On my first visit to Athens I of course went to the Acropolis. How could you not. This ancient monument is so well known that there was the danger of it not living up to a lifetime of expectations. Fortunately I was more impressed than I thought I would be.

After my Athens visit I then went to London, which presented me with the opportunity to see the Parthenon Marbles at the British Museum. This itinerary was not by design, but it turned out to be a great way to experience the Acropolis and the saga of the Parthenon Marbles.

Athens was the last stop on my European trip, and my next stop was back to Asia. Obviously it would have made more sense to fly from this easterly point in Europe back to Asia. Instead, the cheapest flight option was to go back via London. While the backtrack was annoying, it gave me the chance to see the Parthenon Marbles again.

Having previously lived in London I’ve been to the British Museum numerous times, so I have seen the Parthenon Marbles. But to see them with the Parthenon visit fresh on my mind added a new perspective to my understanding of this story.

The Acropolis

My trip to the Acropolis couldn’t have been planned better. While I didn’t intend to visit Athens and London together, I did organise my trip to Athens to avoid the summer heat. I was there during ideal spring weather, and I’ve since read that the Acropolis briefly closed due to heat this summer.

I saved a lot of time on planning as my friend Dave put together a guide on how to visit the Acropolis. Bookmark the guide if you’re going to go, but the TL;DR is to get the multi-site pass first and then go there early.

On my first full day I got the pass at the Olympieion and then visited the other sites at my leisure. The next day I went to the Acropolis.

On the day of the visit I was there about half an hour before the gates opened and there was already a queue for tickets. I had my ticket so I was first through the gate at 8am. I soon got overtaken, but it was a nice feeling to stride through the gates early in the morning with no one around.

It was strange to finally be standing in front of this iconic landmark. It’s so familiar that it seems like I’ve always known it, kind of like seeing the Eiffel Tower for the first time.

The Acropolis became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987, and if your ancient Greek history is a bit rusty here is a brief introduction to the Acropolis.

At 8.30 soldiers arrive for a flag-raising ceremony.

They belt out a fairly hoarse version of the national anthem and then are on their way again.

Even by 8.30 there were not that many people around.

This crooked pillar gave me anxiety.

This misalignment wasn’t a case of sloppy workmanship, but more likely it was disturbed during the bombardment of the Parthenon in 1687.

Here was the first mention of the infamous Thomas Bruce, 7th Earl of Elgin, who caused the “most severe damage to the monument”. More about him later.

The hill top is mostly flat, and the side walls built around it give the impression from the ground that it’s a giant platform.

The Acropolis has been undergoing restoration for decades, so there are cranes and scaffolding on the site.

I once had a job that involved working with forklifts, but I can’t say it was as interesting as working at the Acropolis.

The Acropolis is on a hill in the middle of Athens which can be seen from most parts of the city. As I mentioned in my previous Athens post, the city has a height limit on buildings so the view is not blocked.

If you have another spare morning in Athens you should also go for a walk up Mount Lycabettus. From here you get the best view of Athens, because it includes a view of the Acropolis.

For the first hour I was surprised with how manageable the crowd was. It wasn’t until about 9am that big crowds with flag-holding tour guides start arriving.

The ticket includes access to the grounds around the Acropolis, which you should do after you have been to the top. It pales in comparison to what you’ve just seen, but it’s still good to see. On the southern slope is The Sanctuary of Dionysos.

Dionysos, the “god of vegetation, wine, inebriation and ecstatic dance, was the most popular deity in ancient Greece.” This was back in the day when gods were more fun. In the devising of Imaginary Sky Wizards since then, something, somewhere went terribly wrong.

I went by the ticket gate around 11am I was glad to have gone early.

Acropolis Museum

Next to the Acropolis citadel is the Acropolis Museum. For some reason this museum is not counted on the multi-site pass. It feels like it should be together, and that was my only quibble with any of the historical sites of Athens. Despite the disjointed ticket it’s only an extra ten euro, and it’s worth every euro cent.

The museum opened in 2009 and its bright and spacious halls house artefacts from the Acropolis site.

The main attraction is the hall holding the remains of the Parthenon frieze. As you enter the hall there is a large glass wall facing the Acropolis, so you can see the temple while viewing the marbles.

The displayed marbles are set in a rectangular structure that replicates that shape of the Parthenon.

The majority of the panels are in London, so many of the panels are copies, and some panels are empty where no record exists of what the missing piece looked like.

I wanted to find out what the museum had to say about the “Elgin Marbles”, so I was shown to a viewing area which shows a 20 minute video on loop.

