B for Benaki 9 May

Spent the usual 5 hours walking today past the Presidential Mansion (that street was full of cops) to a cluster of museums.  We first visited the Benaki Museum, very impressive for a private establishment started in 1929 and now extended to 2 other premises. In the lobby was a headless man. 

Gold diadem 650-600 BC from Kos

Pan Roman period

In 1929 a golden treasure (dubbed Treasure of Thessaly) dating from 2nd C BC was found in a bronze jar.  Jewellery also incorporated garnet, agate,amethyst carnelian, glass, paste and enamel. 

Our next museum was the National Gallery, where we only had an hour before closing.  However, it was not exciting except for an El Greco.  The Byron painting is shown below because conversation on Naxos included the fact (?) that he hired uniforms from a theatrical costumier to equip the men he was leading in the fight for Greek independence.  Byron died at Missolonghi from fever. 

Theodorus Vryzakis: The Reception of Lord Byron at Missolonghi

El Greco:  Saint Peter

Once back at our apartment, we found an email from Easyjet informing us that a general strike in Greece would close all airports on 11 May. That evening we were supposed to be in Milan and go on an expensive city tour on 12th, including Last Supper visit.  Luckily we could stay  here another night, get an Easyjet flight on 12th and the tour people were able to fit us in on 15 May.  No problem with the Milan apartment.

At a local cafe that night, we enjoyed grilled sardines, pork souvlaki and bean salad, washed down with an OK carafe of Greek white wine (a 10 euro red wine  the previous night was not worth the money).