Sunday 13 May Athens day four

Revisited the Acropolis in the morning, and were taken aback by the difference in the number of people that were there - our first experience of thronging hordes of tourists. We joined the throng and had a quick scuttle around, checked out the bits we missed the first time, recognised our fortune at having the place virtually to ourselves for our first visit, and then made our way over to the ancient agora, or marketplace, on the far side. This is where Socrates came to address his followers, and St Paul came to preach christianity to the heathen Greeks. There is a big museum there that the Americans completely restored in the 1950s - a beautiful two story building with rows of columns supporting a marble promenade - apparently it was a shopping mall for the elite Athenians back then. Everywhere you look there are fragments of statues and sculpture that have been recovered from the vicinity. 

Back to our favourite taverna for more souvlaki, then home for a siesta. Next stop the Temple of Olympic Zeus - arrived there as the guard closed the gates for the day. “But it is only 2.43, and the sign says 2.45”, we protested (we had been told the day before that it was open until 7pm). But no. Ah well, next time round ...  so we went to the National Archaeological Museum instead. Wow. This is a country that has real history. In spades. There was a temporary exhibition showcasing the finds from the Antikythera shipwreck - google the Antikythera mechanism and be amazed. The statues that had been recovered were awesomely gruesome, with a sharp contrast between the parts that were covered up by sand on the seabed, and remained smooth marble, and the bits exposed to the corrosive influence of the sea. One in particular caught my eye, for its majesty and imposing bearing - I took some photos, then checked the sign and was delighted to find that it was a representation of one of my personal heroes, Odysseus.

Athens is a city of contrasts. Two stand out - ideologically, the contrast between the heroism and pomp of ancient days, and the hustle and bustle of a modern city (and the beggars - why are so many of the beggars in Athens hideously burned?). Practically, the contrast between the fantastic public transport system - clean, efficient, ad timely tram, metro and bus networks that put London and New York to shame (from my own and Jeremy’s extensive (not!) worldly experience), and the shambolic , heavily graffitied, and wildly complicated labyrinth of buildings. 

I love Athens. I will be back. Hope it doesn’t take another 43 years.

Kids with Acropolis - templeof Athena Nike at right

Stage support at Theatre of Dionysus

Thronging hordes of tourists making their way up to the Acropolis

Food shopping in Athens

Kia practising ballet on our 4th floor balcony

Now that's what I call an entrance! The National Archaeological Museum

Romy and Zeus

Antikythera boy - guess which half was buried in the seabed.

Odysseus - corroded but still impressive

One for Jojo - can you imagine Bobby putting up with a bit like this?

One for Mira - look, they played that funny game where you hit people with hooky type sticks

Bronze jockey statue

Bored youths indulging in a dog/cat matchup