Athens

The search for the ideal.

This was a room of philosophers heads at the museum.  All dead of course though Peter says he's not dead just standing 

amongst other great thinkers....

This looks like a dance but is actually the guards outside the Parliament building. They change every hour in the mornings. They stamp their feet down with a snapping sound.

After this stamping display we took ourselves off to the National Archeological Museum. It was a lot more interesting than it sounds! There was an enormous amount of fabulous items. Lots of beautiful gold which was only dug up in 1800s by a German who immediately donated it to the Greek King. He hoped it would form a museum which would bring wealth and people to Greece. (Unlike Lord Elgin, who we were told in a video yesterday 'looted' key marbles by ' chiselling them off'!)

Obviously there were lots of wonderful statues. This is Poseidon.

And fab artifacts from the bronze age Cycladic culture.  Many looked modern, made of pottery and 4000 years old.

Tomorrow we hope to catch a bus to Marathon where we have 7 days of relaxation.  Though I think there are some ancient sites..... !

Hope one day we will be back in Athens.