Travel – Page 9 – STUDIA PHOTOS

Greece 2019 Part V

Back to the Greek portion of our 2019 holiday where bwe contined walking around the city.

All images are geotagged and hyperlinked to open full screen. To view them on a map, save the image to your hard drive and then download this FREE SOFTWARE. Install and click on the image in the left panel to view in a map as to the location where it was taken. (SAMPLE VIEW)

The Benizelos Mansion, Adrianou, Plaka

The Benizelou Mansion or the House of St Philothei is (surprisingly) the oldest house of Athens. Visitors can see the amazing architectural elements of a typical konaki, or urban noble house, of the 17th century. The museum is based in the heart of the historical centre of Athens. It tells the story of the Benizelou family and St Philothei or Regoula Philothei and describes the habits and the traditions of the Athenian aristocracy before the revolution against the Ottoman Empire in 1821.

Derelict Building, Adrianou, Plaka

Doors, 74th Elementary School of Athens, Adianou, Plaka

Planter, Navarchou Nikodimou, Plaka

Agias Filotheis, Plaka

The dome in the distance is The Metropolitan Church of Athens

Gates, Agias Filotheis, Plaka

Retail Arcade, Agias Filotheis, Plaka

Shop for Religious Items, Cnr Agias Filotheis & Apollonos, Plaka

This area contained several shops that seemed to specialise it selling items for the Greek Orthodox church.

Church of Virgin Mary Gorgoepekoos and Saint Eleutherius, Plateía Mitropóleos, Aérides

Metropolitan Church of Athens Evangelismos Theotokou, Square Mitropoleos, Aérides

Statue of Constantine XI Palaiologos, Square Mitropoleos

Constantine XI Dragases Palaiologos or Dragaš Palaeologus, known in later Greek folklore as the Marble Emperor, was the last Byzantine emperor, reigning from 1449 to his death in battle at the Fall of Constantinople in 1453

Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, Pl Kapnikareas, Politistikó Emporikó Kéntro

Buskers, Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, Pl Kapnikareas, Politistikó Emporikó Kéntro

Retail Arcade, Ermou, Monastiráki

Buskers, Monastiráki Square, Monastiráki

Aiolou 27, Monastiráki

Church of Saint Eirini, Aiolou, Monastiráki

Church of Agia Kyriaki, Athinas, Psyrrí

Fruit & Vege Markets, Armodiou, Psyrri

Derelict Building, Theatrou, Psyrrí

Derelict Building, Cnr Sokratous and Theatrou, Psyrrí

There are many derelict buildings such as theseeverywhere we walked.

Graffitied Shops, Sokratous, Psyrrí

The Karamanlidika of Fanis, Mezetzidiko, Socrates (Restaurant), Sokratous, Psyrrí

Miran Pastourma, Evripidou, Psyrrí

Miran Pastourma is a famed pastourma and sujuk charcuterie business and market in Athens, Greece. The market has been in operation since 1922. It is considered the charcuterie of the connoisseurs.

Fotsi Spices, Evripodou, Psyrrí

Shop Doorway, Evbripidou, Psyrrí

Graffitied Pillars, Cosmote Department Store, Athinas

Hotel Cecil, Athinas, Psyrrí

Trezos Ribbons, Cnr Pallados and Kalamida, Psyrrí

This absolutely disgusting level of graffiti is a commopn sight everywhere we went in Athens

Graffitied Doorway, Athinas 33, Psyrrí

Clothing Retailer, Athinas, Psyrrí

Flea Market, Monastiráki

Monastiráki Square, Monastiráki

From the front of our hotel (360 Degrees Hotel)

The Parthenon, Acropolis

From our table at the rooftop bar 360 Degrees Hotel

Greece 2019 Part IV

A day in Athens to walk around and explore the area.

Mater Terra Shoe Shop, Pandrossou, Athens, Greece

Souvenir Clothing Shops, Pandrossou, Athens, Greece

Flea Market, Pandrossou, Athens, Greece

Entrance to Hellenic Folk Art Exhibition, Pandrossou, Athens, Greece

Romios Tourist Shop, Pandrossou, Athens, Greece

Closed Tourist Shop, Pandrossou, Athens, Greece

Restaurants, Mitropoleos, Athens, Greece

Black Cat, Mitropoleos, Athens, Greece

There is no end of stray cats wandering around all over the place all over Greece!

Shopping Arcade, Pandrossou, Athens, Greece

Doorways, Pandrossou, Athens, Greece

Graffiti, Mnisikleous. Athens, Greece

Graffitied Doorways, Mpenizelou Paleologou, Athens, Greece

Athens is one of the worst places I have ever seen for graffiti…. sadly scenes such as this are absolutley everywhere you look all over the city. There is a definite sense of a lack of civic pride evident.

