Only a few shady streets away from our place of rest is the National Archaeological Museum – which houses by far the most supreme and complete collection of Greek antiquities and relics found anywhere in the world.
The halls are boundless and immaculate. Even without extensive prior knowledge it’s possible to learn a great deal from just a two hour visit to this museum. Time is consistently split between gaping in wonder at each monumental exhibit, and reading with amazement the accompanying description. Some visitors devote an entire day to gaining even a small understanding of the magnificence and grandeur contained within this giant building. I could quite easily have. Yet with only one afternoon remaining in which to observe Athens’ most preeminent vestige, we reluctantly moved on.
Whether it be from a high vantage point or down at street level, Athens does little to quell my initial impressions. Every aging edifice and nondescript area of urban disorder just serves to confirm my distinctly neutral view of the place. Modern Athens is a southern European city at its worst. There are fleeting hints of intrigue, but the majorThe exception to this is certainly the Acropolis, which towers over the decaying burghal spread like a beacon of ancient promise above a swell of modern sameness. It may be several thousand years old, but it seems to whisper innovation more than anything noisy and boisterous below.ity just doesn’t warrant the hassle.
If I sounded harsh on Athens, it may be because I’ve failed in suitably articulating how arresting the primary wonders are. Like many capital cities around the world, I believe Athens probably showcases both the best and worst of the country as a whole. Overdevelopment is one perspective. The beautiful simplicity of a sunlit heirloom of history sitting next to the deep blue expanse of the Athenian sky is another – and surely the more noteworthy.
