Last week our group went on excursion to the ancient ruins in Delphi. These excursions really are incredible trips that have made us all feel like we've seen way more of Greece than we probably ever would have on our own... even better... we always eat SO well on excursions. We usually get meals in great restaurants that are not subtracted from our stipends, cha-ching!
It's also awesome to have Aphrodite there to tell us about everything we're seeing. Because of her, we're not just wandering around, we know what happened in the places we're standing, which really makes it even cooler to see.
Anyway... a three hour bus ride (tour buses in Greece are unbelievable!) took us to Arachova... a cute little town where we stopped for coffee and were given free baklava by a women who owned a pastry shop there. Our group also had our picture taken on the sly by an old Greek woman. :) We really do stand out wherever we go as a bunch of American students, and I guess we were quite the novelty standing outside the coffee shop waiting for one another.
Baklava is not traditionally made with the date on the top, like in the picture, but holy cow was it good!
Back on the bus for another 15 minutes and we were at the ruins. The Oracle of Delphi drew people from all over Greece to receive prophesies. A woman called the Pythia would chew on bay leaves, inhale some sort of smoke, and enter a trance from which she would babble a prophesy (usually a riddle) that the priests would translate for the person who came to receive it. Along with the Oracle, there Delphi boasts a theater, stadium and the treasuries of many cities.
The first stop on the way to the Oracle was at the fountain of Castille, where those who came to receive prophesis from the Pythia would purify themselves.
After sitting a while for a lecture, we proceeded uphill (as usual! what a hike!) to the ruins. The most famous is probably the Temple of Apollo.
Then Emily, one of my roommates was convinced by Aphrodite to sing in the Theatre at Delphi to test out the acoustics... apparently this isn't "technically" allowed, but Aphrodite allows it every time. She's really the funniest. I'll have to do a blog all about her sometime.
Then we climbed further uphill to the Stadium, which unfortunately was almost impossible to photograph... at least I didn't get any good ones.
Finally we visited the Delphi museum which had some really cool artifacts found by French archaeologists during the excavation. The picture in the middle is the first written music found to date!
Before heading home we had lunch at the Delphi Palace, at hotel and restaurant famous for it's beautiful view. The Kennedys and Clintons stayed at the Delphi Palace when they visited. We had an incredible meal, and an even more incredible view of the mountains and the Corinthian Gulf. God has been unfailingly reminding me of his artistry and majesty in Greece. Check this out.
It's also awesome to have Aphrodite there to tell us about everything we're seeing. Because of her, we're not just wandering around, we know what happened in the places we're standing, which really makes it even cooler to see.
Anyway... a three hour bus ride (tour buses in Greece are unbelievable!) took us to Arachova... a cute little town where we stopped for coffee and were given free baklava by a women who owned a pastry shop there. Our group also had our picture taken on the sly by an old Greek woman. :) We really do stand out wherever we go as a bunch of American students, and I guess we were quite the novelty standing outside the coffee shop waiting for one another.
Baklava is not traditionally made with the date on the top, like in the picture, but holy cow was it good!
Back on the bus for another 15 minutes and we were at the ruins. The Oracle of Delphi drew people from all over Greece to receive prophesies. A woman called the Pythia would chew on bay leaves, inhale some sort of smoke, and enter a trance from which she would babble a prophesy (usually a riddle) that the priests would translate for the person who came to receive it. Along with the Oracle, there Delphi boasts a theater, stadium and the treasuries of many cities.
The first stop on the way to the Oracle was at the fountain of Castille, where those who came to receive prophesis from the Pythia would purify themselves.
After sitting a while for a lecture, we proceeded uphill (as usual! what a hike!) to the ruins. The most famous is probably the Temple of Apollo.
Then Emily, one of my roommates was convinced by Aphrodite to sing in the Theatre at Delphi to test out the acoustics... apparently this isn't "technically" allowed, but Aphrodite allows it every time. She's really the funniest. I'll have to do a blog all about her sometime.
Then we climbed further uphill to the Stadium, which unfortunately was almost impossible to photograph... at least I didn't get any good ones.
Finally we visited the Delphi museum which had some really cool artifacts found by French archaeologists during the excavation. The picture in the middle is the first written music found to date!
Before heading home we had lunch at the Delphi Palace, at hotel and restaurant famous for it's beautiful view. The Kennedys and Clintons stayed at the Delphi Palace when they visited. We had an incredible meal, and an even more incredible view of the mountains and the Corinthian Gulf. God has been unfailingly reminding me of his artistry and majesty in Greece. Check this out.
We've done a lot in the last week or so... I'll catch up as fast as I can! Check back pretty often!
Now that the comments are working, I'm backtracking to your past posts. This is all so amazing to me, what you are seeing and experiencing. A chance in a lifetime--more than you could have dreamed or imagined, just as God promises. I love you!
ReplyDeleteLove, Mom
Wow! What a view!
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