Athens walk, the Plaka, and the Acropolis Museum

We decided a coffee and roll for breakfast today would do us until lunch so we headed to a bakery close by and watched a young man making the very thin Philo dough for a type of pastry they eat here. Tomorrow we will have to order it! The capaccino hit the spot for me but Emmett tried Greek coffee…. very VERY strong stuff, it was like mud in the bottom of the cup.

We walked the 0.87 mile, 1.4 km, to the museum, thru the narrow streets of the Plaka, at a great time, few people there yet, just a couple groups of students on a field trip. You can see on this map. Or hotel in the yellow circle, and the museum indicated by the red box at the bottom.

The plaka area was still not quite open yet, just a very few shops. You walk by areas of ruins and monuments often here.

The acropolis museum sits below the acropolis with great views, from inside and outside.

Displayed are a few of the original statues and frieses of the Parthenon, the temple to Athena, but many many replicas of pieces that can be found in the British museum. Unfortunately over the millenia since it was constructed, many conquering parties destroyed much of its splendor. The pieces remaining are just a hint at what it might have looked like in Socrates’ day.

The darker pieces are original marble, and the replica pieces are stark white plaster models.

This piece would have stood at the apex of the roof of the east or west facade of the temple. Parts of it are original but much is reconstructed.

There is a nice audio guide link available so you can go thru the exhibits at your own pace.

Outside you can look down at, and visit, parts is the excavations of ruins found at the site is the museum.

We walked a but farther before lunch to visit Syndagma square and the guards at the parliment buildings, but we missed the changing of the guard so we will return tomorrow when there’s is more time to record that event. Here are just a few more city sites.