Shaking my head over Boston. Marathon bombing. Chechnya brothers. Shooting MIT security guard. Hiding out, supposedly, in Watertown neighborhood. Is this really happening in my United States? Wow.
Add the explosion in Waco, with little zoning to separate the plant from homes. And flooding in Chicago and Midland.
What's going on since we left?
Every day is precious. Every day we can smile and hug those we love and take a deep breath of fresh air, we rejoice.
So over here, in Athens, where the Parthenon still looks down upon us over breakfast, we are reminded of the passage of time. That she marches forward. We humans are so little. So weak. So unable to stop time. We are not in control.
I know God is. He knows how the story goes, and how it ends. He was there to begin it all. He has a different prespective than we do. Of eternity. Of the invisible. Of the forever.
The Athenians 2,500 years ago would have been thinking Zeus and his daughter Athena were in control. To their gods, they needed to make sacrifices, build enormous temples, live in fear that their worship wasn't worthy.
To God, the sacrifice was made 2,000 years ago, and it is by His grace we are saved. Not the worthiness of our worship.
The life of the eternal.
Okay, to the here and now.
After our breakfast gazing at the Parthenon, reading world news, we embarked on our 4 hour touring. No maps needed. Never had to open up a map once on our walking. Love it.
So freeing.
Still can't read the street signs easily. Have to parse the letters together. Some are in English in the more tourist area. Not all.
Walked through the charming neighborhoods. Marble streets We thought this one was a pedestrian only street, and up comes an SUV. 
Notice two men playing checkers on a tiny table in a tree shaded square.
And a tacky t-shirt. 
Starts with remains from the original buildings on the Acropolis (remember Acropolis is the 'top of the city', the entire flat top of the hill. The Parthenon is one of the buildings. It had / has several temples up there.)
The Acropolis had a pre-Parthenon from 900 BC about. Whatever was there was destroyed in 480 BC, which let them start building the current Parthenon 447 to 438 ish BC. Pericles was the Greek ruler, who got in there and made the Acropolis elegant.
Anyway, this New Museum is a jewel. The exterior entry has a clear floor so you see the ruins unearthed in the construction of the museum.
The freize of the Parade is cool.
Every four years the Athenians would have this huge parade, of athletes, horses, chariots, wise old men, young women, bulls and rams for sacrifice, and just people. Every four years was Athens big Atheletic Games. The Parade ended at the Parthenon, were they presented the 40' Athena statue with a new cloth robe. About 1,000 people in this frieze?
Every four years the Athenians would have this huge parade, of athletes, horses, chariots, wise old men, young women, bulls and rams for sacrifice, and just people. Every four years was Athens big Atheletic Games. The Parade ended at the Parthenon, were they presented the 40' Athena statue with a new cloth robe. About 1,000 people in this frieze?
They named the goddess Athena many things, for the different roles she played. For example, Athena Nike was the Athena goddess who won military battles. Athena Polis was the Athena who ruled Athens. Athena Hygenia (I think) was the Athena who healed the sick. So Greeks understood one god could have many roles. So the idea of God being a trinity might not have been too complicated to understand?
And while you are at it, how about Solomon's Temple, and that Great Wall of China. Now there's a tourist destination...
So lunch. Elegant restaurant here. Do it.
Slow service, I had to politely walk up to a maitre d, ask to be waited on. No worries. Ordered what I thought was a salad (Cretean Chick Peas with Greens) which ended up being a delicious chick peas cooked in white wine sauce with chard, thyme and oregano. A perfect lunch, with my espresso freddo. Mike had a fried phyllo around feta pie (Feta Phyllo pie with Fir Honey) with fir honey and black sesame seeds, and his non-corn syrup coke.
Love the place mat. Those are the Parthenon's columns. You knew that didn't you?
Three depths of conversation. First, shallowest, but necessary to connect is talking about people. How is so-and-so? How are you? Second level is talking about events. What did you do today? What is happening over there? Third level is talking about ideas. What do you think about this? What does he mean when he says da-da-da? What does it mean to you? Why? Where to? What if?
I relish time to sift down to the third level. Feeds the soul. And you have to sift. I just can't dive in.
Theatre of Herodius Atticus. A Roman theatre. It is in ruins, there's been very little attempt to rebuild. Perhaps because it was built by the Romans, not the Greeks? We were up on the slope of the Acropolis Tuesday looking down into this. Now we are in the Elyseium Fields looking up.
Walked the whole circuit around the Acropolis. Through charming non-linear Anafiotiki. With the homes similar to the Cyclades Islands. With cats everywhere. Everywhere.
Here's a sign to the Acropolis, and the pathway. In English, for perhaps it's us English who get lost most often? Today we directed two groups of people to the Acropolis. Scary that we are now telling people where to go. 
Someone's not happy. And they want English-speaking people to know it. 
That's me sitting on our balcony. Right under the backwards 'NN'. You can see me in the reflection of the building opposite's window. I'm next to our ligustrum bush, with my head and shoulders over the balcony bannister. The view is up Leoforos Vasilissis Sofias, the street with all the embassies. Street names are long. Lots of the names are long over here. I'm sitting overlooking the Parliament and their Klept soldiers guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. 
Relaxing this afternoon. Lots going on in the world. Enjoy the coziness of this hotel and our room. Top quality. Good choice. Eating in tonight.
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