Month: November 2012

National Park of Athens/Εθνικός Κήπος

One of the most beautiful places to visit in Athens is the National Garden of Athens (Ethnikos Kipos). After visiting the park recently I decided to do some research and I found out some interesting facts about this enchanting place. The parks’ original name was ‘The Royal Garden’ . It was designed by Queen Amalia (Greece had a monarchy at the time) and constructed in 1836 by the  architect to the royals Friedrich von Gaertner .  There is a small zoo containing different species of birds and a duck pond.  Also, there is a closed off section with Roman baths and pieces of Adrians’ wall.  Another remnant of antiquity is the canal that dates back to the time of the Greek tyrant PeisistratosIt surprised me when I discovered that American writer and painter Henry Miller  visited the park in the 1930’s and wrote that “It remains in my memory like no other park I have known. It is the quintessence of a park, the thing one feels sometimes in looking at a canvas or dreaming of a place one would like to be in and never finds.”

The bust of the first president of Greece Ioannis Kapodistrias

Crossing the Bridge

Roman Letters

50 shades of Green

I’m not your stepping stone..

Business Meeting..

He loves me he loves me not..

Birds lining up..

No balloon buyers today..

Athens Classical Marathon/Κλασικος Μαραθωνιος Αθηνων

After years of violent protests it was wonderful to finally witness something completely different and positive.  Greek spirits were lifted- at least for the day.

The Athens Classical Marathon took place on a warm and sunny day on November 11th. A record number of  marathon runners, over 26, 000, participated in the event.  There were many people who flew in from all over the world to take part in the marathon. The winner of the 30th anniversary of the marathon was Raymond Kimutai Bett from Kenya.

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