5 Bratton White Horse

When I first read about the chalk horses scattered around Great Britain, I was of course, intrigued. I can't remember where I first heard about them; perhaps Atlas Obscura (a collection of some of the world's greatest and most fascinating wonders- I found The Garden of Cosmic Speculation on there!) but I'm not certain.

I digress, though. The Bratton White Horse, also known as the Westbury White Horse, is located in the Salisbury Plain. I found the approximate location in our English Heritage guide and it was mostly on the route between Salisbury and Avebury, so Paul wasn't too annoyed by my fascination with this particular weird and wonderful (he's not as keen on jumping at any festival or strange site).
But anyway. Chalk horses and other hill figures have a murky and vague history; some are prehistoric and others are quite modern, but done in a sort of homage or re-creation of the older ones.  The usual method is to cut away the top soil and expose the chalk layer, which requires maintenance over time.
As for the Bratton Horse specifically, he was excavated and restored in the 18th century. The current shape has been altered from the ancient form, even turned to face the opposite direction, and was just restored again a few years ago.

We didn't walk over to the figure due to time, but the view we got wasn't too bad, I think!

0 Greece: Athens (ancient )

Large clay silos used in Byzantine times for storing cereals, found in...

the ruins of an old Roman bath.  This bath was discovered and excavated when a ventilation shaft for the Metro was being dug.  Needless to say, the ventilation shaft was moved.

Pieces of history in the National Gardens.

Pillar bases found in...

the Southeastern Exedra of the Library of Hadrian.

I'm not entirely sure what this tower is; I was fairly caught up with the dog sleeping near it.

Detail of above tower.

The Athens Gate, or the Arch of Hadrian.   The northwest side, facing the Acropolis, is inscribed "This is Athens, the ancient city of Theseus", while the southeast side, facing the Temple of Zeus/Olympeion reads "This is the city of Hadrian, and not of Theseus."

The upper portion (attic) represents Greece with its Corinthian columns...

while the lower portion represents Rome, as a traditional triumphal arch.

These four images show remnants of antiquity near the Amphiteatre of Dionysus.

These excavations are in front of and under the New Acropolis Museum.  The museum was built with a clear floor so visitors can see the excavations take place.

We walked over to and took the tram up Mount Lycabettus, the highest point in modern Athens.  When the Parthenon was built, this lay outside of the city walls, therefore the Acropolis was the highest point in antiquity.

These are the views from the top.   The Panathenaic Stadium.

The Acropolis.

The Olympeion, or Temple of Zeus.

0 Greece: Panathenaic Stadium

Paul wanted to be sure to see the Panathenaic Stadium, also known as the first modern Olympic Stadium, as the Olympic Games of 1896 were held here.  It was built on the site of the stadium built in the 4th century BC, which hosted athletic competitions for centuries.  It is also the only stadium to be made entirely of marble.

These steps were steep- and no rails!!

The royal boxes after 1908, in the middle of one arm of the horseshoe.

Seats engraved with the names of de Coubertin, who organized the first modern Olympic Games and the IOC of 1894, and Brundage, who paid for a substantial amount of the stadium.

VIP seats in the arc of the horseshoe.

The gate to the vaulted passage through which the athletes entered the stadium.  In ancient times, there was a custom for young unmarried girls to light a bonfire and perform special rituals in order to guarantee getting a good, wealthy, handsome husband within the year.  This ritual ended with them dancing naked around the fire, guarded by old women at the entrances to the passageway.

The royal boxes of 1896, at the center of the horseshoe.

View from the royal boxes of 1896.  Note the schoolchildren playing- can you imagine having Field Day in this stadium?!?!?!

Note the 1908 royal boxes in the center.

The horseshoe design was first developed when the ancient stadium was reconditioned between 144 and 140 BC.  The rows of spectator seats were added at this time as well. 

One side of the Two-Headed Hermes.  This one is the young athlete, who looks towards the spectators.

The other side of the Two-Headed Hermes.  This side depicts an old man, looking out across the field. 

The Olympic rings!

View from the top!

From halfway up the stands.  I just wanted to show the Acropolis in the distance.

ATLANTA 1996!!!!  Whoo-hoo!!!

Paul's a winner!!

I'm a winner, too!

0 Greece: Temples of Zeus and Hephaestus

 The Temple of Zeus, or the Olympeion, was built between the 6th century BC and 2nd century BC, but was never completed. Despite this, and being ransacked for stones by other building projects, it remains a popular ancient ruin site in central Athens.

This is the view from our hotel balcony.  Not so bad, huh?? 

Also from our balcony.  The traffic noise on the street wasn't pleasant, but the view was worth it!

The Agora of Athens, as seen from the Acropolis.

The Temple of Hephaestus, as seen from the Acropolis.

Some marble somethings at the Agora.

Detail of the opisthodomos' (inner border) friezes at the Temple of Hephaestus.  They depict the Centauromachy, the battle between the Centaurs and the Lapiths.

The pronaos (outer border) has friezes depicting the battle between Theseus and the Pallantides.

Side note: Hephaestus is my favorite god.  I don't know if it's the double underdog status, due to his being crippled and being cuckolded on a regular basis, or if it's just cause he wasn't a flashy, nosy, busybody god like the others and he just went about his smithy business, but he's long been my favorite.  On that note, I can tell you first hand that it's not easy to find pottery at the tourist shops that has Hephaestus on it!   Athena was, of course, popular, and Zeus and Poseidon (no Hades, though!), then Apollo and Artemis, etc.  But very few Hephaestus. 

Some statues from the Agora.