This is from Matt Barretts Athens guide web site. This is from an AMERICAN. If you are traveling here, it is a must to go through..... He fell in love with the city, and it certainly shows.


Please visit his site:

www.athensguide.com


And now, for some great pics of ATHENS:

http://www.athensguide.com/acropolis/018acropolis.jpg

http://www.athensguide.com/acropolis/008acropolis.jpg

http://www.athensguide.com/acropolis/007acropolis.jpg

http://www.athensguide.com/acropolis/009acropolis.jpg

http://www.athensguide.com/acropolis/020acropolis.jpg

http://www.athensguide.com/acropolis/021acropolis.jpg

http://www.athensguide.com/acropolis/001acropolis.jpg

http://www.athensguide.com/acropolis/003acropolis.jpg

http://www.athensguide.com/acropolis/004acropolis.jpg

http://www.athensguide.com/acropolis/002acropolis.jpg

http://www.athensguide.com/acropolis/023acropolis.jpg

http://www.athensguide.com/acropolis/025acropolis.jpg

http://www.athensguide.com/acropolis/030acropolis.jpg

http://www.athensguide.com/acropolis/024acropolis.jpg

http://www.athensguide.com/acropolis/028acropolis.jpg

http://www.athensguide.com/acropolis/029acropolis.jpg

http://www.athensguide.com/acropolis/026acropolis.jpg


http://www.athensguide.com/acropolis/031acropolis.jpg

http://www.athensguide.com/acropolis/035acropolis.jpg

http://www.athensguide.com/acropolis/039acropolis.jpg

http://www.athensguide.com/acropolis/034acropolis.jpg

http://www.athensguide.com/acropolis/038acropolis.jpg

http://www.athensguide.com/acropolis/033acropolis.jpg

http://www.athensguide.com/acropolis/046acropolis.jpg

http://www.athensguide.com/acropolis/041acropolis.jpg

http://www.athensguide.com/acropolis/037acropolis.jpg

http://www.athensguide.com/acropolis/044acropolis.jpg

http://www.athensguide.com/acropolis/043acropolis.jpg

http://www.athensguide.com/acropolis/045acropolis.jpg

http://www.athensguide.com/acropolis/055acropolis.jpg

http://www.athensguide.com/acropolis/048acropolis.jpg

http://www.athensguide.com/acropolis/047bacropolis.jpg

http://www.athensguide.com/acropolis/047acropolis.jpg

http://www.athensguide.com/acropolis/055aacropolis.jpg

Some more photos from Lykavittos Hill:


http://www.athensguide.com/lykavittos/10.JPG

http://www.athensguide.com/lykavittos/03.JPG

http://www.athensguide.com/lykavittos/04.JPG

http://www.athensguide.com/lykavittos/06.JPG

http://www.athensguide.com/lykavittos/05.JPG

http://www.athensguide.com/lykavittos/09.JPG

http://www.athensguide.com/lykavittos/08.JPG

http://www.athensguide.com/lykavittos/02.JPG

Some more random photos he has:


http://www.athensguide.com/best/rooftopbar.jpg

http://www.athensguide.com/best/building.jpg

http://www.athensguide.com/best/beach.jpg

http://www.athensguide.com/best/swim.jpg

http://www.athensguide.com/best/lunchwithview.jpg

http://www.athensguide.com/best/ferry-highspeed.jpg

http://www.athensguide.com/best/church.jpg

http://www.athensguide.com/best/governmentbuilding.jpg

http://www.athensguide.com/best/metrostation.jpg

http://www.athensguide.com/best/museum.jpg

http://www.athensguide.com/best/restaurantinpsiri.jpg

http://www.athensguide.com/best/sculpture.jpg

http://www.athensguide.com/best/sportingevent.jpg

http://www.athensguide.com/best/stadium.jpg

http://www.athensguide.com/best/stoa.jpg

http://www.athensguide.com/best/taxidriver.jpg

http://www.athensguide.com/best/street.jpg

http://www.athensguide.com/best/building-modern.jpg



Who says Athens is not great? :cheers:

Christos! Amazing pics re!

