3-18-25
Another 6:30 wake up call means another exciting adventure.
Following breakfast we got on our good old charter bus and began the drive to Delphi. The drive to Meteora yesterday was just a hint of the beauty we would see today; it was like out West times one hundred. The towering snow capped mountains surrounded the roads through. At some points we could see the blue Agean Sea laying between them. It was GORGEOUS, and pictures will never do it justice.
We stopped for lunch in the cutest town called Itea. The restaurant was called Scala, and the waiters were so welcoming. They had reserved seaside tables for us, so we had lunch with a stunning view of the Corinthian bay. I tried octopus, which was actually quite yummy, calamari that was caught that morning, and a free glass of Ouzo, the local spirit in Greece made from Licorice root… it was disgusting. If you like licorice you would probably like it. After lunch some of us walked down to a small gelato shop for desert.
Then, it was time to finish our drive to Delphi. Along the way Jenny (our tour guide), shared some very interesting information with us. This area in Greece was considered to be the “center of the world” by the ancient Greeks making it a very sacred place. The most famous ruin is the Temple of Apollo (built in 6th century B.C.) named after Apollo, the god of archery, music, light, prophecy, the arts, and healing. It is also known as the Oracle of Delphi. Many people would come to get prophecies or answers from the goddess, Phytia in exchange for an animal sacrifice.
Once we arrived we spent some time in the archaeological museum seeing various artifacts that have been recovered from the site. One of which was a large Sphinx statue. Greek sphinx are different from Egyptian ones because rather than the face of a man, they have the face of a woman with the body of a lion and the wings of an eagle.
After about thirty minutes, we walked up to the temple of Apollo. Most of what was left were columns however you could see some remains of the shops that the sculpteurs and craftsmen used. It was so cool to stand in a place that was central to Greek culture thousands of years ago.
We also saw how those who were unfaithful were punished: They were thrown off of a cliff… no thanks.
On the way to our hotel for the night, the Anemolia Mountain Resort, we made a stop in Arachova to look around a bit. The Greeks often resort to this charming town to ski during the winter. There is a main street where you can find many different shops, cozy tavernas, bakeries, and cafes. It reminded me of Telluride, Colorado in a way.
Our group was given fourth-five minutes but my mom and I decided to stay since our hotel was only a five minute taxi ride back. Unfortunately, the weather was not the best it was rainy, wet, and very cold, but it did snow so I cannot complain to much. Our first stop was dinner at a taverna called Sto Kafeni tou Zampa and it was wonderful. After eating, it was time for some shopping. We went to a pharmacy, grocery store, jewelry store, stationary store, and a pasta/dry goods shop. Each one was very small but filled with unique goods. Our final stop was a quaint bakery called Belleville Patisserie, where we got Tiramisu, Baklava, and a Greek coffee (very good!). The cafe called one of the two taxis in the city for us, and we headed back to get some much needed rest.
While the itinerary was not as busy as the past few days, it was definitely one of the most scenic ones.
Leave a Reply