My flight arrived after 2230, I was able to hop on the metro train, and get into the city for 8 euro. I only had to transfer once, then came up to the surface just a few blocks from my hotel. After hearing for so long about the Greek economic crisis, I was expecting the public transport system to be a lot more run down. It was a very nice surprise to be on metro trains that seemed almost new.
I checked into the hotel just after midnight, then went to sleep. After checking email, facebook, and all that other stuff, of course. Gotta love free wifi :)
It was a nice sunny day, and a whole lot warmer than in kyiv. I got to wear a spaghetti strap dress, yay! I started walking toward a main street, then took a right.
I first came to a small park, more like a platz. There was a small church on one side, but it was closed and I wasn't able to enter.
Another street took me to the edge of a tourist area. I saw another small church, this one was open. Very small, but beautiful. I lit two candles as I left. One for those in my life who are having struggles, and one for the happy moments everyone has.
I didn't really know where I was at the time, but it didn't take a genius to figure out it was a tourist area. Cafes, more signage than usual, (and plenty of English,) and parking. I used a triposo to figure out where I was standing. I followed another street, which was lined with more second hand shops. The shops spilled out onto the street, along with the people who were browsing. It wasn't easy to walk forward. A mess of people. I tend to get annoyed in situations like this, argh.
On one side of the square is a small monastery (hence the name of the square,) but the door was closed, so I wondered if it was just the building exterior I should see. This was only Saturday morning, I figured I had plenty of time to find out.
There isn't much left of Hadrian's Library, but there are signs at various points around the ruins, describing what was once located there, what it probably looked like, and how it worked. Of notice was a family of turtles that seemed to live in these ruins.
There was also a tiny little museum, mostly showing statues I presume were located around the library?
Along the way to the hill, I walked through an area full of cafes and souvenir shops. I found postcards, yay! A rather large selection of postcards, I was in shopping heaven. Shopping heaven for me, anywho. I wish all cities and countries had selections this big!
Being on top of the Acropolis means you can look out over the entire city in all directions. Back when the Greek empire was in its heyday, the view up to the hill, and down from the hill must've been amazing. As it was, I loved looking out over the city. I could see several other ruins around the city, mixed in among the chaos of the modern city.
I also stumbled upon a U.S. sailor being reenlisted at the back side of the Parthenon. Totally awesome. I waited until the ceremony was done, then said 'thank you for your service' to the sailor. It was random, but I"m glad I saw it.
Over the other side of the acropolis, I saw the Odeon, which still looks pretty impressive. Too bad you don't get to climb down into the rows of seats.
After enjoying the breeze at the top of the hill for a while, I came back down. This time I found my way to the Ancient Agora. Google gives me this definition for agora: a public open space used for assemblies and markets. There are a number of ruins in the Ancient Agora, I didn't know what all of them are.
One more thing that was very identifiable in the Ancient Agora: the temple of Hephaestus. It's still in good shape, though I don't know how much of it is original, and how much as been added in modern times. There is a small area of landscaping around the temple, including pretty flowers. Another visitor took a photo I really liked, (I could see the display screen as she took the photo,) I asked her to take the same photo with me in it :)
This building was the Stoa of Attalos. Another definition according to google: a stoa is a covered walkway. This stoa has been completely rebuilt, and part of it is used as a museum. I loved seeing the old statues. Every photographer (amateur or professional) wants to take a photo looking down the walkway, with all the columns on either side.
I ended up back in Monastirki square, filled with even more people.
Yet another side of the square led me to a street split in two. In the middle area was a row of trees. Very pretty. This street wasn't touristy, but it was pretty. I followed this street just because I could. Eventually I walked past the Athens Central Market, housed in a big pavilion. By the time I was there it was the end of the day, so most of the stalls had been packed up.
Continuing up the street I found another platz. On one side you could catch trolleys, or just sit. I was on the lookout for food, so I didn't sit. I knew my hotel was closeby, so I was hoping to find food.
I did find food. Quite a bit actually. I guess my hotel was located in an area of the city filled with immigrants from the south asian subcontinent. I saw restaurants with Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, and Nepalese food. YUM. Unfortunately, I saw these restaurants after I'd stopped at another and gotten a giant greek salad, minus the olives. (I can't stand olives, I've always felt that way.) I was way too full to get more food.
The next morning I started with another hotel breakfast. Have I ever mentioned how much I like eating vegetables for breakfast? Greek salad for breakfast is awesome.
