Athens: City of Ruins

Next stop was Greece for a conference. Despite the days being packed with talks, we still managed to find time to duck out and see the city. Of all the places I visited this trip I think Athens had the worst rep, but I actually really enjoyed the city despite the mid-30 degree temperatures and the smog. There was no signs of any rioting while I was there, although the metro was shut down by a general strike for a few days.

One of the best things about Athens was that there were so many interesting things to see just walking around the city. Sure, we've all heard of the Acropolis, but there were many impressive ruins that were marked with little more than a plaque. Even the metro stations had impressive artifacts that were dug up when the metro was created.

Here are some pics of the sights that we saw while wandering around the city:

A random church in the middle of Plaka.

Ruins from a library

A water clock

Grapes!

Parthenon

View of Athens from the Acropolis

Another highlight was a day trip to Delphi. It was here that powerful rulers and commoners alike would come to consult the oracles for guidance. The countryside was gorgeous and the accompanying museum had some great stuff. It was a good day out and I think we had as much fun as a busload of particle physicists could. Thanks to my office mate Satoko for the pics!