Citrus trees are pretty common here; there are some right by the corner of this building for instance. It looks like a lime in the picture, but they're really satsumas or the like because they turn yellow when ripe. They're not edible of course, far too much pollution.
I decided to use the public transport as much as possible today, and it turned out to be a wise choice: I kept coughing much less. Yesterday, walking along the large streets, the car exhaust fumes really felt bad in my lungs, throat and nose. The air must have been a bit cleaner today, as well, because it rained yesterday and during the night. Quite a different weather today: +24 C in the shade and sunny. It really felt like being in the Mediterranean, especially when I was walking around the Acropolis and its lower hillsides with their greenery, cyprus and olive trees and palms.
The public transport system of Athens is really excellent too, and cheap - a weekly ticket for all forms of transport is only 10 euros. They also play music at least in the central metro stations. This morning at the Syntagma (parliament square) station the music had a distinctly Arabic flavour. Perhaps someone in charge had fancied the CD, or perhaps it's a reflection of the fact that Greek music - like a lot in Greek culture - is heavily Turkish-influenced (although apparently this is something that many Greeks don't like to admit).
I must say that I really enjoy the fact that I know (and remember) the city well enough to not need a map usually (would of course be different if I decided to head out to the suburbs; and I will be needing a map if I go to Pireus - and I will, as I want to catch the sea). Of course I don't know all the streets and alleyways, far from it. But I do know the basic plan and the location of the major streets, so I always know which way I should be going. Not needing a map gives you a feeling of freedom, and it also has the advantage that you won't be automatically thought of as a tourist.
I was out and about in the city early today so got to the new Acropolis museum before the huge queues. A brilliant building that uses lots of glass to best effect. Also the exhibitions are fantastically arranged, though most of the stuff - or similar stuff - I have already seen in other museums. The walkway to the museum entrance has glass-covered sections which reveal the archaeological remains beneath, and also there's a larger, fenced-off open space where you can see the things beneath better. The archaeological remains look like the bases and lower walls of private houses, with a couple of wells. It really shows the situation with all building projects in Athens, particularly in central Athens: you just can't go ahead and build, because there are likely to be important archaeological remains beneath which have to be investigated and excavated and catalogued.
From the museum I walked around the Acropolis and to the Agora. I did not walk around it because I've seen it so many times already, but the Acropolis entrance ticket I bought yesterday gave free access to the Agora so I could go through the gates and over to Plaka. Yesterday I said to myself that I need to go back to the National Gardens when the weather is better, so today I did. What a wonderful respite from the din of the city! The greenery, the warmth, the scents, the singing of birds... I really hope I won't feel too depressed getting back to the cold and dark of Finland at the end of this month! Then again I'm sure it will be getting cooler in Greece too by that time, so it should ease the transition.
By the time I got out of the park I was a bit tired so I decided to head back to the hostel. I had in mind to rest a bit and then walk around in the neighbourhood, but in the end did not have the energy for that. Instead, I did the laundry and then just have been editing some photographs. Tomorrow I'm getting to work. In the morning, I need to go to the Finnish institute to pick up the introduction letter which will give me access to the library of the American School of Classical Studies. At 2.30 pm I will be at the library; the precise time is because they give out new entrance cards in the morning of each monday, and between 2.30 and 3.30 pm on mondays and thursdays. I will mostly be working at this library, though might possibly need something at the libraries of the French and German institutes as well. I'll be trying to work studiously from the morning to closing time (8 pm). Who knows, maybe I'll be able to do the things I need to do well ahead of schedule so will have some extra free days before I'll leave Athens.
I decided to use the public transport as much as possible today, and it turned out to be a wise choice: I kept coughing much less. Yesterday, walking along the large streets, the car exhaust fumes really felt bad in my lungs, throat and nose. The air must have been a bit cleaner today, as well, because it rained yesterday and during the night. Quite a different weather today: +24 C in the shade and sunny. It really felt like being in the Mediterranean, especially when I was walking around the Acropolis and its lower hillsides with their greenery, cyprus and olive trees and palms.
The public transport system of Athens is really excellent too, and cheap - a weekly ticket for all forms of transport is only 10 euros. They also play music at least in the central metro stations. This morning at the Syntagma (parliament square) station the music had a distinctly Arabic flavour. Perhaps someone in charge had fancied the CD, or perhaps it's a reflection of the fact that Greek music - like a lot in Greek culture - is heavily Turkish-influenced (although apparently this is something that many Greeks don't like to admit).
I must say that I really enjoy the fact that I know (and remember) the city well enough to not need a map usually (would of course be different if I decided to head out to the suburbs; and I will be needing a map if I go to Pireus - and I will, as I want to catch the sea). Of course I don't know all the streets and alleyways, far from it. But I do know the basic plan and the location of the major streets, so I always know which way I should be going. Not needing a map gives you a feeling of freedom, and it also has the advantage that you won't be automatically thought of as a tourist.
I was out and about in the city early today so got to the new Acropolis museum before the huge queues. A brilliant building that uses lots of glass to best effect. Also the exhibitions are fantastically arranged, though most of the stuff - or similar stuff - I have already seen in other museums. The walkway to the museum entrance has glass-covered sections which reveal the archaeological remains beneath, and also there's a larger, fenced-off open space where you can see the things beneath better. The archaeological remains look like the bases and lower walls of private houses, with a couple of wells. It really shows the situation with all building projects in Athens, particularly in central Athens: you just can't go ahead and build, because there are likely to be important archaeological remains beneath which have to be investigated and excavated and catalogued.
From the museum I walked around the Acropolis and to the Agora. I did not walk around it because I've seen it so many times already, but the Acropolis entrance ticket I bought yesterday gave free access to the Agora so I could go through the gates and over to Plaka. Yesterday I said to myself that I need to go back to the National Gardens when the weather is better, so today I did. What a wonderful respite from the din of the city! The greenery, the warmth, the scents, the singing of birds... I really hope I won't feel too depressed getting back to the cold and dark of Finland at the end of this month! Then again I'm sure it will be getting cooler in Greece too by that time, so it should ease the transition.
By the time I got out of the park I was a bit tired so I decided to head back to the hostel. I had in mind to rest a bit and then walk around in the neighbourhood, but in the end did not have the energy for that. Instead, I did the laundry and then just have been editing some photographs. Tomorrow I'm getting to work. In the morning, I need to go to the Finnish institute to pick up the introduction letter which will give me access to the library of the American School of Classical Studies. At 2.30 pm I will be at the library; the precise time is because they give out new entrance cards in the morning of each monday, and between 2.30 and 3.30 pm on mondays and thursdays. I will mostly be working at this library, though might possibly need something at the libraries of the French and German institutes as well. I'll be trying to work studiously from the morning to closing time (8 pm). Who knows, maybe I'll be able to do the things I need to do well ahead of schedule so will have some extra free days before I'll leave Athens.
3 comments:
Maria, it sounds heavenly.
i hope you get a lot of work done quickly- extra days in the sun is a great incentive!
xx
AM
I knew you would remember the streets when you got there! :)
I am enjoying reading about your Greece adventure. But wow, what a work time schedule, hope you do have time to 'play' before you leave Athens.
xo
It must be incredible to see all those ancient structures still lying in the earth, Maria. Thanks goodness they respect their history and heritage to such a degree. it would be criminal if they built modern buildings over such important sites without excavating them first. If I had my way, nothing would be buildt over them at all of course ;-)
The gardens sound lovely indeed. Savour the moments you have when you aren't working Maria. It would be awful if you didn't have time to enjoy it all too.
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