Every time that I’ve attempted to write about my experience in Athens, I seem to become teary eyed. I knew Athens was our last stop before we returned home. No matter how I prepared myself; I wasn’t ready to be awake from my dream. For I truly lived in paradise. While speaking with my Mom in Mykonos, I was ranting about our travels and just expressing my joy regarding what we had seen. I also made her privy to the beautiful jacket I was talked off the cliff from purchasing while we roamed the streets of Mykonos. My mother with her calm and sweet voice said, “don’t forget that you gotta come back home.” Reluctantly…I was anchored back into reality. I then told myself that I must make “this feeling” my norm. Arriving in Athens resurfaced emotions that I was fighting to keep locked away.

Leaving Athens equated to time uncoupling between fulfillment and tranquility. This space that I was engulfed in allowed me to slow down my everyday routines and embrace time. For within that moment, I knew that time was undoubtably on my side. The radiance of our smiles glistened brighter than the stars throughout the undistributed Athens night sky. It was as if we danced amongst the constellations. The joy I was experiencing emanated love from within my heart. How could this end? Why should this moment conclude. I was dreading the moment of my curtain closing.

Even now attempting to explain has been overwhelming. Before I conclude my Greece series, I want to share a few moments from Athens. Believe it or not, I have been intentionally delayed completing this post, because I dreaded bringing this experience to an end. It is time for me to accept the inevitable and write this final exert about Greece. Below, I am sharing moments that are engraved in my heart for a lifetime.

Athens Adventures and Tours:

• The first night, we meet my dear friend at Couleur Locale, which is a gorgeous rooftop bistro. Once we walked off of the elevator and entered onto the rooftop, our breaths were taken away by the majestic view of the Acropolis.
• The following day, we went on an all day tour of the Acropolis, which is a 5th century BC temple complex in Athens. Our previous night was full of celebration and enjoying the Athenian night life. While there weren’t any complaints, we paid for our decisions as we climbed the 250 steps to the top of the hill that the Acropolis set on. (In case one doesn’t know, the Acropolis sits on a hill and is not wheelchair accessible, but the museum, which was built in 2009 is wheelchair accessible.) The main monuments of the Acropolis are the Parthenon, the Propylaea, the Erechtheion, and the Temple of Athena Nike. To learn more about the Acropolis and the museum, click here. Here are some facts that were interesting to muah:
  • Per Acropolis of Athens’ website, the Acropolis, and the Parthenon in particular, is the most iconic monument of the ancient Greek civilization.
  • Per Acropolis of Athens’ website,  the Acropolis was constructed between 447 and 438 BC and its sculptural decoration was completed in 432 BC. 
  • Lord Elgin – a British Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire – removed over half of the Athenian Acropolis and as of February 2023, these sculptures are currently housed in the British Museum. Supposedly, the new Acropolis Museum was built to store them, since the British government used Greece not being able to store and care for the sculptures as a reason to not return them. (Sidenote: It appears as if the act of removing & securing – stealing – artifacts is more common than I realized, but read more on this particular subject matter here by reading the New York Times’ article entitled, After 220 Years, the Fate of the Parthenon Marbles Rests in Secret Talks.)
• Following our 2 hour tour of the Acropolis Museum, my friend and I took a moment and ate at the restaurant. Upon being seated inside, we had to accept not being able to sit on the outside patio due to limited seating. Per the Acropolis Museum’s website (click here), “the restaurant features a 700 square meter dining area with a unique advantage: panoramic views of the Acropolis and Athens’ other historic hills.” Everyone wanted to sit in view of the historic hill, but we took the first available seat because we had a small window of time to eat. She was treating us to a massage and the spa happened to be within walking distance. I enjoyed every moment at the museum and found myself captivated in the moment. For I was standing in Athens, seeing artifacts from ancient civilizations. I dreamt about this in High School; now I was here. So, here are a few things that I found to interesting about the museum:
  • The museum and the surrounding neighborhood is located on top of an excavation site. In regards to the museum, when you’re walking into the main entry, you walk over a bridge that overlooks the remains of the archaeological site, which excavation for this area started in 1997. The site that the museum is build on is called the Makrygiannis plot. Of course I’m going to direct you to the museum’s The Archaeological Excavation page to learn more about the excavation and the Makrygiannis plot. (It’s very interesting!!!) When I return, I will most defiantly visit the archaeological excavation site beneath the Museum, which has it’s separate hours of operation from the museum itself.
  • No photography was allowed in the Archaic Acropolis exhibit to protect the structures and this area was primarily on the first floor. The entire third floor was dedicated to the Parthenon. A replica is created of the Parthenon to show the entirety of the Doric temple and a life size of the metopes were on display as well. Now, what I found interesting is that the metopes on each side of the temple portrayed a different greek mythical story:
    • North – the Trojan War – the defeat of the city of Troy by the Greeks ;
    • East – the Gigantomachy – the battle between the Olympian gods and the Giants;
    • South –the Centauromachy – the battle between the Lapiths and the Centaurs; and
    • West – the Amazonomachy – the battle between the Athenians and the Amazons
• As previously mentioned, after visiting the Acropolis and the Acropolis Museum, I visited Hammam Shahrazad for a massage. The walk there was nothing short of picturesque and  worth taking. Upon our arrival we were greeted by iron doors. As we walked into the establishment, we were transported to an Arabian work. Warm smiles instantly embraced us and directed us down a stairwell. We were instructed to change and once I found my balance, I enjoyed walking in the wooden clogs (takunya). Baby…the massage was so relaxing. I felt by body slowly shutting down. First my brain only to be followed by my body, and then my conscious. I vaguely remember the masseuse shacking me and asking am I ok. To that I though, “what happened?!” My senses, body, and soul was transported. And yes, you should go visit when you get a chance.

