Friday, September 22, 2006

...and upward we shall go...


On our way to Turkiye, we had a short stopover in Athens. At the airport in Rome Salik turned to me and said, "I say we have to check out the Acropolis in Athens" -- "you're serious?" -- "yes! come on, it'll be great!". So with that enthusiasm, how could I refuse to see one of the most famous buildings in all of history? On the plane I asked the lady sitting beside me if this was a plausible idea, and she told me that if we got a cab we could do it...

...So the second we landed, we went straight out to the cabs, cut a deal with a cabby who drove us to the Acropolis, waited over an hour there, and drove us back -- showing us sites along the way!

I spotted a church on our way there that seemed as though it may have once been a masjid because it had what looked distinctly like a minaret that was topped with a cross when it was transformed into a church -- likely after the end of Ottoman rule...but that is just my theory...see for yourself...

...and then when we got to the Acropolis, we looked at one another..."and upward we shall go...again!" A long climb later, having avoided dog after dog for fear of our wudu and our lives, we made to the top of the Acropolis! Again, how amazing it is to stand in a place that one has seen so many a time in textbooks, movies, photos...



...tired, dehydrated, and sun-burned...we made our way all the way down and to the airport to head to Turkiye!

NOTE: All images on this blog are copyrighted and cannot be used without the express permission of Salikah Al-Tariq. All rights reserved.

3 comments:

  1. Anonymous11:03 AM

    Great photos :) And what a good idea to make the quick journey to see the wonders of the ancient world. May Allah guide your going and your safe return.

    Ya Haqq!

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  2. Really liked the photos :-) Felt like I was there.

    Just wanted to wish you a blessed Ramadan :-)

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  3. Irving: Thank you...yes, it was well worth the exhausting hike up!

    M. Shahin: Shukran, it's so hard to capture the awe of the moment, but I loved taking photos of these beautiful sites and I'm happy people enjoy seeing them.

    Ramadan Kareem to all.

    Wassalam,
    Salikah

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