The Metropolitan Cathedral of the Annunciation, Mitropoleos Square, Athens, Greece

Light Standards, Square Mitropoleos, Athens, Greece

Church of Virgin Mary Gorgoepekoos and Saint Eleutherius, Mitropoleos Square, Athens, Greece

The church is built on top of the ruins of ancient temple dedicated to the goddess Eileithyia which is thought to possibly date to the 9th century.

Templar Cross, Church of Virgin Mary Gorgoepekoos and Saint Eleutherius, Mitropoleos Square, Athens, Greece

There are many wonderful and symbolic carvings in the walls of this church.

Apollonos, Athens, Greece

Gated Doorway, Apollonos, Athens, Greece

Architecture, Apollonos, Athens, Greece

Greece 2019 Part III

The time in Athens continues with the obligatory visit to Ther Parthenon at The Acropolis of Athens, a World Heritage Site.

Greece 2019 Part II

Church of the Pantanassa, Monastiraki Square, Athens, Greece

Flea Market, Normanou, Athens, Greece

Normanou, 5, Athens, Greece

Derelict, Ermou, Athens, Greece

Street Lamp, Agiou Filippou , Athens, Greece

Archaeology, Agiou Filippou, Athens, Greece

Church of the Apostle Phillip, Adrianou, Athens, Greece

Archaeology, Adrianou, Athens, Greece

Adrianou Suites, Kinetou, Athens, Greece

Hotel 360 Degrees, Monastirakiou. Athens, Greece
[Where we stayed in Athens]

Orthodox Priest, Monastiraki Square, Athens, Greece

Tzisdarakis Mosque, Monastiraki Square, Athens, Greece.JPG
[Now the Museum of Greek Folk Art]

The Parthenon, Athens, Greece
[Taken from our hotel]

Tour Bus, Ermou, Athens, Greece

Church of Agia Kyriaki, Athinas, Athens, Greece

Fountain, Kotzia Square, Athinas, Athens, Greece

Statue Of Pericles. Athinas, Athens, Greece

Urban Art, Menandrou, Athens, Greece

Sculpture, Panagi Tsaldari , Athens, Greece

Derelict Building, Kallirrois, Athens, Greece

[Buildings like this were not an uncommon sight in Athens]

Sleeping Dogs, Rovertou Galli, Athens, Greece

Wandering Cat, Acropolis, Athens, Greece

[Cats and dogs wander every where in Greece – not domestic in the main but survive due to locals feeding them]

Odeon of Herodes Atticus, Dionysiou Areopagitou, Athens, Greece

[Located on on the slopes of the Acropolis – built by the Romans in 161 AD]

Gathering Clouds, Terminal Car Park, Piraeus, Greece

Our Bus Caught Fire, Vassilisi Amalias Avenue, Athens, Greece

Greece 2019 Part I

We arrived in Athens at night and went to our hotel (360 Degrees Hotel) which is situated in Monastiraki Square it has a rooftop bar providing a magnificent view of the Acropolis and Parthenon. The hotel features a brilliant retro decor theme.

The Acropolis from the rooftop bar of 360 Degrees Hotel

The Parthenon is a marble temple built between 447 and 432 BC, during the height of the ancient Greek Empire. It was dedicated to the Greek goddess Athenais located atop a compound of temples known as the Acropolis of Athens.

Altar of Aphrodite of Urania

As seen from the rooftop bar. The Altar of Aphrodite is the best preserved monument in the north side of the Agora. It was constructed in the 5th cent. BC, but remained in its place serving the adjacent temple dedicated to the same goddess, which flourished mainly during the Roman period. Most of the altar still survives.

Greek White Wine

Some of the Retro Decor both in our room and the hotel common areas.

Iceland 2019 Part XI

The last of Iceland, next stop – GREECE!

Mountain Landscape, Gjábakkivegur, Laugarvayn, Iceland

Geothermal Activity, Haukadalsvegur, Geysir, Selfoss, Iceland

“Strokkur”, Haukadalsvegur, Geysir, Selfoss, Iceland

Hvítá River, Biskupstungnabraut, Geysir, Iceland (White River)

Old Farm Buildings, Biskupstungnabraut, Geysir, Iceland

Cloud Shrouded Snowcap, Tungufell, Iceland

Snowcapped Mountain Range, Tungufell, Iceland

Gullfoss, Ölfusá River, Tungufell, Iceland

Gullfoss means Golden Falls. It is on the Ölfusá River which is fed from Langjökull Glacier and has a drop of 32 metres in two stages.

Icelandic Countryside Transport, Gullfoss Car Park, Tungufell, Iceland

Vehicles like this are a common sight in Iceland and are needed to negotiate the Icelandic conditions in winter.

