Day 25 - Athens, Eleusis & The National Archaeological Museum

Day 25 - 04 October 2016

I just didn't want to get up this morning, but I eventually did. There's just something about getting up before sunrise that really gets to me. Sunrise here is around 07:24 so I just don't get up until after that.
Today I wanted to go to Elefsina. This is modern day Eleusis. The Eleusian Mysteries were held each year at Eleusis, 23 kilometers northwest of Athens. They were so important to the Greeks that, until the arrival of the Romans, The Sacred Way (the road from Athens to Eleusis) was the only road, not a goat path, in all of central Greece. The mysteries celebrated the story of Demeter and Persephone but, as the initiated were sworn to secrecy on pain of death as to the details of the ritual, we do not know what form this celebration took.

We do know, though, that those who participated in the mysteries were forever changed for the better and that they no longer feared death. You can still follow the sacred way like Michael Woods did in 1991, but I'd rather not. Way too much traffic. Getting there was an adventure. I took the metro from Akropoli to Syntagma where I crossed over to line 3 and eventually got off at Agio Marinas. From there I took the 876 bus to Elefsina. 30 minutes later I was there. Another 10 minute walk and I was there. It's a sad sight. The entire area is virtually surrounded by the oil refineries and storage tanks. Going through the ruins, you can just see how magnificent the entire complex must have been. I went to the museum which is in the archaeological site. There were some really interesting items on display, especially material from a burial that took place in 480BC. I looked at a piece of material that was 2500 years old.

You could see the fine weave. After that I went back into the city. As it was still early, I went to the National Archaeological Museum.

It was free today to celebrate the opening of a new temporary exhibition. €15.00 saved, so I went to lunch at the museum restaurant. Had a Greek pizza and a cappuccino latte for €7.50.

Courtyard in the museum, with the restaurant behind me.

Very nice and most welcome. I eventually walked out there after 18:00 with a severe case of museum fatigue. There is an unbelievable amount of exhibits from all over Greece. It truly is on of the greatest museums in the world. There was Mycenaean gold, vases, glass ware, statues, bronzes and all manner of things stretching back thousands of years.
Made it back to the hotel and took a break. Just wanted to rest. Ones legs and hips get so sore from the 'museum walk'. Went out a bit later to get some fruit and water. Just that for dinner tonight. Really not in the mood to go out later.

View from my hotel terrace.

Eleusis

National Archaeological Museum