Athens - Day 2

 Our second day in Athens started early. We woke up at about 5 am and had to wait for breakfast until 7:00. Breakfast is included with our stay here at the Hotel Hera. It isn't bad either! There is a juice (not sure what kind), corn flakes, toast and jam, yogurt with fresh fruit and granola, bacon, sausages, sliced meats cheeses, eggs, and cake. Yep, cake. A spiced one and a chocolate marbled one, complete with chocolate frosting. I bet you think I ate that for breakfast but I didn't. At least not on day 2. :)


After we filled up on breakfast, we headed out to the Acropolis. It is just up the street from our hotel. Up just happens to be really up. It is quite a hike. There was absolutely no one at the ticket counter. We got there right as they opened and walked right in. The ticket we purchased also gets us into a bunch of other sites so it is a great deal for 12 Euro/each.

We came into the site just below the Theater of Dionysis. It is reconizable as a theater but there are piles of other unrecognizable things. Next, we passed the Theater of Herodes Atticus. This has a very cool structure and the floor is stunning. You can look out and the view of Athens is amazing.

A bustling city amongst all this history.

After more climbing we find the crowds. We didn't go in the main entrance so we missed all the tours. But up at the top, you are all together. The steps up are so slick and there are so many people that it seems a bit precarious walking around. There is currently work being done so there is scaffolding and machines all around but then you see the Parthenon. It is massive, remarkable, incredible, awe inspiring.

EPIC.

The Parthenon is so distracting that you almost miss the ionic Temple of Athena Nike. This temple celebrated the Athenian victory over the Persians. It is nearly square with lovely columns. This was Alan's favorite building. It is up in the corner and surrounded by marble stairs. Once you walk past the Temple of Athena, you walk a board walkway to the main area. We circled the Parthenon. You then pass a small building that was once the museum. Later in the post we have the report of the new museum.

After circling the Parthenon, we walked to the Erechtheion and the Porch of the Caryatids. It seems that the work being done is slow going so most of what is there is very basic structure and incomplete. It is none the less impressive. There is an olive tree planted by the Porch of the Caryatids that is supposedly a replacement the the tree planted as a gift from Athena to Athens. The Caryatids are the statues of women on the porch area. The ones currently there are replicas, the originals are in the New Acropolis Museum.

After we were able to get through the crowd, we decended through the main entrace to head to Mars Hill. As we left, we noticed some workmen working on a gap in the wall. I swear the conversation went something like 'that piece of marble is not going to fit in that hole...' and the other guy saying and gesturing 'yes that piece will fit in that hole...' all the while he is jiggling a board under the piece of marble and trying to get leverage. The workmen/women all look like normal people. They aren't wearing vests, gloves, uniforms... you cannot pick them out of a crowd. It is weird.

Next was Mars Hill. A short hike up a hill, about 10 steps but they are a doosy. Slick rocks, narrow, and steep. But the view is totally worth it. There are dogs, unowned, just laying around. Can you imagine that view? Every day? There are cats everywhere too. They walk right into shops and no one even notices them.

From Mars Hill, you can walk right down to an entrance to the Ancient Agora. Here you can walk through a partial replica of the Stoa of Attalos (meaning they used some original pieces). It now houses a museum but once was a market place. It is cool to walk along the columns and try to imagine what it was like as an ancient market. There is also the Temple of Hephaistos (the blacksmith god). It is not finished but it is the best preservered and classic example of temple architecture. It is about half the size of the Parthenon.

We then walked to the Library of Hadrian. Only 4 columns stand of what was once a cultural center. It is interesting to think about it but sad that it and what it contained are gone. After the library, we wanted to hit Soulvaki Row for cheap eats. And cheap, tasty eats we did find! We walked up to the counter at Taverna Thanasis. A small bucket of tzatziki, Greek fries, and a double souvlaki was a perfect meal for 7 Euro. And the fries were some of the best I've ever had, seriously. On par with Potato Champion, Portland.

After our tummies were happy, we walked some more. Back to Central Market in search of more figs, almonds, the fish market, and the fruits and vegetables that we missed on day 1. We found it all and smelled it all too! The fish market is the craziest I've seen (Los Ramblos in Barcelona doesn't compare to the mess, sound, and smell of this one). The meat lanes were in full swing again and we found the fig/almond guy. He kindly pointed out the fruits and vegetables after we stocked up on almonds and figs.

Another short walk and we were back at the hotel. Our feet were sore so we took a break and a tiny nap. Actually, I napped and Alan did laundry. Then we headed out to the New Acropolis Museum before dinner. The New Acropolis Museum is really new and holds pieces from the Acropolis. It was very quiet, not to many people. They do not allow any pictures inside, of anything, so it made the jaunt through pretty smooth and quick. We were able to see the original Caryatids that apparently as recently as 1950 had sharp noses and mouths. People say that the acid rain/pollution of Athens has reduced them to noseless and smooth in about 50 years (they were moved inside in 1998).

For dinner we found a place online that had good review so we tried to find it. It took us a while but finally we did. The place was called Taverna Thespis. It has several tiered areas for outside seating all with a bit of a view of the Acropolis. When we got there it was early so we were able to pick where to sit and we were really treated well. They gave us ouzo on the house, the salad was fantastic even though it had too many tomatoes. I ordered the special, God Fish with Garlic Sauce and Alan ordered the Lamb Souvlaki (but it was just grilled not skewered). We also ordered tzatziki, it was ok but not something we would order again. The fish was great and the garlic sauce was just a pile of garlic! The lamb, when you ate the meat, was tasty but it was on the bone and a bit fatty/gristly. After dinner, they brought us dessert of fresh melon and grapes, again on the house. We will definitely go back here!

A short night stroll down a street called Restaurant Steps provides visual entertainment before we head back to the hotel for some much needed sleep.