From Oracle to the Islands

On Thursday we visited the ancient city of Delphi, perched high on the Corinthian alps. This was the home of Apollo, around the 5th century BC. After driving through a couple of beautiful villages that seem to cling to the side of the granite mountain range, it was well worth the steep climb up the mountainside to reach the ancient ruins. We wandered through the Temple of Apollo and viewed the mystical stone that sat within the oracle (a building, not a person). We were enthralled at the huge stadium, still intact. The engineering of the time was amazingly precise and functional. Even the aqueducts for carrying water throughout the complex were still in place. Many years ago the French government offered to restorate Delphi, involving painstaking matching of stones and other relics to recreate the original Delphi. The Delphi Museum contains some beautiful sculptures back over two and a half thousand years, including a wonderful full-size bronze statue of a charioteer that was found buried under a landslide in about 300BC. When we returned to Athens we walked past anew Mercedes sports car that had been torched during the demonstration the previous day.

We now know why Shirley Valentine chose to stay here. Mykonos is everythig the travel brochures say it is - a sea of white buildings, with touches of blue, crystal clear waters and a hectic night life. We are staying at a beautiful hotel in a small fishing village about 4km from the main town and our private balcony gives a picture-perfect view over the Aegean Sea. Another beautiful meal at a restaurant on the beach, and our waiter spoiled us with complimentary home-made strawberry ice cream, slices of chocolate salami log and fresh fruit. It was a long waddle up the steep hill to bed and an undisturbed sleep. To be continued.........