Athens, Delphi, & Meteora
Greece’s bones are from antiquity but its heart beats with a modern beat. The level of architecture, arts, engineering, politics, and culture 3,000 years ago was astounding. The Acropolis stands above Athens with its ancient columns from 450 BC (often, and still, being updated). We stayed in a modern Airbnb right in the shopping district between the Syntagma (Constitution) Square and Monastiraki (Monastery) square next to the Plaka which is the old town. Our tour guide Kostas, gave a needed history lesson from 1000 BC, through the Greek dark ages, Archaic period, ancient period, Roman, all the way through modern constitution – fascinating how much history we don’t know.
We were entranced in the Archeological Museum by the statues from the Archaic period (the kouros (the standing naked male), and the kore (the standing draped female)) – simple but perfectly executed. The marble and bronze statues from the classical period (~450 BC) captured the human form in detail showing the range of artistry and emotion – 2000 years before the Renaissance showed that level in statues like David. Hundreds of these statues, as well as other artifacts, showing Greece’s artistry and golden age are on display – even in the coffee shop. The Acropolis Museum displays the timeline of the acropolis over many centuries, rulers, and wars. Everywhere you turn in Athens you see ancient artifacts from the Golden or Roman ages.
We wandered through the Plaka which is the old part of Athens with hundreds of small shops, cafes, restaurants, and homes. Many great restaurants with kebabs, Greek salad, olives, or souvlaki – often with Greek music playing on bouzoukes. We also discovered the Greek grappa and wines as well as a bar with hundreds of bottles and kegs of local wines, grappa, and local port on the walls. The small cafés for a quick kebab between hikes were delightful.
At Syntagma square we saw the parliament building, the national garden, and the changing of the guards at the tomb of the unknown soldier – the guards change every hour (24/7) with high steps and huge tassels on the boots – pretty interesting. Most days there were also modest rallies going in the Syntagma square for Climate Change Action – probably more police in the neighborhood than protesters but also interesting.
We took a train up to Meteora in the north of Greece to see several monasteries built on the top of mountains virtually hanging off the cliffs. Meteora it turns out was the hub of the orthodox religion with 24 monistaries. It was impossible imagine how they built the structures – with only access by ropes! The monks lived in them and often stayed for decades. While the construction, itself is amazing, the artwork and artifacts inside were stunning and sometimes strange - mostly of saints being killed or tortured in dozens of truly inventive ways. The monasteries are still active today though with fewer monks. Not to be outdone by the men, we visited one active nunnery as well.
A short bus trip took us up to Delphi to see the ancient ruins of the Oracle of Delphi, once the most important place in Greece – all major events in Greek history were determined by a reading at the Oracle. Later, the Romans expanded and added a Roman Theater, Hippodrome, and other temples – still well preserved.
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