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Athens: Day 3

November 21, 2014

It was written on one of those websites that one must visit the Agora to get a look and feel of Athens. Then you could go on from there.

We totally disregarded this idea.


Upon leaving our apartment in Monastiraki on the third day, the first thing we did was visit the Athens Flea Market. It was such a treat to wander the shop-lined roads and purchase a few knickknacks here and there. Being a football fan, I got a Hellas football jersey for myself. Dad bought himself a Hellas cycling shirt as well.







After shopping, one can even take a meal in one of the many restaurants located in the side streets of the flea market, which is exactly what we did.





After, we [finally] went to the ancient Agora. It is definitely something not to be missed; it's just so overwhelmingly beautiful. What used to be a place where Athenians mingled and met is now a tourist haven. Thankfully, we visited Greece in November which meant that there weren't many tourists to share these sights with. 









I think the agora perfectly encapsulates ancient Greece: overflowing with history, magnificent in its own right, and without a doubt the place to be.


Atop the agora artfully stands the Temple of Hephaestus, which kind of looks like a crowning jewel of the agora to me. It is nearly impossible not to go up and take a closer look, just as we did. Boy, am I glad that we did so. Not only is it well-preserved (it looks almost untouched), but it gives the most outstanding view of the agora and the Parthenon. I took quite a long time just gawking at how magical the structure was.











After our jaunt to the agora, we went journeyed back to our apartment (but not without taking a stroll along Ermou). We packed our bags, took the train to the airport, and jet off to our next destination: Santorini!