I will be on a writing retreat in Greece for the next two weeks, so my posts will be intermittent and with a Greek background.   I hope you enjoy the journey with me.

We arrived in Athens yesterday morning, and made our way to the Metro and then to Monistiraki Station.  I am still getting used to the Greek signage, and was a challenge to figure out which stations we were passing, but a young woman on her way to work was very helpful.

Once in the station, it was easy to find  the exit for Athenas street and our hotel, which is in the middle of a vegetable and fruit (and olive!) market.  We spent the afternoon exploring the neighborhood which has been built up over the centuries amidst ancient ruins. Hadrian’s library, Ancient Agora, a Roman Forum, a modern flea market, and a Byzantine church are all within a few blocks.  A hearty late lunch in a busy taverna gave us the energy to continue in our wandering a few hours longer.

Our hotel is modern with tiny rooms, but the rooftop views are worth any money. At 6:00 pm the rooftop bar opened, so my traveling companion and I enjoyed a picnic dinner of taverna leftovers and fresh olives on the roof washed down by by G & Ts and Oozo. The view of the Acropolis as the sun set behind us was spectacular. I didn’t capture the vibrant yellows and oranges of the light as it caught the thousands of windows of the nearby houses, but I’ll see if I can do better tomorrow.

I’d love to know who’ll be following me on this journey, and who has been to Greece and has any memories to share.  Please use the comment feature to join in on this conversation.