The following is a brief excerpt from Frommers.com that was provided to us by our tour company European Motorhome Tours last night. I hate to merely quote a previously written article, but because of time constraints and the beautiful scenery I would otherwise miss doing the necessary research, this will have to do. (and probably better said, anyway ).
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| The Treasury here in Delphi was constructed by the Athenians to house gifts to the god, Apollo. |
In Delphi you can look up and see the cliffs and crags of Parnassus; look down and you see Greece’s most beautiful plain of olive trees stretching as far as the eye can see toward the town of Itea on the Gulf of Corinth.
At the ancient site of Delphi, where the Greeks once consulted the Oracle about the future, there’s a small round sculpture. It’s known as the omphalos – the cosmic belly button. Whenever you visit, you’ll understand why the ancient Greeks believed that Delphi was the center of the world, the spot Apollo chose as the home of his most famous oracle.
Like so many ancient sites, Apollo’s sanctuary at Delphi was first neglected, and then virtually forgotten, during the Christian era. Kings and generals looted Delphi of its treasures; later, locals hacked up the buildings to build their houses. The modern village of Delphi sat atop the ancient site until the 19th century, when it was relocated just down the road so the archaeologists could help Delphi reclaim its past.
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| This statue is very realistic, and their being able to get the red color was quite an achievement |
The group took taxi’s to the Ancient Site of Delphi, located just a few of miles from the campground so we could all enjoy a couple of very interesting hours with a very knowledgeable guide who explained the history of the ruins, and of the artifacts in the museum.
As she told of the ancient histories, I hung onto every word, wishing I were taking notes – then at the end she said “well, these are the stories the archeologists made up from the fragments of remains.
You can make up your own stories if you wish”. I felt a little let down – similar to when I watch a really good movie that you assume is a true documentary, than at the end you find out it was all fiction. (or that there is really not a Tooth Fairy, Santa Claus or Easter Bunny).
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| Norm walked up the hill to check out the Stadium, and was rewarded with this great view of the theater |
After the guided part of the morning ended, Norm walked up the many stairs to see the stadium. I was not feeling too well, and hoping I wasn’t coming down with the cold or flu another member of the group had. I decided to not overdue it today, and take plenty of Vitamin C. I have not slept well the last few nights, thanks to the anonymous phone calls Norm seems to get on his cell phone at 2 am, and when I can’t get back to sleep, that takes a toll on me. Norm falls asleep several hours before me each night, so he overall gets his required sleep.
