Welcome to another Tuesday. For some of you, it may be the first day back to work after the long weekend, but either way we have got some great things for you to do today that will only set you back $10. If you happen to be in Athens, Greece or you plan on visiting soon, this installment of Dollars & Sense is just for you. Check it out below.
Visit The New Acropolis Museum
Inaugurated in June 2009, this light, airy glass-and-concrete building was designed by Swiss architect Bernard Tschumi. Archaic and classical finds from the Acropolis site are displayed here – proud statues of the ancients and life-like stone carvings of animals. The top floor is devoted to the marble frieze that once ran around the top of the Parthenon. About half of the pieces are originals, while the remainder are white plaster copies. The missing pieces were removed by Lord Elgin in 1801 and are now in the British Museum in London. The Greeks have wanted them back for decades, and hope that this blatant presentation will finally convince the British to return them. There’s also an excellent restaurant on the second floor, open till midnight.
Address:
Dionysiou Areopagitou 15, Makrigianni (on the edge of Plaka).
[pagebreak]
Go See The Actual Acropolis
Rising above the concrete jungle that is modern Athens, the “sacred rock” is crowned by three temples dating from the fifth century BC, attracting three million visitors per year. The obvious starting point for a first-time visit is the largest and most impressive temple, the Parthenon, supported by 46 Doric columns and considered classical architecture’s most influential building. Be sure to walk below the Acropolis at night, too, when it is at its most magnificent, bathed in golden floodlighting.
Address:
Acropolis Hill, Plaka.
[pagebreak]
Financial Tip Of The Day
Clean Out Your Closet
Go through your closets and try to get rid of some of the stuff in there. You can have a yard sale with it, take it to a consignment shop, or even donate it for the tax deduction – all of which turn old stuff you don’t want to use any more into money in your pocket. Not only that, it’s often a psychological load off your mind to clean out your closets.