The video depicts how Elgin came into possession of the marbles by bribing Ottoman officials. “Elgin’s fervent desire to obtain the original sculptures emerges very soon and results in the uncontrollable plundering of the Acropolis.”

Not related to anything, but “Elgin’s Fervent Desire” would make a great name for an alternative rock band.

The film shows that the back half of the marbles were sawn off in order to reduce their weight for shipment.

Block V of the eastern frieze broke in half while it was being prepared, so I made a note to look for this in London.

Another thing not mentioned by the British is that one of the panels went down in a shipwreck en route to London. Miraculously it was able to be salvaged.

The British Museum and the “Elgin Marbles”

With an afternoon to spare before my evening flight I went to the British Museum and headed straight to the Ancient Greek section. The British Museum is the sort of place that you could lose yourself in all day, so I had to avoid distractions for my limited time.

Like the Acropolis Museum, the Marbles in London are housed in a purpose-built room, the Duveen Gallery (Room 18).

Even now the marbles at the British Museum are often referred to as the Elgin Marbles, as if he had a hand in creating them. The wiki page even redirects you from Parthenon Marbles to Elgin Marbles. This is mainly to distinguish the marbles that are in London from the overall collection, but still, you’ve got to have giant balls (marbles?) to have named these ancient works of art after yourself.

There is less space at the British Museum compared to the Acropolis Museum, so the museum gets around this by having separate wider rooms at each end for the east and west pediments. The fragments of the sculptures are displayed as they would appear in relation to each other if they were completely intact.

In Athens I picked out some panels that were a mix of original and copy. The first one I looked for was Block V of the eastern frieze (the one that broke in half).

Here is the copy that is on display in Athens with only a head, which was mostly likely buried in rubble.

And here is original Block V of the eastern frieze in London with the head in the top left corner missing.

There is no mention of why it is split in two, or the misadventures in got in on the way to London.

This is “A centaur attacking a Lapith”, in Athens. The head of the Lapith is the only original piece left.

[A centaur attacking a Lapith – Athens.]

And here is the original panel in London, showing the parts that were copied in Athens.

[A centaur attacking a Lapith – London.]

The British Museum has information about the acquisition of the marbles, which paints a different story to the one presented by Athens. The information on the leaflet can also be found on the British Museum website.

Far from the “uncontrollable plundering” that Athens portrays Elgin’s action, here in London he is seen as a benevolent gentleman, whose actions helped preserve future damage.

Does this look like a man overcome with a fervent desire? There’s even a letter of permission from an Ottoman saying he could take them.

On the British Museum side I totally get why they would decline to entertain any possibility of returning the marbles. This is one of the highest profile possessions gained during the time of the British Empire (up there with the Koh-i-Noor diamond). If they returned the marbles it would set a precedent for other claimants that would see a queue out the door down to Tottenham Court Road. Their unofficial mission statement would be to defend the collection at all costs.

The plight of artefact repatriation has become more well known in recent years. This theme got mainstream attention in Black Panther, where the subject of artefacts from an African nation at the “Museum of Great Britain” was in one of the early scenes [spoiler alert]). It was a fictional building and institution, but we all know who they were referring to.

The most recent statement from the museum says that the removal of sculptures from the Parthenon was a “creative act”.

Before visiting Athens I never had an opinion on this matter. It was a case of “not my circus, not my monkeys” – I’m Australian, so let the British and Greeks sort this out between themselves.

I like that the British Museum is a place where relics dating back 1.8 million years show the history of humanity all under one roof. And it’s free to visit. Every time I go back I keep telling myself that I need to go back more often.

After visiting the Parthenon though I feel that the marbles belong back in Athens, so I’m on team “return the marbles”.

Further reading

Stop dithering, British Museum – give the Elgin Marbles back – [10/01/23]

Flight: Iceland Express 5W 514 Date: 25 Aug 2011 From: Newark(EWR) To: Reykjavik (KEF)
Flight: Iceland Express 5W 511 Date: 30 Aug 2011 From: Reykjavik (KEF) To: London (LGW)

[Edit: Iceland Express ceased operations in 2011, and in 2012 WOW air acquired Iceland Express’ operations and network. This review remains as an archived record of Iceland Express.]

Cheap flights to Iceland and flying with a rockstar pilot

Iceland have two airlines that operate internationally from Keflavík (near Reykjavik): the full service airline Icelandair, and low cost airline Iceland Express. I booked with Iceland Express purely on price. While Icelandair have a frequent Flyer program, it’s not part of an alliance so it is useless for those not from Iceland.

