Athens Again

It was the second trip to Athens for all of us and we were not so focused on the must see places. We planned to explore neighborhoods, museums, churches, shopping, and to enjoy wining and dining. We also wanted to take a cooking class. So we booked a hotel in the Psryi neighborhood, ie a bit less touristy than the Plaka, but nearby. The hotel turned out to be well located for shopping, the tourist stops and local nightlife. It is about a 20 minute walk or a 20 minute metro ride to the Acropolis. See our posting from November 2013 for our initial visit. 

We arranged a few tours in advance (a Wine & Meze/Greek snacks Tour, an Acropolis Museum Tour, a Neighborhoods Tour, and a cooking class, Eat with you Greek Cousin Dionysia.) We supplemented these tours with Rick Steves self-guided tours. (We may have visited before but none of us had been everywhere or remembered everything.) It was a good combination that we relied on throughout the trip. We booked our whole tour through Alternative Athens. We discovered them through Rick Steves book when we were looking for the cooking class. And then we discovered they offered a special self-drive tour service. More on that later.

Our first stop was the cobbler, Shelly needed some previous work fixed and Bill discovered that his sandals were coming apart. With lots of walking ahead of us, the cobbler was a critical stop.

The cobbler shop was near Syntagma Square and the timing was good. We had wrapped up with the cobbler and realized we were nearby Parliament "on the hour" and just in time to see the Changing of the Guard at the Monument to the Unknown Soldier.  We joined the crowd and enjoyed the full ceremony.

Later we learned a couple tricks to seeing the guards up close. Shortly before the hour be on Leof. Vasilissis Sofias Street (it exits to the NE from Syntagma Square). The guards are stationed behind the Parliament Building and start the "Change Ceremony" from there. At the ceremony the viewers are held well back from the guards. On the street they are just as formal but way more accessible. An alternative is to view the ceremony and then follow the guards as they return to the barracks.

Little known fact: The guards are selected from those serving their military duty ....guards must be within a certain height range and must be able to grow a bushy mustache. The guards are paired up to be near twins based on their stature and mustaches.

We moved on, more or less following R Steves Athens City Walk...which happens to include following Ermou & Metropoleos Streets, noted for their shopping. We also visited several noted churches:

• Church of Kapnikara: a Byzantine church dating from 1000 AD
• The Orthodox Cathedral / Mitropolis: basically the Greek Vatican, it is relatively modern built in 1842 but the interior has classic Byzantine features.
• Church of Agios Eleftherios: built in 12 & 13C AD when the Parthenon was taken over by the Ottomans as a Mosque. Referred to as the Old Greek Vatican,  made of recycled stones from older monuments
• The Holy Church of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary aka the Panagia Chrysospileotissa: built in late 1800's, it is closer to our hotel.  Dormition refers to the passing of the Virgin Mary from earthly life. And Panagia is one of the titles of the Virgin Mary, used in  Orthodox Christianity. Apparently referring to Mary by name is avoided. Hence "Dormiton" and "Panagia". We have yet to discover the reason for the Chrysospileotissa part of the name. It has striking architecture.

Top L-R: The Orthodox Cathedral, Church of Kapnikara, The Cathedral (interior);
Bottom L-R Church of Agios Eleftherios, Holy Church of the Dormition

We had the Guided Wine and Mezes (snacks) Tour that evening. Getting there took us by various squares crowded with tables and diners and lots of small restaurants our guide pointed out. Unfortunately we had only a few nights and would only get to sample a couple. The tasting was good but we had hoped for more traditionally Greek mezes, not cheeses and breadsticks. However the wines were interesting. After the tasting, our guide recommended a very popular but down to earth seafood place, Atlantikos. We enjoyed the seafood including a big fish (sea bream) and little fishies (anchovies).

The next two days we spent wandering / exploring the area between our hotel and the Acropolis Museum. 

Nearby our hotel is Hadrian's Triumphal Arch. The monument, 59 feet high and 42 feet wide, has two identical façades. Two inscriptions are carved on the architrave (the lintal beam across the top), one on each side: the first, on the side towards the Acropolis reads "This is Athens, the ancient city of Theseus", the second, on the other side, "corrects" or updates the first, saying "This is the city of Hadrian and not of Theseus".

