Waking up to mountain views and a rooster calling, Delphi was like a beautiful flower in a summer meadow. Every place that we have visited on this tour has been wonderful, but Delphi uniquely so. Though it is quaint it leaves an impact as strong as a big city like Athens.
(Fig.1) Cat looking above the Temple of Apollo
The town of Delphi where we stayed at the Hotel Acropole was as I mentioned quite little, a village really, but filled with genuine people with streets stacked much like the tiers of a cake and every view was a panorama of the mountainside/harbour below. We walked from the town to the site of Delphi, where people from across Greece travelled to ask the oracle of Delphi questions at the Temple of Apollo. Here the biggest and richest city-states displayed their wealth, and attempted to outshine one another in the building of treasuries and what they dedicated to the gods there.
On site there is a theatre where singing contests were held in honour of Apollo, though no one from the group stepped up and belted out a tune this time. Also at the highest point of the site itself there is a stadium, where footraces were held, though today it has been roped off to the public and our race had to be postponed. As a group we are trying to not be kicked off a site by the whistleblowing guards so we made our way back down rather than hop the rope and attempt a race anyway. The view down was worth the walk up.
After the site we reached the heat of the day, which meant a little break for lunch and naps for some (ie. me!), then later we went to the museum of all the artifacts discovered at the site of Delphi. Once regrouped after the heat was slightly more manageable, maybe by a degree or so in direct sunlight, we all hit the museum. Among the collection is a larger than life sphinx that used to guard Delphi from negative forces, as well as the Omphalos or the “Navel”of the world. When looking at all the statues and everything dedicated, it’s almost hard to imagine the hard work that must’ve gone into each little detail of each little piece so long ago. Then to carry it up the side of a mountain to give to someone else. I don’t imagine that every life would’ve been easy, so even the smallest piece that we have is quite priceless to have lasted.
After the museum the group split up for the evening and headed for dinner and shopping in the town. All of the shopkeepers were extremely friendly, and more than willing to deal with students and budgets than the other places we have stopped to shop before. There was a lot that Delphi had to offer, from the average tourist stuff found in most tourist shops to paintings and jewelry made in Delphi.
Though our group separated we always seemed to have a magnet pull us back together again around dinner time, as we all ended up at the same restaurant, Phivos. Like every restaurant in Delphi all its windows faced the spectacular view with the addition this time of a sunset. It had the typical fare I’ve come to know and appreciate from Greek restaurants – who knew Greek food would be so good. With the sunset came the return to the Hotel Acropole, and packing up in preparation for the long bus journey the next day.
(Fig.2) View of Temple of Apollo.
Delphi was a hidden gem, and I expect every place will stick solidly locked in my memories for years to come. Delphi will.
