Greece
Filopáppou

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    • Day 27

      The Museum and Excavation Site

      June 15, 2022 in Greece ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C

      Good morning, all! The bed here is super comfy and I don’t think I moved all night. They have roll down window ‘shutters’ here (I’ve seen these elsewhere in Europe) and they act like total blackout blinds and noise barriers. You can have them all the up or down or a partial way. (Wish I had these at home on night shift!) I have my breakfast of yogurt, fresh fruit, muesli, and honey. The place I’ve rented is fairly close to the main attractions so I can walk. Today I’m going to the Acropolis Museum.

      It is a very warm walk (up hill) to the museum. It is only 15 minutes (according to Google Maps) but it seems longer. Along the way I notice that the trees have oranges on them. They have planted orange trees up and down the street. It looks like they are ready to pick as well. A quick Google search, tells me that these are bitter oranges and are not good for eating. Still, it looks pretty!

      The museum is a very modern building covering some very ancient ruins. The building was started in 2004 and opened in 2009. The exhibits inside are wonderful, however the exhibits underneath is surprising. As you walk up to the entrance the walk way is actually glass. I normally hate these but this one show that the museum was built over an old ancient settlement that dates from the 7th-9th century AD that has been excavated! How cool is that? I have to talk a little about how the building was constructed. The old settlement had been found in 1989 when they were excavating for the current building. Excavation was stopped while the settlement could be studied. It was then decided to use a floating design for the building so that the settlement would not be ruined. Now you can see the exhibits inside the museum and under the museum.

      Several of the artifacts in the museum are very well displayed and the stone column statues of the women were actually moved here from the Acropolis and restored for preservation. After viewing all the exhibits, you can then wander underneath the building on walk-ways to check out the city below the museum. You can actually see the clay pipes used for plumbing. You can also see where they would have had outside patio space. Amazing! Check out the pictures.

      After this I head for some late lunch/early dinner at a place in a little square on my way home. It has been a pleasant day.
      I could see the Acropolis staring down at me from the museum, goading me to walk up and check it out. That will be tomorrow’s adventure!
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    • Day 146

      The Birthplace of Democracy - The Pnyx

      March 3, 2020 in Greece ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

      The Word Democracy comes from the Greek Words Demos (People) Kratos (Power) People Power, Demokratia = Democracy.

      Went for a wander around the city yesterday, just to see the many ruins in Athens. First stop after lunch was Filopappou Hill, which for you history buffs is considered the birthplace of Democracy. With a great view of the Acropolis, this area had several prominent sites, including The Pnyx. Beginning as early as 507 BC, the Athenians gathered on the Pnyx to host their popular assemblies, thus making the hill one of the earliest and most important sites in the creation of democracy.Read more

    • Day 3

      Day 3 - Athens, Greece

      February 20, 2023 in Greece ⋅ 🌙 57 °F

      Today was a much more relaxed kind of day! After a run that passed me by the Acropolis and the original Olympic stadium, Adina and I sat on the roof and read.

      Then we went in search of coffee and stamps. We drank our coffee as I wrote out postcards to people back home. Then we went in search of a gift shop. We had been there and bought some stuff yesterday, but Bella (Adina's daughter) made a request for more. We were unsuccessful because they were closed today. A lot of the gift shops were closed today. It was so weird!

      We are lunch listening to a street performer near the Parthenon. After a quick stop at the hotel, we made our way to the wine tour. Along the way, we found a really great beer shop! Now it seems I have to check my luggage....🫤

      The tour was really great. Constantine (our guide) was a bit late, but she made up for it. We tried all kinds of wine and liquors from Greece. And the food (souvlaki and mushroom risotto capped off by tiramisu ice cream) was amazing!!

      Time for bed. EARLY morning! We're cruising the islands!
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    • Day 2

      Day 2 Athens, Greece

      February 19, 2023 in Greece

      This morning I got up and went exploring on a run around the Acropolis. It was so nice to find the Plaka and run through before it got really busy!

      Then I came back, ate breakfast at the hotel (yum!), and then Adina and I headed to back to the Acropolis.

      After walking around the Parthenon, we went to the Acropolis Museum and excavation site. The site was not open yet when Gary and I came last time.

      From there we went in search of food, but got distracted by shopping! We both got all kinds of great souvenirs! I can't wait to give mine to people!

      We didn't find food right away, so I got coconut ice cream! We did eventually find food that was portable (my second helping of spinach pie for the day - first was at breakfast) and ate in a park and people watched.

      We had passed an "ice cream donut" place before lunch. It had my birthday on the "today's date". Serendipity?

      Yes, it was delicious! Orange cream!

      I got a bunch of post cards too, but now I have to get stamps! That's on the list for tomorrow!

      We walked around and found the meeting place for our upcoming tours, got some dinner to go, and headed back to the hotel. Adina stopped and got a bottle of wine on the way.

      There is a patio on the roof of the hotel. It looks out on the Acropolis. I couldn't get a better view for our evening meal!!

