I know I’ll probably repeat some of today with the family, but needed to do some walking so took my earbuds and phone and walked a couple of Rick Steves tours. They’re so good!
When we were here 8 years ago for my sister’s and stepmother’s birthdays, I didn’t do either of the walks I did today and they were great. Ended up walking about 9 miles which was more than I expected, but I saw a lot!
One fact that stood out today was that there was a big schism in Christianity. A note from AI: The Schism between the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches occurred in 1054 with the event known as the East-West Schism. This formal break in communion was the result of centuries of growing tensions, political and cultural differences, and theological disagreements between the Western and Eastern branches of Christianity. The formal split was marked by the mutual excommunication of the Pope of Rome and the Patriarch of Constantinople.
I never thought about it and why the Orthodoxy practices are so different. The churches are so elaborate and gorgeous. Evidently, practitioners are supposed to stand, thus the many things to look at, but very few chairs for only older practitioners.
Anyway, I looked at the first walk, Athens City and it started 350 feet from the front door of the hotel. Clearly meant to be. Between 2500 years of history (he does know how to pack it in), the cool perfect morning weather and the interesting sights, I had a wonderful morning.
At the end of the biggest pedestrian shopping mall is this gem. The Church of Kapnikarea, built in the 11th and 12th centuries. I love these kinds of juxtapositions.
The next stop was the big cathedral, built in 1842. The only reason I’m including this is because the archbishop here in WWII was incredible. He was a rare Christian leader who spoke out against the Nazi’s and protected the Jews as much as he could. They threatened to put in front of a firing squad and he joked they should hang him instead. After the war, he was the caretaker prime minister. Pretty amazing. The statue of him was erected by Athens’ Jewish community as a show of thanks.
I then continued with the tour around Athens, winding up through a wonderfully tiny neighborhood in the back of the Acropolis that I wondered if I’d find again. Can’t wait to be there with the family.
I came back to the hotel, to cool off, and get a hat and drop the over shirt – it was getting hot. My plan was to do the tour of the Agora, the ancient home of democracy. I was telling one of the bellmen my plan and he told me to go to this neighborhood in the back (different back) of the Acropolis for lunch. Off the beaten track. Cool, I’ll do that.
We’ll, the Agora was great, though the entry was not marked and was all the way on the other side from the Rick Steves directions. But I did find it, following a French couple who were also wondering if they’d ever find their way in.
Ach, just looked at my photos, really impossible to convey the enormity of this open-air plaza where people actually voted and help their senators accountable. So many cool places, here’s a view of the Acropolis from the Agora. They used to march in a parade from here all the way up once a year, a great spectacle taking a newly woven robe to Athena in the Parthenon.
After I finished the tour, I decided to try to find this neighborhood to the right and back of this view of the Acropolis where Georgia told me to go. I was watching my phone’s battery and using GPS as sparingly as I could. And I walked. And walked.
I ended up in great neighborhoods, saw parents waiting to pick up their kids and then a market that was only locals and went for blocks. I was definitely the only tourist in the midst so just took one snap. I then continued with the tour around Athens, winding up through a wonderfully tiny neighborhood in the back of the Acropolis that I wondered if I’d find again. Can’t wait to be there with the family.
I then finally gave up on finding these small plate restaurants that he said were great and started trying to find my way back. At one point, I was in the midst of land with no people in sight and I had no idea where I was. This was wide open in the midst of Athens! On my map it said I would pass Socrates’ prison – I wanted to see that. I didn’t see that.
I did see this burial spot of Thucydides – amazing to know this name and his history and here he was!
Then I suddenly hit a beautiful cobble wide walkway, ok, I must be getting closer to something I’ll recognize.
Whew, ok I recognize something (the Acropolis)and think I can find my way back if my phone runs out.
Yay, so happy to eventually make my way back to the hotel. I realized I did an entire circumnavigation of the Acropolis adding in many different areas. Loved getting a real sense of the space and how the neighborhoods work.
Reb's Walks! 