Athens, Again

Parthenon, Acropolis, Athens, 1977.

Parthenon, Acropolis, Athens, 2018

It would have been fun to take this picture again (changing out the shorts), but the columns are roped off now.

I was visiting Greece with Heidi, an American who I’d met on the train from Germany. We ended up traveling together for two of my six months. We had such fun!!

Acropolis, or ‘upper city’ towers over the city, and to me is the heart of Athens.

The Parthenon is the most visible and most well known symbol on the hill, but there are others all built in the 5th century BC when the splendour, wealth and power of Athens was at it’s greatest.

But there is evidence of pottery shards showing habitation on the outcrop from 4000-3000 BC.

The Propylaia is the entrance. On the way in you can see the Temple of Athena Nike perched up on the right. One of the many dreaded tour groups on the steps.

Propylaia on the way out

Erechtheion

Odeon of Herodes Atticus

The new Acropolis Museum has huge glass walls to see the Acropolis.

It also has a solid rectangular core built to the same dimensions as the Parthenon, so the entire temple frieze could be displayed.

Athens is full of history, but it is fun to just wander the streets. The Plaka next to Acropolis is full of little streets, but is now ‘tourist central’ and full of souvenir shops.

Fortunately the city surrounds Acropolis on all sides. I’m staying in the Psyri area, next to Monastitaki. It’s just as accessible to everything and has great Metro, but is so much more interesting! During the day there are real shops and it seems like the streets are a giant flea market rather than bland souvenir shops. At night the most interesting restaurants in town open. It’s where the young locals go, and they seem to welcome an odd tourist.