Iceland Express fly to destinations in Europe and North America, so it is possible to include Iceland as a Transatlantic stopover. If you book in advance this may be the cheapest flight between New York and London, and you get the bonus of visiting Iceland while you’re at it. Flight segments can be booked on the same ticket, connecting in Keflavík or, as I did, take a few days off in between flights.

Iceland Express

Iceland Express is based in Reykjavik but it is owned by Astraeus Airlines from Britain, thus your flight may say “operated by Astraeus”. As it is a budget airline there is no inflight entertainment or free meals. The flight times are short enough so these services aren’t missed.

Celebrity Pilot

This year Iceland Express have Bruce Dickinson as a pilot. Bruce who? I hear some of you ask. Bruce Dickinson also happens to be the lead singer for Iron Maiden. Don’t let that put you off though, as he is a licensed commercial airline pilot with years of experience, as well as being the Marketing Director for Astraeus.

[Bruce Dickinson circa 1983 (from An Evolutionary Study Of Bruce Dickinson’s Hair).]

My flight from New York to London was on Ed Force One, which is an Astraeus owned jet with Iron Maiden livery. When I saw I was going to be flying on this jet I was so excited. I thought it might have been the bands private jet, and I had visions of a jacuzzi, lounge chairs and whatever else goes on in private jets of rock stars. Sadly it was the usual 3×3 seat configuration and no backstage rider menu.

From Reykjavik to London Mr Dickinson was a passenger on the flight, commuting back home to England after flying the overnight flight from New York. If you didn’t know who he was you wouldn’t pick him for a rock star. With his trimmed hair and smart Iceland Express suit, he really does look like a pilot.

To see Bruce in uniform check out this travel Q&A with Bruce Dickinson by Lonely Planet’s Robert Reid.

[YouTube: Flying with Iron Maiden’s Bruce Dickinson.]

Another Stopover Option

[Visit the Blue Lagoon]

If you have booked two connecting flights and there is a few hours in between flights it is possible to visit the famous Blue Lagoon, as it’s only 20 minutes from the airport. There are special buses that run from the airport to the Blue Lagoon, so if you have time it sure beats sitting around in the terminal (with no wifi).

I have lived in London for two years of my life and I visit once a year for work. In all that time I have never been on a tour. The idea of getting on one of those big buses has never appealed to me.

So when I was contacted by smallcarBIGCITY and offered a ride in a British design icon, I found myself on my first tour of London.

smallcarBIGCITY provide retro tours of London in classic Mini Coopers. The Mini’s range in vintage from the 60’s to the 90’s, and the tour guides/drivers dress the part in period 1960s uniforms. They bring swinging London to life – Italian Job style.

[smallcarBIGCITY – Classic Mini Tours of London]

I was met at my selected location by co-founder and driver Oliver, and fellow guide Alastair. When I saw the Mini I was wondering how a 6 foot guy would fit. I was about 4 foot when I was last in a mini. I had visions of me like a circus clown with my knees hanging out of each window. They turn out to me more roomier than than they look (like Dr Who’s Tardis).

The advantage of a mini over a bus was shown as soon as we started. Being able to squeeze through small traffic lanes is a big advantage in the maze-like streets of London. If there was a car built driving in London it was the Mini. At one point we veered off Whitehall (the road between Parliament and Trafalgar Square) down a narrow side alley to see a point of interest. Try doing that in a big tour bus.

I did the A-list Tour, which covers the essential London for tourists checklist. Having lived in London I thought I knew a lot about the capital and I didn’t think I would learn much from this tour. Boy was I wrong. I found out all sorts of interesting facts about places that I have walked past dozens of times previously. These guys really know their history, and as a fellow Londophile I had a great time sharing their passion for all things London.

smallcarBIGCITY have a number of tours to choose from, and you can be picked up from any location in Central London (Zone 1 on the tube map). They also provide bespoke London tours to your own requirements.

[Burton Mausoleum – St Mary Magdalens Mortlake]

Captain Sir Richard Francis Burton (1821 – 1890) was a remarkable man in an age of remarkable men. He is best known as an explorer and linguist (he could speak 29 languages), but he could also be called a translator, writer, poet, soldier, orientalist, ethnologist, hypnotist, fencer and diplomat.

[Burton Mausoleum]

Burton is famous for his pilgrimage in disguise to Mecca. He spoke Arabic and knew the ways of the Islamic world from his time spent in India. Before the trip he was even circumcised to reduce the risk of being discovered as a non believer. His other notable travels include the exploration of the great lakes of Africa.

As a writer he is best known for his translation of Arabian Nights, whose version is still printed today.

[Burton Mausoleum under Heathrow Flightpath]

Tomb Details

The tomb is in the shape of a Bedouin tent and has great attention to detail such as the crescent moon trimmings and the illusion of canvas tent walls.

