I should start by saying at this point, all of this is just a distant memory. Immediately after braving the bitter, dark winter in Helsinki for a week, I journeyed to Athens, Greece where I met the rest of my family. The photos taken help jog specific memories of the trip, so this post will serve as a bank for memories saved for about 2 years.
I remember arriving late in the afternoon and having my first impressions of the city at sunset.
The city is surrounded by hills or mountains or something… This isn’t a memory, it is a description of the images above.
One thing I do vividly remmeber is the Acropolis perched on a hill in what seemed to be the center of the city. The Acropolis was literally unavoidable. It seemed no matter where we went, we ended up at the base of the hill.
This part is confusing for me, because I honestly cannot differentiate between the ruins… This city is full of remarkable sites of architectural and/or archeological significance and is a case study in historic preservation (good or bad)…
Basically what I’m saying is everything has columns and ruins are everywhere.
I never really understood why architects insist that young architects must see the ancient masterpieces. What can be learned by seeing these things in person that is unlearnable via looking at pictures? (That is a somewhat rhetorical question, I’m sure you can always learn something. The bigger question is, is it actually worth the trip?)
In my mind, better and more significant than these areas of historical significance is the city itself. The memories that have stuck with me still are not of architecture of civilizations past, but of the places people live today.
As a whole, the city is rather picturesque.
Lots of stray cats…
But it seemed if you could get over how dirty a city can be, and how many stray animals there were, and how many restaurants had barker staff physically pulling you into their restaurants… I would go so far as to say Athens was rather Romantic.
I’m not sure if I enjoyed the trip as much as I remember enjoying the trip. But, it is a happy memory now.
Does that even make sense? What the hell is going on here?
Eh… whatever. It isn’t like anyone reads this far through the posts anyway. Especially not when you post three times a year…
OH! 
Love it!
Just like I felt the cold and oppressive darkness in the Finland pictures, I feel the warmth and expansive light in your Athens pictures. Thanks for sharing the moment. It felt good to warm up.
Hasn’t the Texas summer been hot enough for you Gaylen? Hahah But you’re right, its amazing how a camera can capture temperature and feeling so effortlessly.