The Honeymoon : Greece, Part 1

I think that one of the reasons I have taken so long to post the honeymoon photos is that there are 1200 of them to sort through! We spent so much time wandering through Greece and Rome, so many memories are associated with the pictures that I have a hard time sorting through what you all might like to actually see! I was contemplating just having one honeymoon post, but as the Greece post is very clearly going to be two posts, I will not even venture to say how many this could grow to!

Byron surprised me with most of the honeymoon, and as we moved on from one stage to the next it just got that much better. Almost 13 days after the wedding, we took off from Edmonton to Athens, Greece where we stayed two nights before taking our rental car to the little region of Pelion. A not well known, but gorgeous and semi secluded area of Greece. In many ways its a place that time has left partially unchanged. I loved it! We had an apartment for two weeks, the use of the car, and the entire region to explore ...

As a small side note, excuse the photos. Its a miss-mass of iPhone and camera photos.

This was our very first picture in Greece, taken by a street vendor with a Polaroid. He dumps bird feed into your hand and snaps a photo before you realize it is going to cost you 5 euro.

 Our first two days were spent in Athens. Here, we are in the Olympic Gardens, created obviously for the 2004 Summer games. It was a very interesting place to walk through, but had definitely seen better days. Throughout the entire country there certainly was evidences of better days ...

 The gardens bordered the parliament buildings. 

We spent the morning wandering the gardens, parliament buildings, and took the time to watch the changing of the guards at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. A marching band accompanied the regiment in with the Greek National Anthem.

At the Parthenon. Apparently there are a few of these, but this is the Parthenon. We did go inside the gates too. Its quite something being there. These buildings (or ruins) are thousands of years old. Its amazing how small one feels when you are next to something that has seen the rise and fall of empires.

First view of the Acropolis. All I can say is ... amazing. We hiked from here, to the top (and back down around, and under and ... everywhere that day!). The view is breathtaking, you can see almost the entire city of Athens. It was incredibly cool from way up there as we were able to to see the entire modern city but interspersed quite regularly are ancient ruins or still standing antiquities.

Taking a picture from the top of the amphitheatre below.

The Parthenon in the Acropolis. Its been under major construction for years. I was a little disappointed I have to admit. Seeing such an old building with modern construction materials and scaffolding surrounding it, detracting from the effect a little.

I found him up there all alone, so took him home :)

This was from the back side, we hiked down again.

Why yes, we were a little sun burnt and windblown. Why do you ask?

Finally moving out of Athens and onto Pelion! We really realized just how much of city people we are not on the honeymoon. It was so nice to get out of the hustle and bustle (and worrying that there would be riots and demonstrations while we were there) of Athens and into the almost forgotten region of Pelion. Such a different pace of life. This was the sign on the beach we went to frequently. Still not sure what it says, but I am really hoping it was`t a no trespassing sign :)

The view from our front porch.

One of our little day excursions was taking this cute little train from sea level up into the mountains. It used to be a mining train, but has since been turned into a tourist thing. It was the rattliest little engine, but the views were gorgeous, and the little town it took us to, absolutely spectacular. We had seen quite a few mountain villages by this time, but this one was really quite unique. It almost felt like something out of a fairy tale. The train takes you to the village and then parks for three hours and let you wander about, which of course we did.

The final bridge before the village. For the life of me I cannot remember what it was called.

Views from the train ...

This is the view of Afissos, about 3 km from our place. We walked here a few times for the beach and dinner. I think you might have as well :)

Literally, this is the end of the line. The major highway on Pelion ends at this village, in this parking lot. From here, you have to walk in. The village is so old that cars are either not allowed, or just will not fit in the narrow streets!

I have so many more photos to share and will get to them soon!