After breakfast at the hotel we headed to Syntagma Square, where at the Greek Parliament, by the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, the Evzones are standing guard.
Every hour the guards are changed, and every Sunday there is a special Changing of the Guards ceremony involving a marching band.
As 11am approached police officers started getting their whistles out to move people away from the guards so that they are behind the cordon. Then, as crowds started to grow, we heard the sound of the music as the band approached.
After the guards had been swapped over the Greek National Anthem was played before the band marched off, followed by the Evzones soldiers.
We followed them as they marched down the road and then a right turn going behind the Parliament building, before finally turning right again to enter the Parliament grounds through the Presidential Guards entrance.
After the guards had entered the Presidential Guards gate we continued down the road towards the ancient Panathenaic Stadium – passing the Maximos Mansion (the official residence of the Prime Minister of Greece) and the Presidential Mansion next door on the way…these two buildings also guarded by the Evzones soldiers.
I had seen the Evzones last time and photographed one by the tomb – but this the first time I had seen the Changing of the Guards ceremony.
FH