I was startled from my early morning daze by Patrick's shouts of "Dad, Dad, there's a giant Kookratch in the kitchen!" Sure enough there was one, but it is no more.

We had a quiet if sleepy weekend - I wasn't sleeping well last week - bad cold and all. On Saturday we bought bookshelves, so when they arrive we can get more of thes boxed unpacked. We had stalled on that because of no shelves. Remember our hall in the apartment on Hyde Park Blvd? All built in - we didn't bring them!


Sunday, we went to the Byzantine and Christian Museum. The Guide books we have had warned us that this was not a place for the uninitiated, but we figured we probably know enough to handle it, but low and behold the place was spectacular!



It seems the facility and the display are brand new - I'm told they closed after the earthquake and re-opened just last year. It was a wonderful place, we'll have to go back again soon.





Afterwards - we went to the War Museum of Athens, right next door. This one is free of charge and worth every lepta. Not such a bad place for a four-year-old boy to look at big run-down artillery pieces and derelict 60s era aircraft, but pretty much of a bore otherwise. Much of it was closed. Maybe those exhibits would be more interesting? It seems that the War Museum is the only Cultural Fondation in Greece from the period of the Junta. I recommend the Rock Island Arsenal Museum as an alternative if you wand to look at guns. Of course it isn't in Greece.

Last evening we ate a meal at a taverna on our own Plateaia. not 50 m. from our front door. Delicious mixed grill: stuffed pork, grilled chicken , and grilled lamb sweet-meats - and, of course, Greek salad, sliced apple for dessert. That was nice! The Plateaia and the playground remain lively in the evening even though school has started.

We will try to visit at least one museum a week for a while.