Athens, Greece
Athens, Greece was the second of three stops on my fall break trip. I didn’t get to spend much time there, but regardless, it was a great city to get to experience. My favorite part was probably getting to see the Parthenon, which is obviously a must-see when you visit Athens.
One of the first stops on our tour of Athens was the parliament building. Lots of people ask me if I ever felt unsafe while I was in Greece, and the answer is definitely no. The only thing that was maybe a bit “usual” is that there were buses of police officers that had big plexiglass shields waiting near the parliament building. They were likely just waiting for a riot to break out, and nothing happened while I was there.
The second stop on our tour was the National Gardens of Athens. It was a very pretty spot, and had a even few animals (sort of petting zoo-style) like goat, ducks and bunnies. Originally, the gardens contained many different types of plants and animals, but the man who designed the gardens didn’t take into account the climate of Athens, so they didn’t survive.
Kendahl, Carly and I.
After visiting the National Gardens, we made our way to the Olympic Stadium. On our walk over there was a man who was following our group, trying to pick-pocket us. He was being very obvious, so we all were extra aware of our belongings. But, just a reminder to always be cautious, especially if you have a backpack!
Our next stop, which you must-do while in Athens, was the Temple of Zeus and Acropolis. Entrance was free for me because I was a study abroad student. I had to show my Italian Student ID (and maybe my Passport – I can’t remember). It is so hard to wrap your mind around the fact that these buildings were built in 400 and 500 BC!
The rest of my time in Athens was spent walking around exploring and shopping. There is also a Starbucks in Athens, which was a nice sight since there aren’t any in Italy. I may or may not have gotten 3 pumpkin spice lattes during my short visit! Another thing that was a very fun experience was getting a fish pedicure with my friend Carly. If you ever have the opportunity to do this, you should definitely try it!
Hope you enjoyed seeing a little bit of Athens!
About the Author
Rachel Budke Rachel is a senior at Kansas State University, where she is studying Bakery Science. In the fall of 2013 she studied abroad in Florence, Italy. She loves cooking, photography and DIY projects.