Why dont you post them at the Athens vs. Istanbul topic so we can show those kolo-tourkoi a thing or two!

Simply stunning man!

Xasegla! I cant believe we r arguing that istanbul may be better than Athens. Istanbul is a dump!

^
Istanbul is not a dump.

@Christos

Woooow
Christos, these pictures are wonderful :okay:

Christos! Amazing pics re!

Why dont you post them at the Athens vs. Istanbul topic so we can show those kolo-tourkoi a thing or two!

Simply stunning man!

What does kolo tourkoi mean? Can you explain please!

btw I accept it as an insult for Istanbul to be even compared with Athens.

There is really no contest!

- Alan, bu dallamaların değişeceğini sanıp resimlerini övüyorsan boşuna çabalıyorsun bana kalırsa. Kompleksliler her zaman kompleksli kalacaklar malesef!..

Biliyorum ama resimler hakikaten guzel. Istanbul icin yazilanlari yeni farkettim. Ama Chistos iyi bi cocuk.

Xasegla! I cant believe we r arguing that istanbul may be better than Athens. Istanbul is a dump!


You know you guys show some realy ignorance sometimes.... what the fuck is your problem? You like to be loud and insult people at every turn even when it makes you look very foolish?


It's getting very old guys.

You know you guys show some realy ignorance sometimes.... what the fuck is your problem? You like to be loud and insult people at every turn even when it makes you look very foolish?


It's getting very old guys.

pesta re Hristo common guys Christos is right we should respect the others es well

Now, back to the TOPIC. (what these forums should be about!!)


Here are some more pics from Matt's site, his collection of Olympic/Olympic time pictures!


http://greecetravel.com/2004olympics/photoalbum/diafora/01a.jpg

Syntagma Square re-opened a week or so before the Olympics with new fountains, waterfalls, cafes and plants and became a popular hangout for Athenians and visitors. The metro system made it easy to get to the stadiums. The mural on the building in this photo is a scene inside the Syntagma metro station.

http://greecetravel.com/2004olympics/photoalbum/diafora/02.jpg

The Grande Bretagne at Syntagma Square was closed for a year and rennovated for the Olympics. Next door, the King George which had been derelict since the bank scandals twenty years before, was rebuilt in a year. Many old hotels re-opened and almost every hotel underwent some kind of rennovations.

http://greecetravel.com/2004olympics/photoalbum/diafora/01c.jpg

People were intrigued by the giant 'Glass Man' who used to be in Omonia Square but is now in front of the Hilton. For me he is sort of a symbol of how fast they pulled everything together at the last minute. Everyday they were opening a new highway, square, pedestrian street, metro station, stadium and even a light-rail system.

http://greecetravel.com/2004olympics/photoalbum/diafora/01d.jpg

The Zappion building was the center for the press but I think they spent more time at the games and in the tavernas than here. Right next door was the Holland House where many of the Dutch fans would hang out every night, drink Heineken and talk about the games. It became so popular that after a while you had to be from the Netherlands or a guest of someone Dutch to get in.

http://greecetravel.com/2004olympics/photoalbum/diafora/02c.jpg

The day the men had their race through the streets of Athens it must have been 110f with about 90% humidity. The next day when the women rode it was clear, windy and beautiful. The best way to watch this sport was to wander around downtown until you came to a baracade and then ask someone how long since they had passed. It took about 15 minutes to do the course. You knew when they were coming because first you would see a couple police motorcycles, then a couple official Olympic cars, then you would hear the helicopter and then the bikes would appear. After the bikes came several dozen cars (every one a Hyundai) each with the name of a country and a bicycle or two on the roof. The best way to watch the finish was to go back to the hotel and see it on TV. In this photo they have just passed the Parliment building. Lycavettus Hill is in the background, which they have just come down. From there they will go around the Acropolis and up Athinas street.

http://greecetravel.com/2004olympics/photoalbum/diafora/03.jpg

http://greecetravel.com/2004olympics/photoalbum/diafora/04.jpg

The Plaka was full of people but nobody bought anything except official Olympic items and food.

