Trip to Delphi

Model of Delphi 

Or Delfi. Those Greeks have two or three ways to spell everything. Our driver Panagiotis picked us up at 9 for the 2 1/2 hour drive but on the way we stopped at the Hosios Lokus Monastery, the best preserved byzantine monastery in Greece. It was founded in the 10th century and is still in operation. The setting is beautiful. Walking to the buildings, we saw beautiful wildflowers. Our chief trip advisor had told us it's the season. As we drove on we saw them everywhere on the side of the road:

Here's some wild flowers, Michael K

The terrace has an amazing view of the valley and the mosaics in the church are stunning. 

Inside the monastery church

After the visit, we drove on to Delphi. The drive through the mountains is worth the trip. There's several villages built into the sides of the mountains. The area is where people ski in the winter and we saw a little snow at the top of one mountain. Pan said many people live there only in the winter for ski season and go to their other homes the rest of the year.

The highways from Athens to Delphi are in perfect condition but once we got to the small towns in the mountains, the roads are narrow and cars are parked on the sides. We had a slow drive behind a huge cement truck and were stopped at one point.  Pan said something big is coming. A few cars backed up and a large tour bus came by. The cement truck had somehow gotten out of the way but we were soon behind it again until it finally made a turn. Pan said, more than once on this trip, that the summer is a driving nightmare. It's crowded now too because the orthodox Easter celebration goes on for two weeks. Not a lot of tour buses because most visitors are Greek. Orthodox Easter is a week after ours and when I booked condos, I noticed prices were much more expensive the week before Easter. I didn't know that schools are out for two weeks. There certainly weren't many children climbing the mountains. Pan also told us 70-80 percent of the population works in tourism. He said they have little manufacturing and very few farms. Of course there are vineyards and olive groves.

It was hot so we quickly took off our jackets. The walk up the mountain probably isn't as strenuous as the acropolis but we didn't make it all the way to the top. In retrospect, I don't think we should have scheduled two climbing days in a row. On the other hand, it's Greece. Everything seems to involve climbing. And steps.

Delphi is the center of the universe. At least that's what Zeus told everyone. Highlights of the site include the sanctuary of Apollo and the sanctuary of Athena and of course the oracle of Delphi. There were other buildings for sports activities and a theater.  It seems a lot of the activities in the ancient theaters involved music contests.  The site was built starting in the 8th century B.C. 

It's a short walk on a mostly shaded walkway to the museum where you go up a long staircase to get in. The rooms are in chronological order. The artifacts are amazing. 

Just a few sculptures 

We had a late lunch at a restaurant with a view of the valley in Delphi. The food was great.  We had our first taste of baklava which is different from what we get in the States. More layers and not too sickeningly sweet. I asked Pan if it's different in other areas and he said what we had is usually the same everywhere except for minor variations depending on the restaurant.

There's just one road through the mountains to Delphi so we had to turn around and go back the way we came. We stopped once for a picture.

Arachova is the ski village with narrow, winding roads.

We have a laundry room in the condo. I did the first load easily because the buttons read On/off and wash/dry. I had a small load which was barely damp when the washer/dryer was finished. I was very proud.  Then I taught Mickey and Joyce. Actually, because we've established they read and understand English, I didn't have to help at all. No good story for the laundry lovers but this is just the first of four places we're staying. Stay tuned.