      Tomorrow is the food and wine tour! And I'm going to try to run to/on the original Olympic stadium. What a wonderful day!
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    • Ankunft in Athen

      May 29, 2019 in Greece ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

      Vom letzten Gipfel aus erwartet uns eine phänomenale Abfahrt. Immer wieder halten wir an, um Fotos zu machen, fast an jeder Kehre offenbart sich eine neue tolle Aussicht. Recht bald lässt sich auch die Stadt in der Ferne erahnen, ein riesiges Häusermeer, dass da zu unseren Füßen liegt. Weniger idyllisch ist es, als wir uns dann mitten in der Stadt wiederfinden. Claudia ist mit dem Verkehr und der Reizüberflutung deutlich überfordert, Heiko radelt deutlich entspannter durch die Straßen dieser großen, quirligen Stadt. Am Ziel angekommen müssen wir noch ein Viertelstündchen auf unsere Vemieterin warten, dann können wir die vorab gebuchte kleine Wohnung am Fuße des Filopappou-Hügels beziehen. Unsere sehr freundliche Gastgeberin gibt uns noch eine Einweisung und einige Ratschläge für die kommenden Tage, dann sind wir allein. Wir duschen nur kurz, gehen in "unserem Viertel" etwas essen und besteigen dann "unseren Hausberg ". Hier genießen wir die grandiose Sicht über die Stadt, das Rauschen derselben und schließlich den Sonnenuntergang.Read more

    • Day 8

      Laiki (Farmer's Market)

      July 1, 2016 in Greece ⋅ ☀️ 31 °C

      I went to the Laiki this morning to buy some fruits and vegetables for the week. The Laiki is a pop-up street market that happens once a week in the different neighborhoods in Athens. The prices and quality are considerably better than what one would find in a local supermarket. It's also a much funner experience seeing all the colorful displays.Read more

    • Day 94

      Ab in die Hauptstadt Griechenlands

      December 13, 2018 in Greece ⋅ ⛅ 7 °C

      Es regnet und regnet und am liebsten würden wir gar nicht aufstehen, sondern einfach den ganzen Tag im Bett bleiben... aber Athen ruft!
      Deshalb haben wir uns nach einem entspannten morgen dann doch auf den Weg gemacht um die Hauptstadt zu erkunden.

      Das Ziel war ein Campingplatz ein bisschen außerhalb damit wir uns den Stadtverkehr auch diesmal sparen können. Dort angekommen stellte sich heraus, dass dieser leider bereits geschlossen hatte, so dass wir entschieden doch nach Athen reinzufahren und in der Nähe der Akropolis zu nächtigen.

      Glücklicherweise hatte sich der Regen beinahe verzogen, so dass wir uns zunächst den Bergpark mit dem Philopappos Monument und dem Gefängnis des Sokrates ansehen konnten. Bis auf ein paar wilde Hunde waren wir hier beinahe alleine. Der Park war wirklich schön angelegt und wir hatten einen tollen Blick auf die Stadt und auf die Akropolis, welche wir als Nächstes aufsuchten.
      Hier wurde schnell klar, dass es sich um die Hauptattraktion Athens handelt, denn auch im Dezember war noch sehr viel los. Doch wieder mal hatten wir Glück außerhalb der Saison vor Ort zu sein, da wir nur die Hälfte bezahlten mussten (dafür war jedoch auch ein Teil eingerüstet). Wir waren sehr beeindruckt von den alten antiken Gebäuden, die bereits 500 v. Chr. erbaut wurden. Das größte Gebäude, der Parthenon, bildet das Zentrum des Weltkulturerbes.
      Von dort oben hat man einen tollen Blick auf einige der antiken Gebäude ringsherum, wie das Odeon des Herodes Atticus, das Dyonisostheater, den Olympieion, den Berg Lykabettus und vieles mehr.

      Wir bummelten noch etwas durch die belebte Stadt bevor wir uns in einem griechischen Restaurant niederließen, dass noch ganz traditionell von einer Familie betrieben wird. Wir waren wirklich begeistert und zum Abschluss gab es sogar noch ein Stück Kuchen und einen Schnaps aufs Haus und ein Wasser für den Weg :D

      Um unseren Bierdurst zu stillen, besuchten wir anschließend eine ansprechende Kneipenstraße und entschieden und für das Beertime in dem man Biersorten aus aller Welt in gemütlicher Atmosphäre genießen konnte. Für Leni gab es dort sogar ganz typischen deutschen Glühwein, der auch als "Glühwein" auf der Karte betitelt wurde.

      Mit etwas bangen, ob unser Freudolin noch im selben Zustand auf dem Parkplatz stehen würde, machten wir uns auf den Rückweg, denn wir hatten bereits von Horrorszenarien mit Camperbussen gelesen. Zum Glück ging aber alles gut und Freudi empfing uns gesund und munter.
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    • Day 3

      Socrates's Prison

      June 26, 2016 in Greece ⋅ ⛅ 30 °C

      Located on Philopappos hill next to the Acropolis, the three carved out rooms are rumored to be where Socrates was imprisoned before his execution. The structure was used to hide antiquities during WWII, and was covered with concrete. The concrete was removed in 1999.Read more

    You might also know this place by the following names:

    Filopáppou, Filopappou, Φιλοπάππου

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