Going to Greece

Dec 4th, 2008

The places I want to visit in Greece.

1. Athens  

• The Acropolis, where the pantheon is. 'nuff said.
  
• The Monastiraki, the flea market of Athens, I am particularly looking forward to meeting the sandal maker who made the sandals for the Beatles. he is known as a poet among sandal makers and apparently when he is among poets they call him the sandal maker.
  
• The Athens National Archaeological Museum, some of the most important artifacts from ancient greece are here, including (and I've barely looked into this, wait till after...) the NOT mask of Agamemnon. (they thought it was because it was found in Mycenae, but turns out it is of a different person, and the Mask of Agamemnon is still unfound, apparently a holy grail of sorts).
  
• The Athens Agora, the birthplace of democracy, also where the Temple of Hephaistos is, built between 450bc-415bc - it has waited for 2500 years until I could come see it for myself. :) According to greeklandscapes.com/greece/athens_agora   "The Agora was the physical place where every Athenian citizen gathered to conduct their business, participate in their city's governance, decide judicial matters, express their opinion for all who cared to listen, and elect their city officials. In fact, the term idiot (idiotis = he who acts on his/her own) was used to mock those who avoided participation in the common citizen activities." so there.
  

2. Crete  

• Heraklion in particular, and the museum there, housing the second most important artifacts of ancient Greece. 
  

3. Peloponnese - The area to the west of the mainland, it is nearly an island except that there is a bridge of land (someone help me here with the correct word) which links it to the mainland. while here, I am really interested in seeing a few places.

• Sparta, for a long time I have been interested in the battle of Thermopylae. After reading a book a long time ago about a fictitious account of an insignificant soldier, i have always listened with interest anything relating to Thermopylae. But Sparta probably shouldn't be only about that, so giving it's due respect for political importance in the world, I am looking forward to a tour through there.
  
• The ruins of the Mycenaen Acropolis, home of the Lion Gates, which is the earliest known piece of monumental sculpture on the European Continent. borrowing text again from greeklandscapes.com/greece/mycenae,  "Nothing around this site remains today to speak of the human dramas that have taken place three thousand years ago on this bold hill. the ruinous walls remain silent about how an entire civilization managed to dominate from such desolate rock, and how events twisted  and escalated to the point where a mighty coalition of city-states set sail for Troy and fought for years before they were able to call themselves victorious. there is an eerie silence about the place that fails to speak of the tragedy that unfolded in the heart of the palace and found Agamemnon - the mighty leader of the Greeks against the Trojans - murdered by his wife and her lover." 
  

4. Thermopylae - On the site of the battle at the hot-gates. As I mentioned above, I am particularly interested in visiting this region, so have made a deal with Tracy to allow me once again to drag her around to sites I have interest in. There is also a monument to King Leonidas really close to there so watch for pictures of me and Leo. 

I don't yet know what else to see while there, anything on the way etc so perhaps we will just have a casual and leisurely day there, which suits me fine.