Sandwiched around the trip to Santorini we had several days to explore Athens. Of course there is so much to see there that a few days isn't adequate, but we did our best with a trip to the Acropolis and the National Museum! There are a ton of shots from the Museum (it is considered one of the top 10 museums in the world), so if you're not an art lover or enjoy art history, sorry! I can't help but share as it meant so much to me to see these things in person!
Us at the Acropolis... I'll come back to these!
We saw a lot of Minoan and Mycenaean sculpture at the museum... I couldn't get over how much some of them reminded me of Brancusi!
Here is the Brancusi I thought of...
Death Mask of Agamemnon... (they say)
Luna checking out the Cycladic figurines...
Musicians...
One of their most celebrated pieces - this bronze of either Zeus (who would have been holding a thunderbolt) or Poseidon (a trident). One I remember well from my studies.
Don't miss the critter rolling around on the bench behind...
This is one of the earliest known of its kind (horse in motion), and was a big discovery and restoration in the 70s. They are not sure if the young rider was original to the piece, but it is also one I recall from art history!
Luna found a turtle to play with in the courtyard at lunch time (of course!)
A beautiful, noteworthy bronze orator...
Someone's not impressed...
Definitely studied this guy as well, believe it was meant to be Caesar Augustus...
Perhaps this was his crown?
My giant amphora - belly pic...
And big sis... :)
Love how stark this one was, they're usually so ornate!
Luna found a slide, much to the onlooking security guard's consternation...
A break before dinner!
We strolled around "the Plaka" (old town) before picking a place for dinner.
As you would expect, there are ruins everywhere...
Had to include this shot... all of the restaurants have someone posted outside with a menu trying to get you to come in... this one had their menu on an iPad. Bas was mighty impressed. We almost had to eat there just because Bas stopped to play with the menu... :)
A bit blurry without tripod, but this is the Acropolis up on the hill...
And the Parthenon...
Everybody brings the family out after dinner for a stroll to enjoy the cooler night air. We stopped at this square for an ice cream before heading home!
View of the Parthenon on our hike up Acropolis. It was soooooo hot and we did NOT get there early enough, like the guidebooks tell you, to avoid the heat and the crowds!
View of the theater of Dionysus from the Acropolis.
The crowds! And these marble steps were so slippery!
There she is! The standard for true classical architecture and "perfect harmony."
We saw most of the original sculptures and friezes in the Parthenon Galleries of the British Museum while we were in London...
I think the crane adds a nice touch... :)
The Erechtheion and her Caryatids...
Little Archaeologist...
Temple of Athena Nike, just above the entrance...
Then it was back to the hotel to enjoy the rooftop pool! If you're going to Athens, let me know, we would highly recommend this place!
On our after dinner stroll through the Plaka we found naughty Pinocchio on this bench!
There were lots of lovely tree-filled grottos, with restaurants and cafes.
Saw this print of what the Acropolis would have looked like originally in a shop window... we didn't need it, but we needed a picture.
And finally - the lovely Athens subway! (Redone for the Olympics in 2004) There are even antiquities here!