Iceland 2019 Part X

We finished our visit to the glacial lagoons and on our last day in Iceland we began with a drive to the Thingvellir National Park, site of the original Icelandic Parliament and also where there is a meeting of the earth’s tectonic plates.

(14 images stitched – Each image is 30,000 x 3,000 pixels – infrared filter applied in 2nd image)

View full size images – Colour – Infrared

Glacial Lagoon, Jökulsárlón, Austurland, Iceland

Breiðamerkursandur, Jökulsárlón, Austurland, Iceland

(Glacial outwash plain – ice floes and icebergs from the nearby glacier can drift through a channel and into the ocean)

Mountain View from Breiðamerkursandur, Jökulsárlón, Austurland, Iceland

Monument aux Morts, Sudurlandsvegur, Kögunarhóll, Iceland

Erected in 2006 The crosses represent the 52 individuals who have lost their lives on the road between Reykjavík and Selfoss since 1972.

(Geothermal activity can be seen in the background)

Panorama, Sudurlandsvegur, Kögunarhóll, Iceland

Snow Capped, Þingvallavegur, Mosfellsbær, Iceland

Misty Panorama, Þingvallavegur, Mosfellsbær, Iceland

Snow Capped behind Thingvellir Tourist Information Centre, Þingvallavegur, Thingvellir, Iceland

Misty Panorama, Thingvellir Tourist Information Centre, Þingvallavegur, Thingvellir, Iceland

Sunrise, Thingvellir Tourist Information Centre, Þingvallavegur, Thingvellir, Iceland

Sunrise, Þingvallavatn, Thingvellir, Iceland

Thingvalla Church & Prime Minister’s Summer Residence, Thingvallir, Selfoss, Iceland

Site of the Icelandic Parliament, Thingvellir National Park, Thingvellir, Selfoss, Iceland

“Þingvellir” means assembly fields and in the year 930 AD, Iceland’s historic democratic parliament – one of the first in the world – was founded here. It was the site of the annual parliament of Iceland from 930AD to 1798AD, when the parliament moved indoors to the Althing in Reykjavik. Most Icelandic people regard Þingvellir as a sacred place, a place of great beauty and an incredible stepping stone in their history. It is also the site of the declaration of Iceland’s peaceful conversion to Christianity in around the year 1000 AD by the great Law Speaker, Þorgeir Ljósvetningagoði Þorkelsson,. A unique compromise was arrived at which made Christianity the official religion of Iceland.

The geological feature behind is the meeting of the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates.

Tectonic Geological Feature, Thingvellir National Park, Thingvellir, Selfoss, Iceland

Þingvallavatn , Thingvellir National Park, Thingvellir, Selfoss, Iceland

Snowcaps, Thingvellir National Park, Thingvellir, Selfoss, Iceland

Reflections, Þingvallavatn, Thingvellir,Selfoss, Iceland

Iceland 2019 Part IX

Continuing the drive Eastward beyond Vik we reached the glacial lake / lagoon Fjallsárlón which is at the south end of the Icelandic glacier Vatnajökull. Fjallsjökull which is part of the bigger glacier reaches down to the water of the lake and some icebergs are drifting by on its surface. We were lucky to be able to take a ride around the lagoon in a rubber Zodiac!

Iceland 2019 Part VIII

Small Waterfall, Highway Ring Road, Kirkjubæjarklaustur, Iceland

View the site on Google Maps!

Iceland 2019 Part VII

Continuing the drive along the coastal road eastward toward the town of Vik and beyond.

Dyrhólaey Lighthouse, Dyrhólaey, Vik, Iceland

Ocean View, Dyrhólaey, Vik, Iceland

Rock Bridge, Dyrhólaey, Vik, Iceland

Panorama, Vík í Mýrdal, Vik, Iceland

Vík í Mýrdal Church, Sunnubraut, Vík í Mýrdal, Vik, Iceland

Hillsides, Sunnubraut, Vík í Mýrdal, Vik, Iceland

Glacier, Þjóðvegur, Vík í Mýrdal, Vik, Suðurland, Iceland

Road Ahead, Þjóðvegur, Vík í Mýrdal, Vik, Suðurland, Iceland

Cloud Shrouded Mountains, Þjóðvegur, Laufskálavarða, Iceland

Road Bridge, Skaftártunguvegur, Katla Geopark, Suðurland, Iceland

Geirlandsvegur, Skaftárhreppur, Iceland

Rock Formation, Geirland, Kirkjubæjarklaustri, Iceland

“Church Floor”, Geirland, Kirkjubæjarklaustur, Iceland

“Church Floor” is a natural pavement of basalt. These are basalt columns in the earth, but only the tops can be seen, and as the name suggests, they have the appearance of a paved church floor. This lava formation has similar origins to the Giant’s Causeway in Ireland.