Our full day in Athens was devoted to the Acropolis and the adjacent Acropolis Museum. From our hotel, located nearby, one walks up through a series of streets to the entrance (free on Sundays), and then walks carefully up stone stairs and slopes, to the top. Just being there was moving; not because one worships the goddess Athena, but because this site represents (to me) in some way the development of rational thought. There are many olive trees surrounding the hill. The crowds at the top were not excessive. All the buildings are being renovated and one cannot get too close, but the pictures may give an idea of the scene. 

The museum is next to the hill and contains artifacts taken from the site. Most impressive is the reconstruction of the frieze of the Parthenon, with plaster casts of the famous Elgin marbles that are now in the British museum. One sees these, and looks out the window at the Parthenon, and realizes that the Greeks would dearly love to have them back. The museum is a statement of this desire. No photographs allowed in the museum. The combined experiences of the day made us think of our friend Marion in Tryon, who would have greatly enjoyed this.

Approach to the Acropolis

Parthenon, showing restoration activity

Erechtheion temple

Erechtheion temple

In front of the Erechtheion temple

View of some construction

View from Acropolis

View from Acropolis

In front of the Parthenon

Athena Nike temple

Olive grove below the Acropolis

After pondering all this, in the evening we went to a rather good restaurant where I had "little marinated fish, good with ouzo", and a glass of ouzo. This ouzo is mixed with water, has an anisette taste, and I think is the same thing as "raki", which we tried in Istanbul. The combination was indeed good. Mary Jo had marinated octopus with a glass of white wine.