Thursday, November 25, 2010

Delphi November 18

After the Acropolis, Delphi is the most popular archaeological site in Greece. Located 180 kilometers from Athens, a trip to Delphi is listed in just about every tour itinerary and is by far the most popular day trip out of Athens.

Delphi in ancient times was considered the center of the known world, the place where heaven and earth met. This was the place on earth where man was closest to God. In Mythology, Delphi was the meeting place of two eagles, released by Zeus and sent in opposite directions. Where they met indicated the center of the earth. Delphi is known as the center of worship for the God Apollo, son of Zeus who embodied moral discipline and spiritual clarity. But even before the area was associated with Apollo there were other deities worshipped here including the earth goddess Gea, Themis, Demeter and Poseidon, the well known god of the sea. By the end of the Mycenaean period Apollo had displaced these other deities and became the guardian of the oracle.

 

The view when we arose in Delphi.





Our guide Melitsa
Outside the museum

I bought a small statue of the sphinx.







Outside



After the climb to the Theatre


It was now time to board the bus and head to the Corinthian coast for some lunch. Lunch at the Scala restaurant, situated pier-side. They offered us complimentary retsina and ouzo (resin-flavored and liquorice-like spirits, respectively).




From Delphi we headed north to the town of Kalambaka and the monasteries of Meteora. Meteora means "hanging in the air" and many of its huge sandstone formations have monasteries built on their tips .

After checking into our hotel, the Divani, we wandered into town to get some dinner. Most places were full of men smoking and chatting. We found Syrtaki and had a pleasant meal with a bottle of good wine, which has been a challenge in Greece.
We started with a beet salad then both had a combination plate with a chicken skewer, Lamb chop and hamburger which is really just like a meatball.




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