Sounion, Monastiraki, Mt. Lycabettus

Sometimes, I really think the best days are the ones that leave you gloriously exhausted but content at the end of them... like today! We got up super early (as in I hit the shower at 6:50 AM, guh) so we could catch the 8:30 AM bus to Sounion. The trip took two hours, but it was the coastal route and utterly gorgeous. We were at the Temple of Poseidon by 10:45, and spent some time wandering around the site. Then we (well, mostly Kristin and I, poor Stephen!) decided to go exploring, and we wound up trekking aaaaall the way down the cliff to play in the Aegean Sea! Stephen decided to stay higher up (afraid of heights, boo), but Kristin and I had a fantastic time wading in little tide pools and making friends with snails and tiny shrimp. They'd come up to nibble on our toes in the water, which would make us shriek but giggle and do it anyway; Stephen probably thought we were being attacked, LOL. We caught the 1 PM bus back to Athens, and I completely PTFO, but when we got back, we got lunch across from the National Museum of Archaeology and then headed to Monastiraki to do some souvenir shopping. We finally got back to our hostel around 6, but only relaxed for an hour or so before heading to Mt. Lycabettus to watch the sun set! The funicular ride was pretty lame because it was in a tunnel the entire way, but the view? Worth it! I brought some of the fresh cherries I'd bought in Monastiraki (only 1.99 euro/kilo!), and journaled while eating cherries at the top of Mt. Lycabettus. Amazing. We left around 9, so it was past 10 by the time we picked up dinner (most amazing gyros ever! Our goal is to have them everyday while we're here, haha) and brought it back to the hostel. Anyway, the plan for tomorrow is to sleep in a bit (by which I mean 8:30 instead of 7, oy), go to the new Acropolis museum, and then go to the BEACH! I am so ready to be lying out on the Grecian coast, haha. I can't believe tomorrow is my last full day in Europe, but here's to making the most of it!