seeing more of Athens through museums

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we left our house, which we are so happy we've rented . . . so nice to have he conveniences of a home rather than a hotel room . . . to walk to the Benaki Museum and meet up with the Hunterss; the weather is clear and warm in Athens but every now and then there's a nice breeze. we end up going to the Cycladic Museum first which is a historical museum about southern Greece which was inhabited beginning in the 4th century BC. the museum displays tools, pottery, maps and a variety of other antiquities that explain this period in Greece's history, there are many marble carvings which look like modern Picasso/Modigliani/Brancusi pieces; this was my favorite museum of the day. we then went to the Benaki Museum which is the former home of a very wealthy Greek who collected over 20,000 items of everything from prints to implements,Hellenestic jewely, Byzantine icons Christian textiles, paintings by El Greco, momentos from the war for indendence during his life, it's a beautiful and and 5 floors of displays of clothing, weapons, prints, letters, monuments, archeological items and well worth going to for only 6 euros. I went off for shopping in the Plaka district but didn't find anything and met back up with everyone at the Hunter's hotel from which Toni and I walked home via the Hadrian Arch and Temple of Olympian Zeus, which was finished by the emporer Hadrian in the 131 ad that was formerly started in 500 bc by the tyrant Peisistratos. it was closed so we'll be back tomorrow to see it up close. we agreed to meet at the foot of the Lycabettus Hill where there is a cable car (funicular) that for 7 euros (round trip) will take you straight to the top of the 295' hill to a cafe/restaurant for a commanding view of the entire city and beyond to the port of Pireaus. legend has it that Athena intended to use the rock to make her temple on the Acropolis even loftier but dropped it. Toni and I walked past the National Gardens up through Kolonaki and found our way up many sets of marble steps to the cable car loading and met up with Ken and Bobbi. we had a great meal as the sun set and headed home. Toni and I now our orientation in the city pretty well so we don't have to have a cab driver take us directly to our house so after dropping Ken and Bobbi off at their hotel we walked home from the Panathenian Stadium. it was a full day of sight seeing and food. tomorrow is our last day in Athens before boarding Sea Cloud II at 4pm and Toni and I will do some more touring on our own.

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