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Greece is a maritime kind of place, and the Temple of Poseidon at Cape Sounion is one of the best examples of their enduring devotion to Poseidon, god of the sea. Built around the 440s BCE, the temple is of Doric order and only 15 of the original 42 columns stand today. As is the norm in Greek temples, a huge cult statue of Poseidon would sit in the naos (the worship area), where his gold-leafed, bronze-hearted self would chill. 

On the road to Cape Sounion, where Greeks buy snazzy vacation property
The ruins of the temple are nice, but the best part about it is really the setting. The drive from Athens to Sounio–if you take the scenic route, along the water–takes about 45 minutes or so. From the temple, located on the southernmost tip of the Attika peninsula, the views of the water are grand.
Lately(especially after my trip to Scotland) I’ve been realizing that, despite my desire to be a writer, some things just cannot be explained, especially certain levels of beauty, which is such a subjective thing anyway. So, as a picture is worth a thousand words, check out the photos I took on our little trip to Sounion. Hopefully they will suffice. 

The view’s not too shabby, eh?

Weeeee!

Supposedly Lord Byron, on his first Grand Tour to Greece, inscribed his name on the bottom of one of these columns. There’s not much evidence that it’s his real signature or anything, but it’s cool to know that these places really inspired incredible writers and legends like him. 
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