Back in Athens

After five relaxing days on Chios, we are back in Athens. Christina is back at work and I am visiting the Athens by myself.

Since it was a bit chilly and rainy, I decided to do the museum thing. I didn't know it, but I really lucked out. I went to the Islamic Art museum and on Wednesday entrance is free. This museum was quite interesting, as it displays different pieces of art, from ceramic to jewelry across the history of the Islamic world. I decided to walk to the Illias Lalaouni Jewelry museum, which was quite a walk, because I had a hard time find the place. It is actually on a side street in a posher neighborhood of Athens. I was about to give up, because I had walked all around the temple of Zeus, around Monasteriki and Plaka and could not find it. Yes, I had a map, but it was that not easy to follow. Moreover, I stopped to take pictures. While walking around, I noticed that there was a city tour bus that goes around all the sites in Athens, note to self next time around...hahaha! I finally found the museum at 5 PM, thought I was too late, but yet again, I was surprised that the entrance in the evening on that day was free also. I guess it makes up for the 25 Euro for the 5 minute taxi ride on my first day in Athens.

Day 2, I went to the Agora and Acropolis. I've gotten so use to walking that I didn't bother with the metro. The Agora was really nice to walk around. I wanted to go to the museum, but I lost my entrance ticket and spent like an hour looking for it. FYI for those who are visiting the Agora and Acropolis. There is 1 entrance fee (12 Euros) if you want to do the Acropolis. If you lose the ticket, you can buy individual tickets for the Agora, Temple of Zeus, the Roman Agora...but if you lose the ticket before you go to the Acropolis, you have the buy the 12 EURO ticket again. There is no ticket for just visiting the Acropolis. In the end, I did not find my ticket, but the lady at the information booth gave me a ticket that someone else had lost a few days before. I was pretty lucky in this. I could of visited the museum after I got my ticket, but hunger got the best of me. Also it being the winter time, I wanted to visit the Acropolis and they close at 5:30PM during the winter season.

I was kind of disappointed in the Acropolis. I liked the grounds of the Agora more. The reason being that the Acroplis is being restored for the third time, so you see all the scaffolds around the buildings. Moreover, the Acropolis is missing some greenery. It's basically a city build on a big rock. The buildings are beautiful, but it was missing "je ne sais quoi"...The view of the city is amazing! Mountains, sea, expanses of white buildings. Would be nice if they were open at later, just to take in the sunset, but oh! well, that's winter for you. I am am not complaining, because there were no line ups, no big crowds. I walked around at my leisurely pace.

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