Contents
- Preface
- San Francisco
- Amsterdam
- Amsterdam, Helmond
- Amsterdam, Zandvoort, Haarlem
- Amsterdam, Bruges
- Bruges, Brussels, Cologne, Berlin
- Berlin
- Berlin, Potsdam
- Berlin, Wansee
- Berlin, Prague
- Prague
- Prague, Karlstejn, Vienna
- Vienna
- Vienna, Salzburg, Füssen
- Füssen, Neuschwanstein, Munich
- Munich, Innsbruck
- Innsbruck
- Innsbruck, Zürich, Lauterbrunnen
- Lauterbrunnen, Jungfraujoch
- Lauterbrunnen, Schilthorn
- Lauterbrunnen, Spiez, Zermatt
- Zermatt
- Zermatt, Martigny, Chamonix
- Chamonix, Mont Blanc
- Chamonix, Mont Blanc, Courmayeur, Aosta, Turin
- Barcelona
- Barcelona, Sitges
- Barcelona
- Milan, Venice
- Venice
- Venice
- Venice, Milan, Cinque Terre
- Cinque Terre, La Spezia
- Cinque Terre, Pisa, Lucca, Florence
- Florence
- Florence
- Florence, Siena
- Siena, San Gimignano, Rome
- Rome
- Rome
- Rome, Sorrento
- Sorrento, Vesuvius, Pompeii
- Sorrento, Positano, Amalfi, Ravello
- Sorrento, Capri, Naples
- Naples, Bari
- Patras, Athens, Mykonos
- Mykonos
- Mykonos
- Mykonos, Paros, Santorini
- Santorini
- Santorini, Athens
- Athens
- Athens, Amsterdam, San Francisco
Prev :: Sunday, 23 October 2005 :: Next
52. Athens
Photo Gallery
Packing up this morning was a sad thing, as I knew it would be the last time I would do so on this trip. I left my suitcase at the hotel and headed out to enjoy my last full day. First I walked back to the Temple of Olympian Zeus, which was now open, so I was able to go inside and take pictures of it with the Acropolis in the background. Next I headed north on the metro to Omonia Square, from which it is a short walk to the National Archaeological Museum. This area is very different from Plaka and Kolonáki — much grittier, with lots of cheap hotels everywhere.
The museum is large and impressive, a fitting end to my Grand Tour of European culture. Near the entrance are Schliemann's findings from Mycenae, including the Mask of Agamemnon, and lots more stuff from Santorini. This is followed by an interesting chronological display of classical Greek sculpture, with helpful signs describing the development of the ancient civilization and its art. There is even some racy stuff, including a very excited dancing bronze statue from the 5th century BC. Another interesting statue had only its head and private parts carved; according to the sign this was actually used more or less as a mile marker along Greek roads. After the museum, I went to a pleasant Internet café across the street to check up on my flight. Then I walked south all the way to the Agora and stopped for hot chocolate and a typical Greek dessert, yogurt with honey and walnuts, at Kirki. Here I had a seat outdoors with a great view of the Acropolis hill (not to mention the very attractive waiter), but it started spitting rain. I walked back through Plaka to look for souvenirs and picked up some postcards. At Monastiraki, an excellent group of Peruvian musicians were performing on the square and selling CDs. The Andean flute is so lovely and romantic. For my last big meal, I didn't exactly splash out — two more yummy gyros. Then I walked all the way west back to Gazi and had an ouzo at Rages. This is good stuff, with a strong licorice flavor. Not unlike the absinthe I had tried in Amsterdam.