Athens: The Acropolis and The National Museum of Archaeology

Wednesday June 13

It was another scorching day! We have really had incredible weather: much hotter than the average June and up in the low 30s most days. We finally braved the Acropolis. We had watched the crowds crawling over the site from our hotel and were really nervous about the visit. Also, we had been warned the footing, marble tiles, was really slippy! We were lucky. We assume that because it was Wednesday, not the weekend, and not in the “season” the crowds, although plentiful, were less. No long waits for tickets or to climb the steps.  Signage was reasonable. 

The knowledge that we were visiting a place that was settled by humans as far back as 5000 BC blows the mind into a million stars! I can’t begin to do justice to the site here, at this time, so….I will simply say that it is an amazing feeling. That said, unfortunately, although we didn’t experience high crowd levels, there are still tons and tons of people, and sometimes this reduces the effect simply because there is so much busyness around you. At least for me. It is also impossible to take everything in and although the sense of “meaningfulness” fills you, I simply don’t have the words to describe it all in the short time I have right now!!

In the afternoon, we visited the National Museum of Archaeology. Don’t miss this if you visit Athens. It is the story of the history of Greece, the history of the current world. It is profound, important, the basis of our political and cultural structure. It is a revision of everything we learned in school about the Greek philosophers, the Greek poets and writers, the Greek Gods and Goddesses, in short, the basis of so much in life, including democracy; it simply stuns you. Your mind stops working. It is frozen in realisation of the meaning of the Greek Empire.

We had dinner in our usual spot. The “Oraia Pendeli.” A long time restaurant, situated in the middle of a lane close to our hotel, intersected with 3 roads!! They played amazing Greek music every night, the menu was varied, the staff warm and friendly, and the food delicious!! No need to look elsewhere!! It was a comfortable spot to dine in.  We said our farewells to Athens, and headed to bed.