Athens

Monday, April 7, 2014 Athens
While we were eating the breakfast buffet in our hotel, we could see out the window that it was pouring rain. We decided to go to the Athens Archaeological Museum instead of the Acropolis, hoping that tomorrow would be a better day.
It was only a 20 minute walk and the rain slowed down considerably so we didn't even get wet.

 This museum has the finest collection of ancient Greek statuary in the world. This statue, a "kouri" is a common theme from about 500 BC. When someone died, a statue might be commissioned depicting them as a smiling, strong, energetic youth.

 Canadians might have added ice and skates, but Don Cherry might be disappointed to learn that a form of hockey was being played with a ball and curved sticks 2,500 years ago. Here is a face-off with the members of the opposing teams shown on each side.

 This is a famous bronze statue of either Poseidon or Zeus - no-one is really sure.

 The jockey and horse is an incredible bronze statue, over 2,000 years old, found under the sea in pieces in an ancient shipwreck.

 Aphrodite, with the help of Eros on her shoulder, is trying to discourage Pan, the god of nature, from having his way with her by threatening to hit him with her sandal. Reminds me of when we started dating.
After spending the morning in the museum, we stopped at a grocery store and bought beer, wine and water on the way back to our room. Everything in our neighbourhood was closed up yesterday because it was Sunday. Today, it's wild. Our hotel is right in the middle of the fruit and vegetable market, part of the Athens central market. All of the vendors are out in full force. It's busy but actually better than yesterday because it doesn't look all desolate and sleazy.
After a lunch of leftover chicken and apples in our room, we walked down through the touristy Plaka district below the Acropolis. It was still overcast and drizzling a bit of rain once in a while.

We thought that Anita's cousin Cathy Pitts would even have trouble selling this lovely home, even though Remax has a "new deal" for it. This is typical of the graffiti that covers most buildings in downtown Athens.

 Roman Emperor Hadrian's Gate with the Acropolis in the far background.

 The Temple of Zeus, supposedly the largest temple ever built. We're not sure of the difference between the words "temple", "church" and "religious building" but having been to Angkor Wat in Cambodia, we can say that this looks big but Angkor Wat looks bigger.

 This stadium was the site of the first modern Olympic Games in 1896.

 The Acropolis from a distance. We knew it was on a hill but didn't realize that there were cliffs. It makes sense that this site was first chosen for defence.
Eventually we wandered back through the Plaka district and on to our hotel. After a brief rest, since we had walked a long way, we went around the corner to a traditional Greek restaurant that we would have never found, had it not been selected as a "top choice" in Lonely Planet.

You walk in off the street down these cellar steps. It's on a back street behind the central market and there are no signs.
When you walk down the stairs you see huge casks of wine against one wall and wooden chairs and tables with checked tablecloths. There are no menus. The owner just plunks down a couple of big paper place mats and a fork and spoon each. Then he brings a sort of bean soup, a sort of chick pea soup, a plate of fried sardines with lemon quarters, two glasses and a big tin cup filled with sweet white wine from one of the barrels. Everything was really tasty and the place had a lot of Greek atmosphere, possibly because it was filled with Greeks, enjoying their meals, drinking wine and smoking, despite the no smoking sign. I was a little surprised that it cost 20 euros ($30) but maybe that's the tourist price or maybe that's just what it's worth. It really was delicious and fun.
I'd add more pictures of it but the internet is not happy right now. "Tomorrow should be better weather so we'll visit the Acropolis.