. The restaurant was called Four Brothers. The view was nice, but after dark, I would guess that the view was gorgeous, but we had to be back on board by 6PM. We were served a traditional platter of Greek seafood.

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