http://greecetravel.com/2004olympics/photoalbum/diafora/05.jpg

They lost the money that was supposed to rennovate the square at Monastiraki but they did manage to plant these amazing metal trees from outerspace that sprayed icy-cold mist on hot pedestrians

http://greecetravel.com/2004olympics/photoalbum/diafora/09.jpg

Even though they did not manage to rennovate Monastiraki Square it was still a popular hangout for the young during the Olympics since it was located right between Plaka and Psiri. This photo was taken at about 7pm. At night you had to push your way through the crowds. They did restore the Monastiraki metro station though. After the first week the square became a flea-market for tickets as people became desperate to buy and sell. That is the Acropolis in the background which did not manage to lose the scaffolding. They did however add a lift for wheelchairs and people who are unable to walk up the steps.

http://greecetravel.com/2004olympics/photoalbum/diafora/09b.jpg.jpg

http://greecetravel.com/2004olympics/photoalbum/diafora/12b.jpg

People did the normal tourist things between Olympic events like go to the tomb of the unknown soldier and watch the Evzones do their thing. One US sportswriter made disparaging remarks about them, implying that they were wimpy because they wore dresses. Actually they are called foustenellas, and were worn by the revolutionaries who liberated the country from the Turks. The humor was juvenile, and evidence of why many people believe that Olympics are cultural events and beyond the scope of your everyday sportswriter.

(check hot mrs. hot stuff :cheers: )

http://greecetravel.com/2004olympics/photoalbum/diafora/12b.jpg.jpg

http://greecetravel.com/2004olympics/photoalbum/diafora/13.jpg


http://greecetravel.com/2004olympics/photoalbum/diafora/22.jpg

There was a rumor that all the famous street dogs of Athens were taken away and killed and I even got e-mails from people who were boycotting the Olympics because of this. But there were still dogs around and after the Olympics ended more of them started reappearing like they were returning from a holiday in the country. Only they had been spayed or nuetered courtesy of the municipality. The image many people have of these dogs is inaccurate. For the most part they are gentle, well-fed and sociable and have been adopted by the neighborhoods that they themselves have adopted.

http://greecetravel.com/2004olympics/photoalbum/diafora/26.jpg.jpg

By the second week the square at Monastiraki had become a ticket-market.

http://greecetravel.com/2004olympics/photoalbum/diafora/31a.jpg

One of the most remarkable things was the effect that public transport and the special Olympic lanes had on traffic. There was none. Here my brother David looks up Herod Atticus Street in disbelief. Athens without cars is one of the most beautiful cities in the world.

http://greecetravel.com/2004olympics/photoalbum/diafora/31.jpg

There was a time when all you could find at a kiosk were Greek flags. But during the Olympics you could find just about any flag you wanted at this kiosk on Athinas Street.

http://greecetravel.com/2004olympics/photoalbum/diafora/34.jpg

Many VIPs stayed on cruiseships in Pireaus. They were surrounded by floating rubber barriers to keep terrorists out and the harbor was patroled by Navy Seals, above and below the water. They said security was tight but we had no trouble getting on our ferry to Sifnos when we needed a couple days break from the Olympics.

http://greecetravel.com/2004olympics/photoalbum/diafora/36.jpg

Greek navy seals patrol the harbor of Pireaus. Though security was heavy it was not intrusive. Around Athens there were soldiers and police with machine guns but they seemed so relaxed that they did not seem threatening to visitors, even those from countries where armed men on the street are never seen. Most of the security was undercover. The result was that the subject of terrorism which was on everyone's minds before the Olympics was rarely thought about during the Olympics except by those whose job was to deter it.

http://greecetravel.com/2004olympics/photoalbum/diafora/37.jpg

On the islands people were just as interested in the games. I found them more fun to watch on Sifnos, maybe because the islands are more relaxing. Even the ferries were showing the games. The Highspeed to Sifnos must have had twenty televisions and everyone was watching the weightlifters during the 2 hour journey from Athens.

http://greecetravel.com/2004olympics/photoalbum/diafora/38.jpg

Christos, who works with George the Famous Taxi Driver, bought a TV for his Mercedes so he and his passengers could watch the games.

