The Acropolis – Greg and Mandy's Travels

Zeus was such a blockhead. You know – one slice short of a loaf, his elevator didn’t go to the top – you get the idea.

Zeus wanted to marry Hera, goddess of marriage and childbirth, and incidentally his sister, but Hera was wise to him. He’d had a child with Demeter. There were rumours of many other affairs with goddesses, Titans, and even mortals. Hera was not going to be another conquest.

But one night at dinner he told a particularly funny joke – something about a donkey, a god, and a Cyclops walking into a temple – and Hera couldn’t help laughing. She had tears in her eyes and couldn’t breathe. She gazed across the table and met Zeus’s gaze a moment too long. Eventually Zeus tricked her into marrying him, something about a dove cooing we’re told, and thereafter Hera spent her time making life miserable for her husband’s subsequent conquests.

Yes he was strong, and yes he was virile, but nobody wanted a god like that to protect their city.

The two Gods who offered themselves to the people of this region were Athena and Poseidon. Zeus, who was between conquests that weekend, decided that they should both make an offering to the people, who would choose the victor. Poseidon offered a gift of water, and Athena offered a gift of olive trees. The city decided that olive trees would give them food, oil and firewood, a better deal all around, and proclaimed Athena their patron.

The city was named Athens, and huge quantities of olive trees planted. However, that left two pretty pissed off Gods. So the people erected the Temple of Zeus on the highest hill near the Temple of Athena. That squared him away, but Poseidon is still seeking his revenge till this day, and periodically sends droughts upon the city.

We did a three hour walking tour with Vasilis during the morning, visiting but not entering most of the main sites. Saw the Acropolis, the Parthenon, the Temple of Zeus, the 1896 Olympic Stadium, the 1896 Olympic Village catering for all the 350 athletes who participated, the Botanic Gardens, Parliament, Prime Minister’s residence, and the tomb of the unknown soldier with the ceremonial changing of the guard, which is a huge improvement over London’s paltry effort. In London they use horses, but in Athens they make the guards walk like horses, which has just the right mixture of pomp and entertainment.

Shopping and washing in the afternoon in anticipation of a big few days once Brendan and Rachel join us tonight, then a twilight walk to the Acropolis Museum to view the Parthenon from the balcony as the sun set.

Finally, the kids joined us, though they were pretty tired and jet lagged after a day in the air.