[Camel Tribute]

[Burton Tent Wall]

[Burton Tent Wall Detail]

Inside the Tomb

At the back of the tomb is a ladder leading to a glass viewing window, where you can peer in to see the final resting place of Richard and Isabel.

[Burton Mausoleum – viewing window]

[Richard Burton]

[Isabel Burton]

In Memorium

[Memorial Poem]

[Richard and Isabel Burton RIP]

Location

St Mary Magdalen’s Roman Catholic Church Mortlake
61 North Worple Way
London SW14 8 PR

[St Mary Magdalens Roman Catholic Church – Mortlake]

Flight: easyJet EZY8901
Date: 13 Nov 2008
From: London Gatwick (LGW) To: Gibraltar (GIB)

In October 2007 easyJet bought fellow UK carrier GB Airways. Most of the flights operated by GB Airways have since been integrated into the easyjet network. The acquisition meant that easyJet now has rights to fly to Gibraltar.

I was travelling from London to Morocco and I wanted to arrive via ferry, so I thought this was a good opportunity to fly to the legendary airport at Gibraltar.

Out of the 5 London airports, I probably like Gatwick the least because it is so expensive to get to. My flight ticket cost me £37 and the train to Gatwick costs £10.

The flight left at 7.30 and checking in with easyJet at Gatwick is relatively painless. They have so many flights out of Gatwick that they have a general check in line and you can check in earlier if you get there before 2 hours.

[Over the South of England]

As this flight was over 2 hours long they showed a movie (Hancock) on the shared screens. It was free providing you brought your own headsets, otherwise you would have had to have bought a pair.

[Airshow]

Gibraltar is a UK Overseas Territory at the bottom of Spain, and on a clear day you can see Africa. It is a tiny little peninsula of land not big enough for a runway, so it extends out over the water.

If you are flying to Gibraltar you will get a great view of the famous Rock if you are sitting on the left hand side of the plane.

[Rock of Gibraltar Landing View]

The runway cuts across a road which is shut down when flight activity is taking place. When you leave the airport the frontier to Spain is next door to the right, so you can walk to the town of La Linea across the border.

[Gibraltar Airport and The Rock]

I travel with an Australian passport so I got stamped at immigration. Gibraltar has a cool passport stamp, where there airport code (GIB) resembles the Rock of Gibraltar.

[Gibraltar Airport (GIB) passport stamp.]

Search for the cheapest flights to Gibraltar with Skyscanner.

Oasis Hong Kong is a long-haul low-cost airline based in Hong Kong. They currently fly to London and Vancouver and are expanding to other destinations in 2008.

I had not considered flying a low-cost airline long-haul due to the perceived lack of services, but after comparing flights the price difference was enough for me to consider again.

Airfare from London to Hong Kong

This was what got me through the door. The cheapest advertised price was £99, with an asterisk of course.

Fare Breakdown:
Air Fare GBP 99
Fuel Surcharge GBP 29.96
UK Air Passenger Duty Economy GBP 40.00
UK passenger Service Charge GBP 7.90

Total: GBP 176.86

This is for a one way fare from London to Hong Kong. This was booked about one month before travel, and was about half the price of the next best fare found on the major bookings sites with regular airlines. Booking as a one way flight might have made a difference to the fares with other airlines.

Low-cost and long-haul?

The low cost model works well for short haul flights as a cooked meal and entertainment isn’t necessary on a 2 hour flight. For inter-continental flights though these extras are required to make the long flight bearable.

My perception was that you would have to pay for your meals and your entertainment. Some long-haul low cost airlines are following this route but Oasis haven’t.

Inflight meals

Yes, meals are free. There is a dinner service shortly after take off, then a breakfast service before arrival. You can order other meals any time during the flight for a cost.

The meals are your standard inflight fare you would find on a BA/Cathay flight, and you get two choices.

Drinks

Juice and soft drinks are free but you have to pay for alcohol.

Entertainment

Another low cost misconception busted. There is inflight entertainment onboard. Each seat has its own tv screen and has 16 channels plus the usual where are we now Air Show.

Oasis Hong Kong have their own inflight magazine and a selection of newspapers and magazines are provided free as you board.

Remarks

Overall the flight was as comfortable as any flight I have taken in economy long haul on full-service airlines. The winning difference is in the price difference, though if I found a flight with a comparable price with a traditional alliance airline I would have taken that, if only for the frequent flyer points.

This flight was a segment of a flight I put together by flying with low cost airlines from London to Sydney. After staying in Hong Kong at the Chungking Mansions I got the ferry to Macau and then another flight from Macau to Sydney.