Athens

The Waltz/Tο Bαλς

“The Waltz’ -Digital Collage By Angela Zafiris

This is a photograph that I took of a large statue of people dancing in downtown Athens on Panepistimiou (University) Street. I was in a hurry so I didn’t get closer to the statue to get more details about it, but I am assuming that they are people dancing. I decided to change it up a bit since it has probably been photographed hundreds of times. I decided to make it into a digital photography collage. The background is a collage that I made with red and gold acrylics with letters of the alphabet glued on it. I scanned the background collage to the computer and then I added a new layer an ancient Greek text that I found on-line and that I enlarged. I changed the coloured photograph into a black and white photograph and then I made the contrast of the image a lot darker to pop out against the background.

Urban Athens/Aστική Αθήνα

A juxtatposition of the old and the new

Some might say ‘ewww’ when they see this, but I find it fascinating.

Art is everywhere. Artwork on a wall of a building.

Graffiti on the wall of an old movie theatre

The greatest movie theater in the world!

Signs/Tαμπέλες

A Sign to… go to Church

A sign to…Dance

‘Gratitude is the SIGN of noble souls’. – AESOP

‘Η ευγνωμοσύνη είναι σημάδι των τιμιων ψυχων‘· –Αίσωπος

Ancient Agora/Aρχαία Αγορά

Ancient Agora

The Entrance Lined With Statues

Two Young Boys

Facing The Sun

Close-up of Young Boy

Nemesis. Doesn’t look like a Nemesis to me!

Probably a philosopher. He has that look in his eye ‘I am wiser than you!’

Ancient Rock Star? No, it’s Alexander the Great. Same thing.

Flowers and Archways/Λουλούδια και Αψίδες

Lantana Camara Orange flowers

Calendula Asteraceae flower

Door frame at the Agora

Archway at the Agora

View of Acropolis/Θéa της Aκρόπολης

View of the Acropolis from the Agora below

The Acropolis from Below

A model of how the Acropolis looked like in ancient times.

A model of the ancient city

View of the Temple Of Hephaestus within the Agora

“A great city, whose image dwells in the memory of man, is the type of some great idea. Rome represents conquest; faith hovers over the towers of Jerusalem; and Athens embodies the pre-eminent quality of the antique world, Art.” Benjamin Disraeli

A great city, whose image dwells in the memory of man, is the type of some great idea. Rome represents conquest; Faith hovers over the towers of Jerusalem; and Athens embodies the pre-eminent quality of the antique world, Art.
Benjamin Disraeli
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/athens.html#16IqoH5oQQjzJexM.99

Athens Street Photos/Δρομοι Της Αθηνας

It was a beautiful and sunny day in downtown Athens. And of course , like the tourist that I am, I had to take photographs of the unique little streets of Athens.

Ηταν μια πολυ ωραια και ηλιολουστη μερα στο κεντρο της Αθηνας. Εννοειται οτι επρεπε, σαν μια τουριστρια, να φωτογραφησω τα γραφικα σοκακια της Αθηνας.

Plug It In!

Bustling Side Street

Move That Car!

Now This Is Inspiring!

Hmmm that bread looks yummy!

Helmuts? No! This Is Athens

Old Parliament Building/Παλιά Βουλή

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Last Saturday I ventured downtown to get a few art supplies at an art and hobby store. As I was walking down Stadiou St. I noticed the old parliament building. In the past I have stood in front of it to take pictures of the statue of Greek General Theodoros Kolokotronis who is depicted riding a horse . I had never been inside the building, but that day something came over me and I decided to follow the group of people that were heading into the building. There was no entrance fee or anything and I was free to wander everywhere. The building was built in 1875 with plans by French architect Francois Boulanger and with foundations that were layed by Queen Amalia of Bavarian origin. After the Greek war of independence Greece had a monarchy for a short time that began in the late 19th century.The building has ceased to be used as a parliament building in 1932. The current parliament building is located at Syntagma square.

The parliament building is now the National Historical Museum. When I walked in I was awe-struck by the amount of historical artifacts that are displayed in the old building, from the conquest of Constantinople by the Ottoman Turks in 1453 to the Second World War. Also, there are costumes and works of art from drawings to paintings and statues from different time periods and many weapons that were used during the many wars that Greece participated in.

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 Peisistratos. It 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.”