Athens

Athens is not an easy city.  All of the smooth connections and quick settling in ended here.  Athens is crowded,  with lots of graffiti and little personal space.  It's loud and confusing,  easy to get lost in.   My apartment was much further away than I'd anticipated,  creating an extra expense in transit.

Still,  Athens was worth the trouble. From the pretty churches to the awe inspiring ruins to the impressive museums,  Athens had everything I'd expected and more.  The good was cheap and delicious.  I loved the chicken souvlaki at Thasonos, and the gyros from just about everywhere.   I loved finding ruins around the corner, just little preserved pieces of the past.  I loved climbing to the Acropolis- twice!- because of that sense of amazement upon arrival at the gate.  

I was incredibly impressed with the Acropolis museum.  It had some great uses of technology along with artifacts to bring them to life, some wonderful examples of polychrome statutes,  and such a huge collection of art.   I was giddy too see Kritios   Boy, the work we compare to Michelangelo's when studying the Renaissance.   And yes,  the selection of Parthenon marbles was stunning.  The Elgin marbles belong here,  hands down,  no question.   England needs to send them home.  

The museum of archeology was a great contrast to the Acropolis museum.  It was far more stodgy,  but equally interesting because of the depth of its collection.  I've never seen such great Greek statutes.  I hadn't realized how much funeral stones told about daily life.   I was blown away by the bronzes.  I would have bought the replicas in the gift shop if I had infinite space and money. 

I haven't studied much ancient Greece before,  not since Mr. Smelstor's 9th grade ancient civ  class.   I'm a little hooked now though!