title A Day Trip to Athens and the Olympics - 19th August 2004 intro And why not: on a whim, Nick C from work decides to arrange a day trip to Athens to catch a bit of the 2004 Olympic Games. Leave UK at 11pm Wednesday, get to Athens at 0430 Thursday (3.5hr flight), trundle around town for the day, see some sights, catch some of the games and hang out in tavernas and get an 0530 Friday flight back to the UK. No luggage and no accomodation to worry about makes for a great trip... dcp_7566 On the train into Athens from the airport, at around 0530 dcp_7568 Milling around the square outside the parliament building dcp_7570 Nick finds an open bakery and stocks up on brekkie dcp_7573 Heading up to the Acropolis dcp_7575 dcp_7577 dcp_7581 A semi-feral cat suckles its kittens dcp_7583 the back of the Acropolis in the sunrise dcp_7585 The first glimpse of the Parthenon dcp_7589 There's a little time to kill before the Acropolis complex opens at 0800 dcp_7592 The Theatre of Herod Atticus dcp_7594 dcp_7598 Views from the top dcp_7600 The Propylaia (entrance temple to the Acropolis) dcp_7601 The Parthenon in the early-morning sun dcp_7602 dcp_7604 The Erechtheion dcp_7610 Eastern end of the Parthenon dcp_7611 Nosher and a passing tourist swap photos dcp_7612 dcp_7615 dcp_7617 dcp_7624 A self-timer photo sitting on the wall dcp_7626 dcp_7630 dcp_7638 Later, Nosher wanders down into the ancient Agora, the part of Athens which thrived for several centuries, notably around the second century AD dcp_7641 The remains of an old road dcp_7644 The church of Ayioi Apostoloi, built around 1000AD dcp_7645 A wall painting from within the church dcp_7649 The remains of the Middle Stoa (Stoa is a Greek word for a covered walk or collonade) dcp_7654 The House of Simon. It's true to say it's in better condition than Nosher's own gaff dcp_7657 The Temple of Hephaistos (5th c. BC) dcp_7660 A tortoise crosses the path to Hephaistos for some reason dcp_7666 The Stoa of Attalos (159-138 BC), reconstructed by the American School (1953-1956) dcp_7667 dcp_7668 dcp_7669 An old woman tries to tempt some passing tourists with her lacy wares dcp_7673 dcp_7676 Walking along Mitrop;oleos towards Monstiraki dcp_7678 Some of the shops around Monastiraki dcp_7679 dcp_7680 dcp_7683 Some performers do their thing in the staggering heat dcp_7684 Flag Day dcp_7685 dcp_7686 dcp_7687 dcp_7688 Nosher meets up with Nick for an excellent kebab dcp_7691 Outside the Goudi Olympic Stadium dcp_7693 The Badminton court: the women's singles finals is in full swing dcp_7694 dcp_7695 Outside, some Bulgarians celebrate being there dcp_7697 dcp_7698 The grand entrance to Katehaki underground station dcp_7703 Back in Pantanassa Square, Monastiraki, for a spot of Greek music dcp_7704 An entertaining Mexican group were entertaining the crowds with singing dcp_7708 dcp_7709 dcp_7710 The true Olympic spirit of multiculturalism dcp_7712 More excellent Greek nosh: Nick arrives from the Hockey and joins in with a beer dcp_7713 Later on, Nick goes on a search for yet more food dcp_7716 Nick had cashed in a heap of Air Miles to get us Business-class flights back. One of the perks is access to the comfy, quiet, business Lounges (beats the airport floor any day :-) dcp_7717 The fluffy clouds over London as we land at around 0800 Friday and the end of a superb "day out with a difference"