Athens
What a contradiction is this city of traffic jams, ugly contemporary architecture, air pollution, and crowds--and then one lifts one's eyes just above the level of human heads, and the sublime of the ancient world quickly emerges. In spite of the delay caused by bad advice about transportation, I enjoy the quick Metro ride to the heart of the Plaka and make my way without much trouble to the Acropolis Museum, which I missed on my earlier visit to Athens, and is strong argument for the return of the so-called "Elgin Marbles," from the British Museum. A truly magnificent place both for what it contains and the architectural design. I have never been in a museum that offers so much "empty" space in which to get different perspectives on each work. Although photos are allowed in only a few parts of the museum, pictures could not give a clear sense of this spaciousness.
In addition to the building itself, the roof and terraces offer views of the Acropolis and other city monuments. With the intensity of the blue sky and the thankfully clear air today, there is little more one could ask for (some new feet perhaps). One of the major issues, unrelated to HAL and the Zuiderdam, is that the weather has been so spectacular, that taking pictures can be difficult. The bright colors and deep shadows often obscure the details one would like to capture. I guess I should find out what settings on my camera would compensate for this. The 60x optical zoom is great, but I do need to figure out more about how the camera settings work, rather than just depending on "auto" to take care of anything.
There is a Metro station right outside the museum and although it involves changing lines, I am able to return to Piteaus without any problems. It's also nice to ride on a newer line of the Metro, not just the old rail line that is used to get to Pireaus (although it has its own charms). I am able to enjoy the walk from the Metro to the ship at a more leisurely pace than my outbound journey this morning.
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