Making history
Perhaps no other city has witnessed the birth of so much history. The origins of philosophy, literature, art and political thought can be traced back to Athens. At every turn, the past is on show and no more so than on the Metro and at the new jewel in the city's crown: the Acropolis Museum.
Construction of the Metro, lines 2 and 3 of the city's rail network and an inexpensive way to get around, started in 1991 and the ongoing project has become the biggest archaeological excavation in the area, with more than 50,000 objects recovered thus far.
The Metro combines commuting with culture; major stations feature displays of archaeological finds as well as art by contemporary Greek artists.
As you climb station steps into the hullabaloo of city life, you immediately become part of a 'moving feast' and there's no better place to experience it than the Plaka, the old market quarter. Late afternoon is the best time; the usually noisy alleys are quiet as the afternoon sun drives everyone indoors - it's as if the whole city is dozing before the evening begins.
This is the time for strolling; most restaurants are closed but here and there, the doors to tiny cafes are ajar. Order a Pernod and water to sip while you contemplate the majesty of the best-known symbol of Greece: the Parthenon.
Perched atop the sheer plateau of the Acropolis, it shadows the Plaka and commands a breathtaking view of the surrounding valley and, in the distance, the harbour that Homer said witnessed the launch of a thousand ships. Built by Pericles on the ruins of a much older building, the temple was constructed in the name of Athena and once housed a statue of the goddess wrought from gold and ivory and standing more than 11 metres tall. In the Parthenon is invested an entire civilisation's knowledge and aesthetic values. Plundered by successive occupiers and buccaneers, many of the Parthenon's treasures were carted off as booty or curios.
The relics that remain or have been returned are housed in a state-of-the-art museum. Opened last June and located just south of the Acropolis, in the Makriyanni quarter, the Acropolis Museum is five storeys of sculptured concrete, glass and stainless steel, and holds more than 4,000 artefacts from Athenian and international museums. Entry is a steal at just Euro5 (HK$53).
Each upper floor houses exhibits from a specific period while the ground floor recreates the streets of a neighbourhood long gone. Prior to construction, archaeological work unearthed a glut of artefacts, as well as a network of ancient roads, workshops and houses, some complete with mosaic floors and paved courtyards. Much of what was found can be seen through glass floor panels.
The top floor is a majestic rectangular glass hall rotated off the main building's axis to mirror the orientation of the Parthenon itself, which looms above. It houses displays of the ancient structure's decorative stonework and sculp- tures, as well as plaster casts of the frieze sec- tions that were removed and taken to London in the 19th century.
By twilight, the 'hole in the wall' cafes back in the Plaka begin to hum, as old men take up their favourite tables, to drink and chain smoke. Families arrive and serenity gives way to chatter and the laughter of children playing between the tables. Food appears; little plates of simple fare such as fried whitebait and tomato with feta cheese. Things are not rushed here. The slow, lazy heat of summer makes its own time - 'tomorrow, tomorrow', the Greeks will say in answer to many a question you may care to ask, although faces turn grim when the fires that recently caused thousands of Athenians to flee their homes are discussed.
But hardship is nothing new here and with a wave of a hand, more drinks are ordered. The Ouzo turns white from the first splash of water. Musicians appear to play the mazurka and as the night progresses it's impossible to sit alone; all over Athens people dance the dance of Greece.
