Today, we took a tour of the a temple of Delphi; the town of Arachola, and the Delphi Archaelogical Museum. It was an all-day deal, beginning at 8:30 A.M. and ending shortly after 6:00 P.M.
Delphi is about two-and-a-half hours away from Athens. The Museum is near the site of the ruins. Arachola is a small town just outside of Delphi. The big treat for all of us was that the bus was not only comfortable seating-wise, but it was also air conditioned. It was another very hot day in Athens. For example, it is 10:38 P. M. And still 84 degrees Fahrenheit.
People probably associate Delphi with the Oracle of Delphi in Ancient Greek times. Ancient people, not just the Greeks but also the Romans, and so on, consulted the Oracle for advice on how to solve big political problems. Because the Oracle was considered divinity, trained by the god Apollo, the Oracle was never wrong. Questions were submitted in writing, and answers were issued in written riddle form. The Oracle only issued advice nine times per year, so many seeking advice were left frustrated. The Athenians were favored by the gods, and they tended to have an edge on getting the Oracle’s attention. The Oracle was known to chew on basil leaves and to be “intoxicated” (high) by a geological chemical fume that was not only never suspected but was also scientifically verified in modern times. Additionally, the Oracle’s written response contained no punctuation, which rendered the advice ambiguous depending on how the reader interpreted it. Regardless, because of such ambiguity, the Oracle could never be accused of having been “wrong.”
Since the Temple to Apollo, wherein the Oracle practiced, was built (way before Christ), lots of things happened to it, there was some reconstruction, and now there are some very well-preserved ruins! Ge’s (the goddess who gave order to the chaos that existed prior to creation as the Greeks knew it, navel (a cone-shaped boulder) rests by the temporary altar of the Oracle, and the gods’ preferred tree, a laurel tree, overlooks the Oracle’s temporary ruling site. The ruins of the Temple to Apollo dominates the site. All of these are accessible only after climbing stairs, marble-studded slabs, broken concrete steps, and such, LOTS of these along the side of a rocky Mount Parnassus, in today’s HOT temperatures! Still, though, a fascinating sojourn into the very distant past! Once again, our tour guide was extremely knowledgeable and brought Greek history and mythology to life!
The archaelogical museum is located on the mountainside adjacent to the Temple ruins. Among its most famous artifacts are the statue of the Charioteer (winner of ancient Olympic-type games and the Sphinx of Naxos, which was erected atop an ionic column at the site of the Temple to Apollo.
Arachola is a charming small town along the mountainside with narrow streets. It is peppered with restaurants, cafes, and local shops. The town is noted for the rugs that are manufactured and sold there. This town is a favorite vacation get-away spot for Athenians, especially, because it is about one-and-a-half hours away from Athens. Because it is nestled along the side of a Rocky Mountain, it is an especially peaceful, quaint, and scenic spot quite unlike the hustle and bustle of a busy city center.
An excellent Greek lunch was included in this trip, so we did not have dinner. Lunch was composed of roasted chicken, fresh vegetable, feta, and olive salad in fresh, tasty olive oil, Greek potatoes, bread roll, fresh fruit, and a traditional Greek custard cake. the custard inside of it was very good, indeed.
Upon our return to the hotel, we spotted a large gathering, lots of music/singing, blocked street, police officers, and huge banners. As 8 PM approached, more and more people joined the growing crowd. Evidently, this was a protest or demonstration, but everything was in Greek and I could not understand what it was about. Some said it was a protest surrounding the recent wildfires; another person said it was a protest about living/working conditions of coastal youth! We watched for awhile. It appeared to be peaceful. This protest took place just outside the Parliament House just down the street. It is now 11:30, and a guy is yelling into a mic by the National Gardens across the street. No crowds. He’s just doing his thing, all agitated about whatever it is. Others are just walking past him as if he weren’t even there. The beautiful thing according to John: Democratic action in the city where democracy was first professed!
Tomorrow, we board the ship, and we leave Athens. So happy that this visit to Athens was able to fit into our lives!
Our Travels 