Servia-Velventos

My room in Bed in Athens not only has a nespresso machine but my favourite Volutto flavour - no milk required !
Had the best hot fresh from-the-oven kolouri from Koulouri of Psirri just round the corner and that was breakfast.
Finding navigation rather difficult in Athens and had headed in the anticlockwise direction rather than clockwise to go to the new Acropolis Museum or vice versa. Impressive building, opened in 2009 and down near Art Gallery Pension with a clear floor enabling viewing of excavations. Many familiar pieces - pensive Athena, blonde boy, kritios boy and kore. What was innovative was next to some they had built fake copies and had coloured them, also signs saying archaeologidts are available to answer questions. Top floor displayed mostly fake plaster casts of the pediments and interesting film on where the originals are. The Louvre actually has some but it is the ones taken/saved by Lord Elgin in early 1800’s that were the focus. The film showed a picture of the Parthenon and then particular pieces flying out of it with commentary saying Elgin took them - kind of amusing representation of a touchy subject. There was a dramatic display of the cutting of the friezes in order to reduce weight. Also the ship transporting them sunk and they were retrieved from the ocean floor. The museum’s top floor has been built in the same dimensions as the real thing suggesting that it’s all ready for them to come back ! There were tiny sad bits of the original shown in a couple of cases.
Came out feeling rather flat so sat in the shade and met english lady from a cruise ship and then US couple from same ship who thought I was one of the 2,600 on it.
Got some energy to tackle Plaka - very similar but more graffiti and any loud venues seem to have been moved out so very sedate except for agressive jewellery sellers. Lots of Acropolis views, yum scrambled eggs, smoked salmon, avacado and salad, then loukamades !!!!
Back home for a rest as the crowds and rough footpaths are causing some grief for my toe. Out again round Monastiraki, then ouzo in Psirri where it feels much safer than out in Ermou and Monastiraki.
Roast lamb dinner.Read more