Date: Fri, 27 Dec 2002 08:45:14 -0800 (PST)
Subject: Delphi

First of all, efharisto (thanks) for the responses to my last email... and the
suggestions a couple of you had. Unfortunately i'm leaving athens tomorrow
morning so I wont have a chance to go to Thessaloniki on this trip.

Today was a tour to Delphi (Supposed to be on Christmas day, transferred to
today). I enjoyed this the most during the whole stay in Greece - better than
the acropolis and agora areas. Partly because when I went to the Acropolis I
had a bag missing and didn't know if I was ever goin' to get it! But also I
think Delphi is prettier. And the drive over there is gorgeous! Today's weather
was also great.

The bus left from my hotel at 8 AM. We had one rest stop in the town of
Levadia, and from there to Delphi the road is gorgeous! It goes through some
mountains (snow-covered right now). We drove past the battlefield of Marathon
(site of first of the Persian-Greek battles). Then the town of Arachova (or
arachnova -- don't remember now exactly -- anyway the greek spelling is
different). The whole town is on the cliffs -- so from the road you see tiny
little houses that look like they're built directly on top of each other!
Gorgeous! Delphi was about 10 minutes from there.

The ruins at Delphi were a lot better than the ones in Parthenon/Greek & Roman
Agoras in Athens... or the temple of Apollo on Aegina. They're much more spread
out, and they're intact enough that I could visualize what was missing pretty
easily. No, I did not meet the Oracle - the last one has been dead for about
1800 years.

Next was visit to the archeological museum. Not as interesting, but some of the
statues in there are as much as 3000 years old. Also saw the famous "Bronze
Charioteer", which is what that museum is best known for. I've seen
better-looking statues.

After that was lunch (much worse than on the cruise) and then the bus ride back
to Athens -- got here right in the middle of rush hour traffic.

So that's it. Tomorrow morning at 7 AM I have a flight to that other major city
of the REAL "old west". Which means I have to leave the hotel at 4 AM for the
bus to the airport. Or take a taxi and leave at 5 AM, but pay 10 times more.

Greece deserves a second visit - My tour to Mycenae and Epidaurus was
cancelled, and so was the tour to Sounion. I also missed the National
Archeological Museum in Athens (closed due to renovation). To prepare for the
olympics they're renovating all the major sites. So I want to see them again
maybe in 2005!

Tomorrow, and until January 2nd, ROME! Till then,

Ciao,
me.

Delphi Trip : The first picture is the town of Arachova, described in the email. Rest are all from the ruins and archaelogical museum in Delphi.