![Near Monastiraki Square Roman ruins, Acropolis in background](pix/2009/img_9768.jpg)
![Hadrian's Library, south wall stone wall & stunted tree](pix/2009/img_9748.jpg)
![Same wall with choo-choo Tourist street train in front of ancient stone wall](pix/2009/img_9755.jpg)
![subterranean display at metro station Miscellaneous stone blocks at the bottom of a shallow shaft](pix/2009/img_9766.jpg)
![Monastiraki Square plaza with tourists, performers, and a church](pix/2009/img_9874.jpg)
My base neighborhood of Monastiraki nestles
under the north side of the Acropolis. It
has several ancient sites, including Hadrian's Library
and the Roman
Forum, seen here at night. It also hosts a colorful plaza outside the
neighborhood metro station. Both plaza and station sit amidst plenty of
historical relics.
A viewing shaft in the plaza looks down on miscellaneous stuff that I
cannot identify, but there must be a reason for displaying it.
![Nikis Street Street sign: Odos Nikis](pix/2009/img_9792.jpg)
Nikis Street
Odos = street
(Exodos = exit)
![Authentic crass commercial sign](pix/2009/img_9785.jpg)
Authentic. Yeah. Right
Most of modern Athens seems to be rather unattractive high-rise
apartment blocks. And of course big-budget shopping dominates the
downtown area.
![defaulttitle defaultalt](pix/2009/img_9800.jpg)
![defaulttitle defaultalt](pix/2009/img_9799.jpg)
![defaulttitle defaultalt](pix/2009/img_9782.jpg)
Athens is chock
full of brown stone churches, all this same style. At least one of them
appears to run SAP.
Plaka - an attractive neighborhood
under the southeast side of the Acropolis.
![defaulttitle defaultalt](pix/2009/img_9815.jpg)
![defaulttitle defaultalt](pix/2009/img_9819.jpg)
![defaulttitle defaultalt](pix/2009/img_9843.jpg)
![The universal urban bird pigeons](pix/2009/img_9863.jpg)
Taverna Akropol -
The sign is in Latin letters, a kindness to passing tourists.
Contents Copyright 2012 Jeff Bulf