R. Doug Wicker's Blog, page 119

54 Days at Sea — National Archaeological Museum, Athens Part 1

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National Archaeological Museum, Athens

Well, everyone, I’m going on cruise control for the next two weeks and taking the easy way out. I just got back from a month out of the country, and I desperately need a rest. So, for the next two weeks I’m going to take you on a relatively text-free tour of the magnificent National Archaeological Museum of Athens.

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National Archaeological Museum, Athens

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National Archaeological Museum, Athens

As you can see, even the exterior of the museum is quite the si...

Fun Photo Friday — 54 Days at Sea, Acropolis Part 2

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Porch of the Caryatids

Ancient ruins just seem to look best in black and white. As such, today’s Fun Photo Friday look at the Acropolis will emphasis that look.

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Acropolis Silhouette

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Athens Blue

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Ancient Greek Masonry

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Ancient Window to Modern Greece

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Columns and Clouds

For some tips on getting the most out of converting color photographs to B&W, see:

Black & White Photography—It’s All in the Color!

More Fun with Color Filtering for Black & White Photography

Black & White Filtering After th...

54 Days at Sea — Emphasis an Acropolis architectural details

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Erechtheion

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Ionic column

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Erechtheion

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Acropolis

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Ionic columns at the Erechtheion

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Odeon of Herodes Atticus

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Parthenon

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Ionic columns

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Parthenon

54 Days at Sea — Meandering around the Acropolis

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Parthenon

Last Monday and Wednesday I gave a rather extensive overview of the Acropolis and some of the more important or impressive structures located there. This week we’ll just meander around, culminating in some more favorite images on Fun Photo Friday.

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Athens from Above

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Hadrian’s Arch

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View from Acropolis

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Erechtheion

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View from Acropolis

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Temple of Zeus

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Rooftop Living

Fun Photo Friday — 54 Days at Sea, Acropolis Part 1

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Adam-12, Greek-style

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Erechtheion

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Temple of Hephaestos

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Hadrian’s Arch and Temple of Zeus

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Acropolis Tourists take a break

54 Days at Sea — The Parthenon, Erechtheion, and other stuff

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Athens as seen from the Acropolis

If you look east southeast from the Acropolis you will see a crowded Athens neighborhood. But look closely, at the clearing below. The columns there are the remnants of the Temple of Zeus, and at the edge of that clearing closest to the Acropolis is the Hadrian’s Arch:

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Athens neighborhood with Hadrian’s Arch and the Temple of Zeus

Construction of the Temple of Zeus began some time in the 6th century B.C., but the project was abandoned around 510 B.C. It would...

54 Days at Sea — Reaching the Acropolis of Athens

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The Propylaea

By early afternoon we were back in back in Athens from our trip to Sounion and the Temple of Poseidon, and soon we were atop the hill that is home to the Acropolis of Athens. And just as the Temple of Poseidon would not exist without Pericles, the same is true of the most monumental buildings located here. This includes the Propylaea of Athenian Acropolis.

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Pedestal of Agrippa (left) and the Propylaea

A propylaea serves as a monumental gateway, and the Propylaea here is certainly...

Fun Photo Friday — 54 Days at Sea; Sounion and the Temple of Poseidon

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Temple of Poseidon Beneath an Aegean Blue Sky

Time for a last look at the Temple of Poseidon before moving on to Athens and the Acropolis:

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Altocumulus over Attica

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Column framed by Columns

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Poseidon Straight-On

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Sentries Throughout the Centuries

54 Days at Sea — Sounion, Greece back in 440 B.C.

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Aptly named Capo Colonne (Venetian) “The Cape of Columns”

On April 26 M.S. Prinsendam made port of Pireaus, Greece, which serves as the port for nearby Athens. The city of Pireaus lies some 5.3 miles/8.5 kilometers west southwest of Athens, and 29 miles/46.4 kilometers northwest of Cape Sounion, at the tip of the Attic Peninsula. Driving distance, however, runs about 42 miles/68 kilometers, and takes about an hour and a half.

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Sounion, Greece

From the parking lot you still have a 760-foot/230-...

54 Days at Sea — Wandering around Cape Sounion

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Temple of Poseidon

Ursula and I found ourselves on this little excursion because of a couple of good friends whom we met aboard M.S. Prinsendam. Marilyn Anderson, the Taco Bell Queen of Farmington, New Mexico, and her mother Margaret. When we weren’t sightseeing together, we were playing bridge or sharing a table in the main dining room aboard M.S. Prinsendam. You meet some really neat people aboard these cruises, and if you’re lucky you make some lifelong friends as well.

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Marilyn Anderson (r...