After breakfast, I walked out of the hotel in the same direction I had the morning before. This time I walked further along the main street, quite a bit further. Along the way I passed another small church. It was open, but I saw a sign indicating I needed a headscarf to go in, so I simply peered in from the door.
I passed another church, this one was quite a bit larger. I was able to step inside and enjoy the splendor of the paintings. I liked the quiet atmosphere too, I could only see one other person in there. A Greek Orthodox Church.
Eventually I came to my first stop of the day. The Industrial Gas Museum. It's definitely not at the top of most tourist hot spots in the city, but I liked it quite a bit.
The museum is a complex, not just one building. Each building is a part of what was once the central gas complex for the city. Throughout each building there are descriptions of what you can see, what used to be there, and the people who worked there.
I loved seeing all the old machinery, and making sense of the descriptions of what happened. The people who worked in this plant worked really hard. Backbreaking hard work all day every day.
After exiting the museum complex, I crossed the street and walked back a block. I took another, smaller street and made my way to the entrance of the Kerameikos ruins. These ruins are another sight included in the 12 euro ticket I mentioned earlier.
There was also an area with regular streets and the stones leftover from homes. Not much was left of course. I liked the mosaic designs you could see on some of the floors.
Another section of Kerameikos shows what is left of the old city walls. Not much, but you can see how thick they were. I also came across an olive tree, very much alive.
The day before I'd seen turtles at Hadrians library. I saw more turtles at Kerameikos. I even saw two turtles having friendly 'relations.' Definitely not something I ever thought I would see.
I exited the area, and walked back toward the city center, toward the area in which I'd started the day before. I got to monastirki square, and looked in the same cafe for another snack size chocolate mousse. No dice, darn it. This time I walked into the monastery, which seemed crowded with stuff.
One such bakery jumped out at me for no reason in particular. I walked in and had to choose what I wanted. So many choices, a tummy not big enough for all of them :) I ended up choosing two desserts in a cup. YUM.
This bakery was on one corner of a small platz. In the middle of the platz was another small church. It's hard to describe properly, but I would almost say the church was a bit sunken into the middle of the platz. People sat on the walls around the church.
I continued walking down the street, which soon became unpedestrianized. That's probably not the right word, but I don't know how to say it wasn't a pedestrian zone anymore. The street took me to Syntagma Square, which has a fountain in the middle. Not a big fountain, and not impressive.
Again, my words fail me in how to describe how different things are placed. To get to the parliament building you have to go up steps. At street level, sort of under the parliament, is the tomb of the unknown soldier.
I've seen a tomb of an unknown soldier in a number of different countries. All different in terms of uniforms worn, and changing of the guards ceremonies, but all the same in terms of seriousness, and honor.
I got lucky, as the time I got to the tomb was just before the ceremony. I don't think guards changed at all, maybe they switched positions. Very cool to watch.
From the tomb I followed the street down, passing a park on my way to an arch. Hadrians arch I think? It was built as a welcome for a new empower way back in the day. You can see the Acropolis behind and up from the arch.
After walking around the whole area, seeing all of the ruins (including what remained of a bath house,) I walked back toward the arch. I crossed the street and followed a smaller street in the general direction up the hill.
After the theatre I was hungry. I found a cafe, and ordered moussaka and another Greek salad. (Again without olives, disgusting as they are.) My waiter pointed me in the right direction after I finished, so I was able to walk back in the general direction of monastirki square.
To get there I had to walk down some streets lined with cafes, some of which were full, and I could hear conversations quite well. The streets felt loud to me, not at all relaxing. I wonder if all the people were locals, or tourists, or both. And I wonder if any of the cafes had any really good food.
I stopped in another bakery and bought myself more treats. I like Greek bakeries :)
My original plan was to walk around the port, enjoying the scene. It turned out to be not very exciting.
Since I'd taken the train out to the port, I didn't want to turn around and go back straightaway. I found several churches, they were beautiful, and empty. As I walked the streets, I saw very few other people. Nice to get away from the crowds for a few minutes.
After a little while I did make my way back to the train. An easy ride back to monastirki square. I walked up the tree street just as I had the day before, because I knew where I was going.
There didn't seem to be a menu, instead I was asked what I wanted. I asked for palak paneer, which they had. I ordered a sweet lassi too. My idea of heaven :) My food came with another Greek salad (this is Greece, regardless of what type of cuisine is normally served in the restaurant,) and the guy delivered a dish of briyani as well, and said it was on the house. I ate as much as I could, which was a lot. By the time I left, I felt fat and happy.
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