(that can't be safe :D lol)


http://greecetravel.com/2004olympics/photoalbum/diafora/36b.JPG

Some civil-rights activists tried to keep the blimp with its all-seeing cameras and all-hearing microphones out of the sky, but in the end it flew almost every day. It became a sort of weather-vane. If the blimp was flying there was no wind. There were actually two of them and they were still flying after the games had ended. Despite spending 1.2 billion dollars on security the dire predictions of the media came true, proving that all the safeguards in the world won't stop a determined terrorist, when a defrocked Irish priest in a kilt attacked the leading runner in the marathon, perhaps costing him the race. Even the blimp failed to spot him.


http://greecetravel.com/2004olympics/photoalbum/diafora/39.jpg

The Scotia Pipers were staying at the Hotel Attalos and let me take this photo while they were waiting to be picked up to perform at the Olympic Stadium. I told them I would give them free publicity so visit their website at www.scotiapipers.co.uk


http://greecetravel.com/2004olympics/photoalbum/diafora/46b.jpg

When the games ended Athens went back to normal. That does not mean the restaurants were empty. This photo is taken at around 7pm, way too early for Greeks to eat. But I had a sort of sadness as the city emptied of visitors because I knew this would never happen again. I would not be walking down the street and see groups of Brazilians dressed in yellow, Lithuanians in emerald green, Canadians in red (at Starbucks) or people from different countries proudly wearing their flags. At the same time I felt lucky because I knew that the Athens lifestyle that these visitors got to experience for themselves, the tavernas, cafes, late night dinner conversations and the excitement of this ancient yet modern city would still be here. For many people who came for the Olympics Athens will just be a fond memory of a very special time. For me, and the Athenians who know how great Athens can be and were here when she showed the world, we can take comfort that tonight in Psiri or the Plaka it may not be the Olympics but it is still Athens and still fun.


http://greecetravel.com/2004olympics/photoalbum/diafora/47.jpg

And last but not least, the man responsible for cleaning Athens! lol.... :jk:

More pics:


http://greecetravel.com/2004olympics/photoalbum/diafora/14.jpg

The giant arched walkway was designed by Spanish architect Alberto Calatrava, as was the roof on the Olympic Stadium.

http://greecetravel.com/2004olympics/photoalbum/diafora/02b.jpg

The pools and walkways at the main Olympic complex were pretty spectacular and if you blur your eyes a little it almost looks like this fellow is laying out on a beach on the islands.


http://greecetravel.com/2004olympics/photoalbum/diafora/15.jpg

http://greecetravel.com/2004olympics/photoalbum/diafora/16.jpg

This is the Olympic flame from outside the main stadium. Obviously it looks more impressve at night and the stadium looks more impressive from inside, but this was the best I could do.


Baseball

http://greecetravel.com/2004olympics/photoalbum/baseball/baseball.jpg

The baseball stadiums were at what used to be the runway of the old airport and the US airbase in Helenikon. To get there we took the metro to Agios Dimitrios and then got on a bus to the entrance to the complex. There were several venues here including softball, field hockey, basketball and fencing.

http://greecetravel.com/2004olympics/photoalbum/baseball/baseball40a.jpg

Japan jumped on former big leaguer Mike Johnson pretty early and took a lot of the suspense out of the game. Catcher Kenji Jojima homered in the first inning and doubled twice and had four RBIs. Kosuke Fukudome, Shinya Miyamoto and Kazuhiro Wada also had two hits apiece.

http://greecetravel.com/2004olympics/photoalbum/baseball/baseball26.jpg

I used to play baseball just beyond those buildings on the fields at the US Airbase when I was in highschool. That is Mount Hymettus.



http://greecetravel.com/2004olympics/photoalbum/baseball/baseball13.jpg

Baseball is the perfect sport for Greece. Lots of strategy and hardly any rainouts.

http://greecetravel.com/2004olympics/photoalbum/baseball/baseball32b.jpg

After their close game with Cuba they lost to Taiwan 7 to one and then played Australia. Greece took and early 4 to nothing lead and it looked like they were finally going to win a game.

http://greecetravel.com/2004olympics/photoalbum/baseball/baseball12.jpg

Sometimes the Greek names barely fit on the backs of the shirts.

