Athens

We had an easy morning where we slept in and had breakfast at the hotel. My mom’s leg has been hurting her the last day or so, but it appears to be a new ailment and not really sure why. It has spasmed a few times during the night in Delphi.

So we wanted to conserve energy as the only thing we had booked was the Acropolis and corresponding museum today. Justin suggested she skip the Acropolis which was out of the question for my mother - she always wants to see famous sites no matter the cost.

Like I mentioned, the tour was originally booked for morning and shifted to the afternoon. We took advantage of the free time by walking about 4 minutes away to Clever Wash to have our laundry done for 7€ per load, compared to the hotel’s 20€.

Then we took an Uber / city taxi to the tour meeting spot which was like our Vatican tour where groups meet near the site and we retrieve our audio guides and tour leader.

Our tour guide, Angel, who clearly had showmanship, guided us up a steep hill for less than 5 minutes and you could start to see the famous Acropolis hill:



The first site we visited was Dionysus Theater, where all the famous ancient dramas and tragedies were first performed. There were about 67 rows accommodating 17,000 people. The back rows were taken, but the theater is still well-preserved. Above is where they used to place the tripod - the “Oscar” of their time to honor the best show of the season:



Then we walked over to the stunning Odeon of Herodes Atticus, which was built in memory of his wife. It’s unclear whether he actually murdered his wife, but it’s in such good condition that it’s still used today for performances including Coldplay, Andrea Boccelli, and others.







We learned about the sanctuary of the healing god Asclepius, where folks came to an early version of a hospital.



Angel explained the handles used to move the stones and then were polished off to smooth out the stone. But due to time and resources, some were not…



Then at the entrance of the Acropolis plateau is the Propylaea, the monumental gateway where we entered and exited:











Next to the gateway is Temple of Nike, goddess of victory and the best friend of Athena. Angel called it the “baby temple”:







Our guide noted this is probably technically the most important structure as it housed a golden statue of Athena. It’s called the Erechtheion Temple or Temple of Athena Polias with its famous Porch of the Maidens or Caryatids which originally had 6 sculpted female figures:





But clearly the iconic structure is the Parthenon which is a symbol of ancient Greece, Western civilization, and democracy.

Built in the 5th century BC to celebrate the Greek victory over the Persian invaders during the Greco-Persian Wars. It was later used as a Christian church dedicated to the Virgin Mary and a mosque. In the Morean War, a conflict between the Ottomans and Venice, a Venetian bomb landed on the Parthenon. Since 1975, numerous large-scale restoration projects have been undertaken to preserve remaining artifacts and ensure its structural integrity.

The weather was beautiful and there was a nice breeze on the hill. Sometimes it was hard to take photos because it was so sunny, but we did our best to soak in the experience:















There is an inner structure with the famous frieze - here we could see a portion:



Angel explained to manage the drainage, they even had a gutter shaped like a lion spouting water:



The crowds were totally manageable as it’s just the start of the tourist season after Easter. Here’s Mama Kim with a little Greek pride:



From the Acropolis, you can see the rock where a bunch of people were climbing. It’s called Areopagus Hill where St. Paul preached:



You can also see the Agora and the Temple of Hephaestus:



A view of southern Athens including the only skyscraper that has been permitted, but is still not completed. I’m pretty sure we passed by it on our drive yesterday to the Temple of Poseidon:



We saw some animals on the hill, such as this magpie and tortoise:





Then we transitioned to the museum which was built over ruins where the people lived around the hill:



Inside were models of the Acropolis and its structures:



The Dionysus theater:



As Athena is the Goddess of Wisdom, there are many images of owls:



At the Temple of Athena, they replaced the Caryatids or the Maidens as they would blacken due to the air pollution. Using a laser technology similar to the one used for tattoo removals, they restored them and placed them here in the museum. It took 5 years to clean them and Mama Kim pondered whether they should be enclosed. One is missing as it sits in the British Museum along with the rest of the controversial Elgin’s Marbles:







Here’s a hologram of the Statue of Athena that most likely was melted for its gold:





On the third and last floor, you get a view of the Acropolis:



They also showcased originals and replicas of the pediments, the panels of the outer structure, and the inner frieze:











We then headed to the Plaka neighborhood, a pedestrian area that reminds you of quaint island villages…





There are touristy tavernas all over and hopping squares. We ended up at Taverna Byzantino where we shared garlic bread, saganaki, octopus salad, and a fried fish platter:



I enjoyed a chocolate ice cream as we walked through the neighborhood and headed back to the hotel. I conked out because we did a lot and it was even more successful as Mama Kim said her legs didn’t hurt. I did have to convince her to bring both hiking poles which I think made a big difference!