You Can''t Get There From Here.

Well, we're sitting in our room on the ship -- the Windstar, in case you want to Google it -- waiting to sail for the Island of Milos. It's a very large sailboat (holds roughly 120 passengers), so it is NOT one of the typical cruise ships. I've never wanted to take a cruise, but I think this is the way to see the Greek Islands.

We were originally supposed to go to Mykonos, but the Captain looked at the weather and decided it was too windy and rough. From my quick study, it appears Milos is a beautiful island and not at all a disappointing plan B.

Recapping the day, we had a nice breakfast at the hotel before heading to the Acropolis. The map of Athens covers most of the city, so the area in Plaka (the region we were staying, and where most everything ancient is) has very tiny, unreadable streets and names on the map. So, in general you travel by striking out in the direction you know you need to be, and hopefully finding it.

I know what you are thinking -- Glen, the Acropolis is a big hill in the center of Athens, with the Parthenon, etc. on it. Hard to miss. True -- but it's also hard to know exactly where the entrance is, or, with some of the buildings, if you are truly going in the right direction. Well, we found it with little trouble, and entered.

It's a good hike up to the top, but you pass the Theater of Dionysus on the way up, as well as many other sites. Upon reaching the summit, there are a number of temples to pass through and by -- the Propylaea, the Temple of Nike (and you thought that was in Oregon), the Parthenon, and the Erechtheion (say that five times fast). It's all pretty amazing.

We were up there by 8:45 or so, and glad of it -- because by 10am when we wandered out, the crowds had grown. There was an invasion of French tour groups.

This shouldn't be shocking, but the Acropolis is really cool. It was fun just wandering around the history. Being up on the hill and looking all around Athens -- seeing down to the Aegean Sea, for instance, and we were able to spot our hotel. It's the kind of place where you could (if it was a little cooler) just kinda hang and contemplate for the day. I felt like Socrates -- or at least So-crates (hat tip to Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure). It was warm but not stifling hot, and in the shade Athens was comfortable. The breeze on top of the Hill also was cooling, not hot.

While the view is different, and the history is different, it reminded me a bit of Masada. High above anywhere else.

Afterwards, we walked down to the rocky hill where Paul had preached, and then to the Agora.

(Gotta run for the lifesaving drill on the boat -- will post some pictures and some riffs when I can -- possibly tonight or more likely tomorrow.)