Also nearby is the Roman Forum and the Tower of the Four Winds (1C BC).The Tower combines the functions of a clock, a weather station and a planetary guide. The top of the tower is engraved with angels depicted as bringing types of weather (rain spilling from an upside down urn, the rudder of a ship for good sailing weather, an old man wrapped in a cloak against the cold, an angel with a robe full of fruit for summer, and more.)

The skyline of Athens; Pillows for sale decorated with Frida Kahlo (Mexican artist & 2nd most beloved Mexican female after Saint Guadalupe); Colorful metal wine carafes for sale; Tower of the Four Winds with Acropolis in background; Hadrian's Triumphal Arch.

From the Roman Forum, we headed to the Ancient Greek Agora, the ancient gathering place for meeting others, shopping, business meetings, worship, conduct government affairs, etc. We explored The Stoa of Attalos, formerly an ancient shopping mall and now a museum. Some of our favorites pieces are in the collage below. They are:

• Top Left: 4 vessels, left to right:
• Terracotta female head ca 400 BC
• Terracotta head of a warrior 420-400 BC
• Fragmentary plastic vase in the form of Dionysos' head 410 BC
• Terracotta figurine of a draped child 4th cent BC
• Top Center: a goddess, possibly Aphrodite
• Top Right: Herm in the form of a Silenus (2C AD). It probably served as a fence-post
• Bottom Left: Perfume bottle in the form of a kneeling athlete binding a ribbon about his head as a symbol of victory ca 540 BC
• Bottom Right: Amphoras

Also in the Agora is the Temple of Hephaestus which is amazingly complete. It was built to honor the god of metal workers and craftsmen. From the same era as the Parthenon, it served as Christian era church from 7AD until 1834 when it became a museum. Later it was restored to the more original form that we see today.

On the hillside behind are the Old National Observatory (white with blue roofs) and the Agia Marina Church.

Diagonally across the Agora, close to the Acropolis, is the Church of the Holy Apostles from 1 AD. Built with 4 arms extending out from the central dome, making the shape of a Greek cross, it became the prototype for later churches. 

Heading onward from the Agora we see ruins of the 2C AD Hadrian's Library built for Hadrian's beloved city.

Temple of Hephaestus, Church of the Holy Apostles, Hillside with Old National Observatory  and the Agia Marina Church. View of Parthenon from below, Hadrian's Library

Leaving the Agora, we headed toward the Plaka to find an ATM. While waiting for Bill & Dave to get some cash, Shelly either struck up a conversation with a guy from one of the restaurants or let herself be drawn in. They seemed to have a great conversation....so we decided to eat there (Maiandros Restaurant). It turned out to be a fine choice.  

From there we had a 30 minute walk to the National Archeological Museum, located in the north of the city. It is home to many of the original artifacts from all over Greece. The original sites mostly have copies of the precious items found there. Among some of the more eye-catching exhibits included:

• Theatre masks: In ancient Greece, actors wore masks made of wood or linen cloth, and with basic features to indicate the sex, age, character and morals of the heroes. On display were marble masks which was confusing as they are impossible to wear. It turns out these were used for theater related decoration..
• Bronze statue of Zeus or Poseidon. Found in the sea of Cape Artemision, in northern Euboea. The god, shown in great stride, extends his left arm before his body, while holding a thunderbolt or trident in his right hand. His identification as Zeus or Poseidon is controversial (the former identification is more probable). It is the work of a great sculptor of the early Classical period. ca. 460 BC.
• Silver rhyton: as head of a bull with golden horns and forehead adorned with a gold rosette. Royal Tomb IV at Mycenae. 16th century BCE. Note: A rhyton is a type of drinking vessel, typically having the form of an animal's head, with a hole for drinking at the bottom.
• Gold jewelry/treasure of Mycenae
• Group of Aphrodite, Pan and Eros: Made of marble and found on Delos. Island. The nude goddess Aphrodite attempts to fend off the goat-footed god Pan who makes erotic advances to her. She holds her sandal threateningly in her right hand, while the winged god Eros comes to her aid.
• Jockey bronze statue: (ca. 140 BC) was recovered from a ship wreck near Cape Artemision (off the island of Euboea, just north of Athens). The first parts of the equestrian statue were recovered in 1928, with more pieces found nearly 10 years later.  

