On Friday, June 18th, we purchased the all-day (hop
-on, hop-
off) bus ticket to tour Athens, a super deal. All the time, we couldn't wait to get to the drop off for the Acropolis and its majestice Parthenon. We were not disappointed.You have
to have a sense of the landscape to 
capture the beauty and the fullness of the experience. The Acropolis (where the Parthenon is the major feature) sits high on a hilltop in the center of Athens, visible from just about everywhere. It, literally, looms over the sprawling metropolis that is modern day Athens.
They tell you NOT to try to treck up the steps and incline to the Acropolis in the middle of the summer heat. It's simply too hot. We compromised with 11:00 a.m. thinking (correctly, we think) that many of the earlier tourists would already have left or be on their way down and that the crowds and the heat would be manageable. This seemed to be a good decision.
The climb up (a combo of steps built into the rock and inclining walk ways) took some time but it was all wonderfully worth it. At the top, indeed, is the Parthenon with its 46 majestic columns reaching
towards the heavens. Built between 447 and 438 BCE (before the common era), it has been rebuilt muliple times (still not completed); yet, still, some of it is apparently original. The rustic look with massive pieces of rock and stone everywhere is difficult to fathom without seeing it first hand.The other edifices (in varying stages of restoration ... although I don't think the intent is full restoration) are all about. The entire Acropolis area is p
robably something like 400 yards by 200, or smaller. And all about (on all sides) is the city of Athens with amazing views.The Parthenon really captured our spirit and imagination. It is spectacular and more--the kind of e
xperience that words simply cannot capture. It's the combination of thousands of years of history ... what all of that implies ... and the contrast of this ancient phenomenon in the heart of a bubbling urban world of the 21st century. All the time, there it is--the Parthenon, with its awesome specter.In a word, we were overwhelmed.
Later, we spent a few hours in the new (just opened a year ago), splendidly designed Acropolis Museum. About a half mile from the Acropolis on the lower ground, it was constructed "over" all kinds of ruins, much of which can be seen beneath the transparent flooring, an awesome experience in itself. You're walking along the entrance to the museum, or on one of the display floors inside, and you are walking atop this transparent (some kind of very, very, strong glass or synthetic something) floor
ing beneath you. Its architecture is stunning ... the Greeks are very proud of this museum even though many of them have yet to actually step inside it.We enjoyed our two days in Athens very much ... the dining in the local restaurants was good ... we visited some of the nearby beaches the following day, which were mostly beautiful ... but, for us, it was the Parthenon, the Parthenon, the Parthenon, a MUST-see if you ever get the chance.
Tomorrow: our overnight boat trip to the Greek island Rhodes and the town of Lindos, where we are spending three days.
A bientot for now ...
I must say, this post actually approaches a moment of speechlessness for you, Jeffrey! I know that is extremely difficult for anyone who knows you to fathom that you could ever be speechless, but I sense in your writing that you truly were struggling for the words to express the wonder and grandeur and amazing beauty of what you had witnessed. God bless you!
ReplyDeleteI remember having those same feelings when I was in Athens in '72. I arrived by train from the north and for a few hours approaching the city all you could see was this hill with the Parthenon off in the distance. Absolutely spectacular, as you said. Am so glad you're visiting all of these places.
ReplyDelete