Athens day 2

We had a wonderful day today. First we explored the Acropolis and the Parthenon – it was a bit crowded and a bit disappointing because so much of it is covered with scaffolding for restoration work, but the views were spectacular and the weather was lovely. Our favorite temple was the Erechtheion with the statues of the Caryatids in front. Then we had lunch at a rooftop tavern, and then made a brief visit to the Acropolis Museum (still very much a work in progress). Rebecca steered us to a nearby jewelry shop that turned out to be really fun – the designs were unique and we bought several items. The woman who sold them was the mother of the two jewelry designers, and she took extraordinary care wrapping up our purchases and gave us free sketches depicting the first Olympics in Athens (complete with naked athletes). We then made our way to the National Gardens and explored a bit, and then sat at a café that was clearly a hangout for locals. Rebecca flirted with a two-year-old boy from the table next to us, and the parents ended up inviting us to join them. We felt we’d seen a bit of the real Greece, not just the parts tourists see.