We took a taxi back to our Guided tour of the Acropolis Museum. The striking building featuring  glass, concrete and steel opened June 20, 2009. Apparently the prime impetus for the building was to demonstrate how well prepared Greece is to preserve their treasures (think Elgin Marbles) that are currently "under the care" of the British Museum. The focus of the museum is on the Acropolis (duh) at it's peak, 480-400 BC.

Our guide had a fascinating way of bringing context to the exhibits. She told a hypothetical story of a young Athenian man. It started with him making an offering to one of the gods to bless his relationship with a young lady. Her presentation followed their life through him becoming a respected elder and involved with the decisions to restore the temples on the Acropolis Hill. Strangely, when observing such ancient artifacts, it is hard to realize that many works were achieved in a life-time. The story helped!

Some samples of items on exhibit:

• Pillar with an offering to Asclepios: Marble part of a human face, placed in a niche of a hollow post meant to receive dedications. It was dedicated by Praxias after his wife's eyes were cured.
• Theatrical masks: Slab with six theatrical masks, probably from the decoration of the stage of the Theater of Dionysos.
• Reconstruction of the West pediment of Parthenon: The West Pediment illustrated the contest between Athena and Poseidon during their competition for the honor of becoming Athens' patron. The East pediment portrays the story of the birth of Athena.
• Sculptures of beautiful ladies, called The Caryatids, designed to serve as columns on the pagoda of the Erechteion Temple, with extra support provided by their massive braids. The Caryatids which can be seen at the Erechtheum (one of the few remaining buildings on the Acropolis) are faithful copies since the five remaining originals are here in the museum for their protection, conservation, and restoration.

About the sixth original Caryatid, well she was abducted by Thomas Bruce, the seventh Lord Elgin, who served as Great Britain’s ambassador to the Ottoman Empire at the beginning of the nineteenth century. She is now part of the booty at the British Museum.

After our tour we hurried back to the cobbler to retrieve Bill & Shelly's shoes. Heading back to the hotel we decided to dine at the Athinalkon Restaurant. Another good choice.

The next day, up for some more wandering, we went to the Acropolis.

As you approach the Acropolis, you pass two historic theaters

• The Theatre of Dionysus (supported by Atlas)...dedicated to Dionysus, (the Greek god of wine, merriment, and theatre),  was used as a theatre from 6C BC onwards. It was the first and largest theatre to be built in Athens and could seat up to 17,000 people. Modified and expanded over the centuries, it is the oldest Greek theatre and is the site where some of the most famous Greek plays from antiquity were first performed.
• The Odeon of Herodes Atticus was originally built in 161 AD for music concerts. It was restored in 1950 and since 1955 is one of the main venues of the annual Athens and Epidaurus Festival.

Earliest accounts indicate the Acropolis had a fortified compound in the Bronze Age, built to protect the local ruler and his family. In 6C BC a Doric Temple was added.  Around 490 BC, the Athenians started building a majestic marble temple known as the Old Parthenon. In 480 BC, the Persians attacked and destroyed the Old Parthenon and most other structures at the Acropolis. 

During the Golden Age of Athens (460 BC to 430 BC) Pericles initiated a massive building project that lasted 50 years. Key landmarks added:

• The Parthenon: An enormous Doric-style temple that remains the star attraction. It featured ornate sculptures and housed a spectacular statue of the goddess Athena.
• The Propylaea: A monumental entryway to the site that included a central building and two wings, one of which was covered with elaborately painted panels
• The Temple of Athena Nike: A small Ionic-style temple located to the right of the Propylaea built as a shrine to Athena Nike.
• The Erechtheion: A sacred Ionic temple honoring Athena is the most charming structure. Made of marble, it is best known for its porch supported by six Caryatid maiden statues.

