Unforgettable Postcards from Athens

view from the balcony

in the apartment

the best gyros from Quick Pitta

this little guy is the pet of one of the kiosk owners - how funny!

morning coffee on the balcony

selfies in the park

catchin' the sunlight

while they all catch the sunset from Mars Hill, we enjoy the last of our time in Greece

view from the rooftop garden restaurant

Nicely Done, Gentlemen!

We like to walk past the PM's residence on our way to where the action is,
and then this happened...

very sharp, indeed!

Changing of the Guard

at the Plaza in front of the Parliament Building and the tomb of the unknown soldier

The Changing of the Guard at the Parliament Building at Syntagma Square in Athens is a fun bit of pageantry worth watching if you find yourself in the area at 11am each morning. The "big" show is on Sundays at 11, when more guards participate and the ceremony is more complex. While not as dramatic as that "other" Changing of the Guard in London, England, it's fun to watch the synchronized movements of the costumed guards. They are carefully selected for the honor of participating, and most of them are very tall, averaging over 6'3". The uniforms of the evzones recall different areas and eras in Greek history, with the pleated kilt or fustanella and pom-pom decorated footwear catching the most attention. The kilt may stretch back four thousand years into ancient Minoan times, when the kilt was the common clothing item of Cretan men, usually enhanced with a large dagger stuck into the waistband. ~source

Εύζωνες

The Evzones, or Evzoni (Greek: Εύζωνες, Εύζωνοι), is the name of several historical elite light infantry and mountain units of the Greek Army. Today, it refers to the members of the Presidential Guard (Greek: Προεδρική Φρουρά), an elite ceremonial unit that guards the Greek Tomb of the Unknown Soldier (Greek: Μνημείο του Άγνωστου Στρατιώτη), the Presidential Mansion (Greek: Προεδρικό Μέγαρο) and the gate of Evzones camp in Athens.

The Evzones are also known, colloquially, as Tsoliades (Greek: Τσολιάδες; singular: Τσολιάς - Tsolias). Though the Presidential Guard is a predominantly ceremonial unit, all Evzones are volunteers drawn from the Hellenic Army's Infantry, Artillery and Armoured Corps. Prospective Evzones are usually identified at the Army Recruit Training Centres during Basic Training; there is a minimum height requirement of 1.86 m (6' 1.2") to join.

 The unit is famous around the world for its unique traditional uniform, which has evolved from the clothes worn by the klephts[1] who fought the Ottoman occupation of Greece. The most visible item of this uniform is the fustanella, a kilt-like garment. Their proven valour and peculiar dress turned them into a popular image for the Greek soldier, ~wiki