Thursday 2 February 2023

Winter at the Niarchos Centre.




Last Sunday we had a wonderful morning walking around the park of the Niarchos Centre. We started with the ice rink that they have set up - quite a lot people skating, most of them beginners, but what fun!





We walked along the canal





and ended up at the plaza where they were setting up for the David Bowie memorial concert which was on that evening.




We then walked along the other side of the canal and entered the park. It was a lovely, sunny day and it was packed.





We got to the music making area where there are xylophones and all kinds of other ways of making music - here, kids are jumping on the tiles, resulting in all kinds of sounds.





This is part of the Sound and Light feature - in the evenings peope can play the piano and the cubes light up in different colours




Chess playing




One of the fountains




The maze




We started doing it, but I quickly got bored




Ken however persevered and got to the centre.




A large activities area further on.




We noticed that some of the lavender has started flowering: far too early, but given that they have not had winter weather here yet, it is not surprising.




The majority of the planting in this park is olive trees and lavender bushes, like this avenue here. Even now, the scent of lavender  is overpowering as you walk around the park. I can't imagine what it will be like in the spring, when all the lavender has flowered.





We started walking uphill and reached the building which houses the opera, the public library, an art gallery, a shop, a cafe/restaurant and a Michelin 2-star restaurant.





We could see the sea from here, and Pireus in the distance.









Behind us, the Acropolis and Lycabettus Hill, once I zoomed in.




And the park stretching below.




 
We stopped to have a drink in one of the outdoor cafes. On our way out, we heard music: a DJ and people dancing.





I just had to join in and after that, it was time to go home.




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