(lol....)


http://greecetravel.com/2004olympics/photoalbum/baseball/baseball25b.jpg

The Greek fans were terrific. At first they cheered at everything but after a few innings they got it and knew what was good.


http://greecetravel.com/2004olympics/photoalbum/baseball/baseball44.jpg

I wasn't the only American cheering for the Cubans. Hopefully John Ashcroft won't be looking at my website anytime soon or she and I may be getting a free trip to Cuba: Guantanimo Bay. One of the high points of the game was when the Australian Women's Softball team, all wearing their silver medals, came to cheer on the guys.

http://greecetravel.com/2004olympics/photoalbum/baseball/baseball47.jpg

Reliever Danny Betancourt came on to face Dave Nilsson, and the best Australian player in major league history just missed a three-run homer on the second pitch. Center fielder Carlos Tabares made the catch on the edge of the warning track, though, and Betancourt retired Williams and Brendan Kingman to end the game.


Basketball

http://greecetravel.com/2004olympics/photoalbum/basketball/01.jpg

It was pretty amazing seeing these players that I had watched in college, like Duncan, Stephan Marbury, Alan Iverson, and even Carlos Boozer from Duke, take the court and do their warmups. Even Roy Williams, the coach of my hometown UNC Tarheels was on the bench next to head coach Larry Brown. The place was rockin with a handful of American fans trying to yell louder than the Greek fans who outnumbered them a hundred to one.


http://greecetravel.com/2004olympics/photoalbum/basketball/01a.jpg

Amarandi was wearing her Greek soccer shirt but when everyone began booing the US team she felt sorry for them and declared she was rooting for them. My brother told her that she did not need to pity them because they were all multi-millionaires, but I could tell the real reason was that she had a crush on Alan Iverson.


http://greecetravel.com/2004olympics/photoalbum/basketball/03.jpg

Still I had to root for the team of my favorite city and I was disappointed when they lost 77-71. The Greek team missed some critical shots at the end and the USA played some great defense but it was still a very close game.. At this point few people picked the USA for the Gold. Most people believed the Lithuanians would win it all


http://greecetravel.com/2004olympics/photoalbum/basketball/18.jpg

We had a couple hours so we wandered around the Olympic complex. We came back to a packed stadium. See if you can find the American.

http://greecetravel.com/2004olympics/photoalbum/basketball/12.jpg

http://greecetravel.com/2004olympics/photoalbum/basketball/17.jpg

(wooooowwww :) )

http://greecetravel.com/2004olympics/photoalbum/basketball/33.jpg

http://greecetravel.com/2004olympics/photoalbum/basketball/34.jpg

The Lithuanians were the most colorful and interesting fans. They had songs and cheers and routines and were almost as entertaining as the game. They look sort of worried here though.

http://greecetravel.com/2004olympics/photoalbum/basketball/35.jpg

Sitting in the Lithuanian section was the most exciting place to be, at least for the first half. Seeing how great their fans were made me want to go to Lithuania.

http://greecetravel.com/2004olympics/photoalbum/basketball/36.jpg

After losing a 10 point lead Italy took a time-out. Lithuania was leading 74-73, then added another three-pointer to pad the margin to 77-73....

Great photos Christos. Put them on the Turkish forum so those idiot trolls Lombak and Istanbullu can see the REAL Athens.

Again!?!?!?!


Who cares about the TURKS. WHO THE HELL CARES!!!


Just enjoy the photos!!

Really guys, cut the crap and listen to Christos...speak for your selves and do NOT discredit the rest of us. Some of you have done a greta job in this forum, really great. Just remember that this is NOT a political forum, this is NOT competition. It is an opportunity to SHOW WHAT OUR COUNTRY IS ABOUT, TO SHOW WHO WE ARE. NOT TO SHOW SOME PEOPLES COMPLEXES. BE CIVILIZED, and when you speak of other nations speak for YOUR selves. Other than that all of you have done a great work in these threads to promote our land. Lets keep it that way!

Awsome pictures! Awsome Athens! :okay: