THURSDAY - OCTOBER 14

Thursday, October 14 – Good enough sleep, and again, up before the scheduled wake up call. The last of the workers came out, and the last of the rescuers made it out just before I left to go down to breakfast. I thought I would be early and alone, and there was our sick lady from yesterday, so I joined her. Had a good chat – one of the fun things about a trip like this is learning about the other folks who come along on the trips. Back to the room – and the internet was still out. I did some writing, some reading, made notes about writing an unhappy review of the hotel – and then it was time to gather for the morning trip to the Acropolis.

Except that the Acropolis was closed. Again. Greek is rife with strikes and protests and one of the targets is the large central highly prominent monument. Something to do with back salaries. So we had a discussion over options the tour company created for us. After some discussion the general concensus was to go with Plan B – go to the Acropolis Museum, and then some free time, if people wanted to shop or go on their own to see other sights. It was not a universal concensus – one person stayed at the hotel, and several who came would rather have done a plan C option – but off we went. Did some gentle sight-seeing on the way and when we got to the Museum, discovered it is a very modern structure – only been opened for a year. One of the problems in Athens is that since the city has been occupied for 6,000 years, once you start to dig for a new foundation or even for a major renovation, you are going to hit something of archaeological interest. Worse for a large structure for a museum. So they designed the museum to sit above the excavation. And the dig is still going on. The floor of the entry way and much of the first floor is clear plexiglass, so you can watch the dig going on under your feet. As items have been excavated, they are added to the museum collection.

One of Acropolis excavations discovered a huge cache of statues and other artifacts buried together. Seems that when the Persians (? – I think it was the Persians) entered and sacked the city,  they found it largely undefended and so they pretty well flattened everything. But they realized that so many of these statues had been offerings to the gods, and so they did not feel they could destroy them, so they buried them in a huge hole, all thrown together. Talk about an archaeologist’s dream!

Our guide was with us – the story-teller from yesterday. Very educated, very knowledgeable, and somehow she really want us to have every bit of knowledge she has. Now we were in a museum, with very informative signs and displays – but our guide talked us through. I was with one of the blind members, and we wandered off by ourselves for part of the time. It is a gorgeous new facility, glass walls on many sides, and a magnificent view of the Acropolis, which is up the mountain but right next to the museum. No pictures are allowed in the museum – and the reason is that the dig is moving so quickly that many of the items have yet to be properly catalogued. The museum will close again shortly, so that a new entrance can be created, so that entering, you will literally walk through the ancient city excavated underneath the building, with exhibits showing aspects of everyday life, and then move into the museum proper.

Around 1:30 we split up – some went back to the hotel with the bus, some went into the Plaka, the old market area, and I wandered off to find Mars Hill, the site from which Paul preached his homily about the “unknown god”. I had to walk around the Acropolis and then down a hill and a whole other ancient section. Fascinating. Then I had to find the hotel, which meant going through the Plaka – and I did it! Not without a little sideways wandering but with all these wonderful breakfasts, I needed to exercise. I ran into a major demonstration at the Parliament. Lots of protesters, and a lot of army guys as well. I also came across a small boy (maybe 7?) sitting on a stool and playing a small accordion. Street beggar, but very cute.

And back to the hotel. I discovered that the folks who had gone back to the  hotel had also gotten caught in the middle of a demonstration, and so had to abandon the bus and come back to the hotel by the Metro. One of the tour company people was there to guide them, so it was a fairly stress-free adventure.

We had Mass at the hotel at 5, and then a business meeting with someone from the tour company prepping us for the cruise portion of the trip – how meals and charges work, the optional tours that are available at various stops along the way (NOT cheap! – I will be taking up a collection when I return) and the schedule for tomorrow. People then wandered off for dinner. I was not going to eat, but I walked one woman who is blind to the restaurant I had been to last night. She wanted to go out, but no one else did, so off she went by herself. She is very independent, and had no qualms about eating alone, or finding her way back to the hotel. I know people who are nervous about walking out of the hotel by themselves in a strange city, and they are sighted!

I went back to get out the monthly E-newsletter and catch up on some writing (and praying!) and a slightly earlier bed. Of course, all that did was cause me to wake up at 4 o’clock, and I mean wide awake. So I did some writing, and watched a German film with English dubbing and Greek subtitles.

Today (Friday the 15^th) we have Mass at the Cathedral, and free time, packing and a departure a little after twelve for the port and embarkation. Tomorrow in Istanbul!