Under Roman rule, many temples at the Acropolis were converted to Christian churches. The Parthenon was dedicated to the Virgin Mary and the Erechtheion became a chapel. The Parthenon was later converted to a mosque (under the Ottomans) and used for munitions storage (under the Venetians). In 1687 the Venetians then bombarded the Parthenon and its munitions depot.  Guess what. Yep, it became a skeleton especially with the follow-on help of looters, vandals and tourists scavenging building material and souvenirs.

The worst scavenger of them all was the seventh Earl of Elgin, who with the permission of the then Ottoman government in 1801 began moving treasures to Britain for "safe keeping". The most notable being "The Elgin Marbles", the magnificent sculptures from the Pediments (the upper parts of the peaked front and back of the building). Full scale replicas are in the Acropolis Museum, waiting hopefully for the return of the originals in Britian.

Cool facts:

1. The architects used multiple optical illusions with the Parthenon. For instance, the columns lean ever so slightly inward toward each other which helps them appear parallel. This has also helped it withstand earthquakes.
2. On our return visit to Athens, Alejandra, Bill & I had a guided tour of the Acropolis. The tour was interesting with a folklore emphasis. As we were walking along the rim of the Acropolis the wind blew our guides hat off. Instead of sailing over the edge, it landed perfectly on Alexandra's head! Maybe that was thanks to Athena coming to our aid?

After a light lunch we toured the National Garden (it wraps around parliament and the tomb of the unknown soldier). As we were leaving the garden by the north exit, we encountered the Guards heading for the parliament. This lead to our earlier hint about seeing the Guards up close and personal. 

That evening, we were collected near our hotel and taken to Glyfada for our cooking class with Dyonesia.  After enjoying some appetizers she had prepared in advance we made 2 dips (tzatziki and spicy cheese), pita and helped prepare the meat for the gyros. She uses a trick of grilling the meat in pieces and then inserting cooked pieces on the skewer so they can be sliced off in a traditional fashion.

A nice selection of wines including a retsina. Given its reputation, I can't believe we tried it. AND we actually enjoyed it noting that it left the delightful impression of a pine forest. Maybe Retsina is underrated? We have little experience to go on. 

On our last day we had a Neighborhoods Tour to see more of the "real" Athens. After meeting our guide we headed to Kolonaki, an elegant, trendy neighborhood of modern Athens. It has been the place to live since Greek independence with its location being near the country's then new governmental center. 

 

We first stopped at Hadrian's Reservoir, the terminus of the aqueduct that brought water to Athens during the Roman era. It was abandoned until it was reconstructed in the 1800's and used until the new system was completed in the 1930's). 

Just a few blocks away on Dimaki Street is a single family home totally surrounded by apartment buildings. At least one family wanted to keep their own home. 

Between Panepistimiou Street and Akadimias Street, the Akademia of Athens was built in the 1870's and 1880's as part of an architectural "trilogy" including the University and the National Library. Since 1926 it has been Greece's national academy and research center and today includes a large digital library. 

 At the far end of the trek was the Omonia neighborhood and Kotzia Square (where ancient tombs, an ancient street and parts of the city's fortifications are visible). Also in this neighborhood  is the Central Municipal Market and many shops frequented by the locals.  

We headed back through the Psyri neighborhood with its many restaurants and shops (our hotel was located here). The area is very lively in the evenings. Our tour ended in Monastiraki with a quick peek at the ruins inside the metro station. Throughout the tour we noted many recently deserted buildings, evacuated due to the commercial downturn in Greece before and during the Pandemic.

Top: The lonely single family house, the Akademia. 
Bottom: ruins at Monastiraki metro, deserted mall, ruins at Kotzia Square.

Before leaving us, our guide recommend we have lunch nearby at the Attic Restaurant rooftop. The food was great and comes with an Acropolis view. The burrata cheese with nuts, strawberries, tomatoes and balsamic vinegar was extra special.

We used the remaining time to pack for our early morning departure to Delphi.

We had asked the hotel staff to order transportation for us to get to the rental car office. We were a little concerned when they ordered only one taxi, after all we were four people with luggage for 5-6 weeks. We shouldn't have worried. The taxi driver got very creative in packing our luggage into his taxi.