Day 2 : Athens - Parthenon, Acropolis & Ancient Agora

I have always been in awe about Greek mythology and the ruins, though I am really bad at the stories and the different gods (there are just too many of them!).  So coming to Athens to visit the life-size ruins was like a dream for me.

My first stop, Acropolis Museum.  Being really bad with the different ruin names, it didn’t struck me that what I had always seen on pictures or in the movies of the famous ruin in Athens was called the Parthenon and thought that it was called the Acropolis  (I wasn’t fully wrong as I later found out that the Parthenon is located within the Acropolis and is the most famous structure there).

So when I came to the Acropolis museum, I thought “This is it!”  I was a little suspicious though as it was a swanky glass building.  But as I walked through the common area leading to the building, there were a few staff who were doing some excavation work and thought that perhaps there was a path from the swanky building that would lead to the ruins.

My gut feel was right!  The building was 4 levels high and contained artefacts that was excavated over time such as statues, vases, porcelains, some pillars, and talked a lot about the Greek Goddess Athena, since the Parthenon was built in dedication to her.  Entrance to the Parthenon was through a different ruin entrance. 

I was never much a museum buff, and walked by most of the artefacts, plus my stomach was starting to growl since it was lunch time.  Yet despite that, some things caught my attention and I stayed in the building for over an hour. 

I think it was a good thing that I had visited the museum first as I was able to appreciate the ruin structures better when I was actually at the Parthenon – the structure, layout, dimensions of the different pillars etc..

As for the walk through the Acropolis, Parthenon and Ancient Agora, I got really tired on many occasions and had to rest.  I think I was more drained out by the heat of the sun rather than the walk, and my legs were sooo exhausted!

Many people had also said that the ruins can be completed within a day, but it doesn’t seem to be the case for me.  I will be back tomorrow to visit some other ruins which I had missed out today, and will try to squeeze in one other sightseeing spot!