In closing, Athens carried the energy of most metropolitan areas, while we were passing through, she held the people that I hold close to my heart in her hands. Oh, she treated us like kin. We were all the epitome of love…peace…fulfillment. For in that moment, my heart changed. I no longer needed a location to bound us together. The world became our home. In retrospect, New York was the cornerstone of my current life with these beautiful beings. Moving there forced me to take the first steps in becoming who I am today. Athens confirmed that our relationships had been transformed to a place where I no longer knew boundaries such as space, time, or distance. For we all became cemented in the love we shared for one another. Thank you Athens.

Helpful Tips & Resources:

• Planning your trip to The Acropolis Museum
  • Map of the museum
  • Depending on when you’re visiting, I would highly recommend having a skip the line pass, because although the “express” line was long, I didn’t want to stand in the other line.
• Wear comfortable walking shoes and loose cotton clothing to visit to the Acropolis – it’s outdoors on a hill, which means you are closer to God and the sun.
  • Make sure your walking shoes have grip, you will be walking on marble and it’s easy to slip. A few people fell during out visit. Walk slow and take your time.
  • If it matters to you wear something cute, because you will take a lot of pictures!
• Water! Water! Water! Fill up your canister. By the time you walk up the steps, you will be reaching for water.
• There is a restroom on your way up the hill and you will have to pass it going back down. Just make sure you stop and tend to yourself before it’s urgent.
• Take a moment to indulge in a hamman spa after touring the Acropolis.
  • Go view the Acropolis in the morning; tour the museum mid-day; grab lunch and if possible make reservations at the restaurant outside before going on your tour; and then get a massage in the early evening. (See what I did there!?)
• Walk around the neighborhood. We were able to stumble upon a local spa, gallery, shop, and gelato! You never know where adventure may take you.
• Ask locals for directions or recommendations. Majority of the locals spoke english. Our taxi driver was an elder and he didn’t. Yes, there was a language barrier, but he tended to us like we were in his care. To make sure he understood where we were going, he pulled to the side, took our hotel card, and walked over to someone and asked where the hotel was located. The world is filled with good people, like you.