Walking around in Athens

[mummimamma]

I have to post this before June and all the June challenges start pouring in.

This is from a beer glass walk I did in Athens where I have been staying this spring. I've found that beer glass walks are good for walking getting to know a neighbourhood, but somehow I missed all the useful things like bars, cafes, shops. I also tried to to the first street to the right, second to the left, but that didn't work so well, the streets of Athens are a bit confusing, and after ending up where I started twice,





Athens is pretty steep, and I started by going up some stairs


On top of the hill I found this mosaic

When in Athens, there always is something big in marble - this is the Panathenaion stadium, built to the 1896 Olympic games. And its excellent (?) museum shop.
    
And there, far away is some more marble





My route took me through a corner of the main cemetery of Athens. After about 45 minutes walking around among the huge marble monuments I realised that there was only one entrance/exit, so I had to go back and around. There are a couple of famous sculptures on the graves in there, but I didn't manage to find them. But I liked the entrance and there was lots of nice graves, like this boat one

     

A pop-up flower shop, they were just off-loading the flowers when I walked past. so I had to buy a pot of basil







 
Okay, just up this hill, and I'm almost home!


And the map

Comments

[spiralsheep]

That looks like a fun but tiring walk. I like the sailing ship mosaic very much, especially the frame design, and a pot of basil is always useful (but I hope you don't need it to bury Lorenzo's head! ;-) ).

I also tried to to the first street to the right, second to the left, but that didn't work so well, the streets of Athens are a bit confusing, and after ending up where I started twice

This sounds like several of my left/right walks! :-D

[mummimamma]

It was a bit tiring actually. I think I clocked in at around 7 kilometres. In 30+C, because I'm a stuepid Norwegian who never remember that one isn't supposed to go walking around in the middle of the afternoon.
Also you never know when you need to bury a head (and water it with my tears...)(wouldn't it *smell*?)

This sounds like several of my left/right walks! :-D
Yeah, I guess the left/right walks works better in structurally organised cities. Unfortunately my hometown is neither organised nor big enough for that kind of walking (I think), so I hoped Athens would be better, but no such luck...

[spiralsheep]

My brain stops working properly at about 26C. Maybe you have a similar problem? :-D

Being north western European I think pickling a head in a barrel of brine would be more practical, but perhaps we both lack romance in our souls and magic preservative tears? ;-)

Most of my attempts at left/right walks have been short and confusing but I like that sometimes. It's a good excuse to do several short walks from one point, left/right then right left then start facing a different direction and repeat.

[mummimamma]

I'm not sure my brain ever works, but at approx 28C I get a strange compulsion to show that I'm not going to let the weather make me stop whatever I am doing! I'm a viking! (insert Tarzan-like yell). Which has found me fiercely walking for hours in 40C (until my companions forcibly dragged me onto a bus), so tehr might be something about not working...

I haven't actually ever tried preserving anything with my tears, they are salty, so it must have brine-like quality. Hmm, do you happen to have an extra head lying about, so we can do some experiments? Romance, what is that? ;-)

Hmm, perhaps a succession of short left-right walks might be an ide for the upcoming Jue challenges?

[dooriya]

oh that's a neat idea - i'll have to give the beer glass walk a try this summer. nice photos, too!

[mummimamma]

Thank you!
It is a nice way to go out and hunt for things.

[nou]

LOL at the museum shop!

Your map looks like you did a beer-with-a-whiskey-chaser walk.

[mummimamma]

It's definitely the greatest museum shop in Athens :D
I'm not quite sure what they sell there, if it's ever open - replica marathons?

Yeah, I got rather lost in that cemetery didn't I!

[adafrog]

So a beer glass walk is walking the outside of the beer glass on the map? Neat idea.

[mummimamma]

Yep.

A beer glass walk usually is something like this:

* Find somewhere where they serve beer. Drink your beer and take out a map of the area. Put your beer glass on the map so the rim touches where you are, and draw a circle.

* Drain you glass, pay for your beer, and walk as close to the line on your map as possible. (and stop for beer where possible).

* Don't get lost in cemeteries.

I've done them a couple of times in new neighbourhoods, and find it a nice way to get a bit around.

[adafrog]

lol Cool.