Very
near the Panathenaic Stadium is the Greek Parliament building which houses the
Grave of the Unknown Soldier in front of it. An honor guard of two Evzone (elite infantry
unit of the Greek army), now the Presidential Guard, stand watch over the
tomb. Their ceremonial uniform dates
back to Kephts who fought the Ottoman Turks.
Their uniform includes a fustanella, a kilt-like garment with 400 pleats
representing the 400 years of Ottoman Turk occupation, white shirts with wide
sleeves, a waist coat, white stockings, and red clogs with black pompoms. They carry an M-1 Garand with a bayonet. During the ceremonial changing of the guard
they move slowly with high goose steps. Very impressive to watch the precision
and how they can keep their balance when they stop with one leg vertical at
waist height.
Honor
Guard at the Greek Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
Changing
of the Guard
Our hotel was
very near the Roman Forum of Athens which contained one wall of Hadrian’s Library,
the Tower of the Winds to honor the wind gods, and many remains of other
buildings.
The
remains of the Roman Forum of Athens
A
remaining wall of the Library of Roman Emperor Hadrian
Sights we observed while walking around Athens
Athens
with Mars Hill in the foreground
A neighborhood and
street between our hotel and the Acropolis
Olive
Trees
Ancient
Byzantine Church in an Athens square
A young street musician
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