I woke up the next day and ate some standard Greek hotel breakfast (bread and butter) and then tried to make my way to the Delphi archaeological site. I went the wrong way at first but was turned around by some nice English speaking Europeans who gave me a ride down to the actual site. It was a very cool place to see. After meandering through the museum I successfully tagged along with a paid tour group from Athens who were there on a day trip. The tour guide I assumed knew I wasn't part of the group, and to make it worse I kept interrupting to ask questions, but she never told me to leave. So I got a nice free tour of the place.
Delphi is extremely interesting. All kinds of people, especially kings or those with money, would go to hear the oracle make a prophecy. Interestingly enough, the oracle, who was elected from the neighboring villages, would breathe in volcanic fumes rising from the temple floor, which would make her convulse and mutter, and then the priest would listen to her mumbling and interpret what the prophecy meant. The temple they lived in is now mostly just the base with a few remaining pillars. I expected there to be the famous signs that read "Know Thyself" and "Nothing in Excess," but of course they haven't been there for some time. I walked around a bit until I saw everything, then made my way out. It was hot out so I bought a strawberry smoothy and pastry from a man with turrets and then made my way to the Temple of Athena further down the mountain.
After that I got back in the car and set off for far away Meteora.
I expected this ride to be beautiful like the others, but in this part of Greece the infrastructure is more fortified so the highways in some way obstruct the surroundings.
It took 4 hours to get to my destination, my longest drive yet. I had to make a detour when I started getting anxious about the gas level in my tank, and also had no cash on me (gas pumps in Greece don't take credit card). I ended up making a 15km detour to a town back up a mountain I had driven down already, found the bank, then went back down the mountain to a gas station I passed before and filled up the tank. That lobbed off about an hour, but oh well.
Meteora is a fantastic place. I went there on my sister's recommendation and I've never seen anything like it. It's made up of a bunch of cliffs with red-roofed monasteries built on top.
The cliffs themselves remind me of the Flintstones landscape. I went on a minor hike and then found a hotel at the top of the cliffs to stay in for the night. It was called Hotel Arsenis, owned by a man with the considerably largest stomach I've seen in a long time. I ate dinner there and sat at my computer all night sorting out my cluster requirements and classes for Wash U. That took hours until the manager of the hotel told me to go back to my room because it was 4:30AM. End of day four.
Delphi is extremely interesting. All kinds of people, especially kings or those with money, would go to hear the oracle make a prophecy. Interestingly enough, the oracle, who was elected from the neighboring villages, would breathe in volcanic fumes rising from the temple floor, which would make her convulse and mutter, and then the priest would listen to her mumbling and interpret what the prophecy meant. The temple they lived in is now mostly just the base with a few remaining pillars. I expected there to be the famous signs that read "Know Thyself" and "Nothing in Excess," but of course they haven't been there for some time. I walked around a bit until I saw everything, then made my way out. It was hot out so I bought a strawberry smoothy and pastry from a man with turrets and then made my way to the Temple of Athena further down the mountain.
After that I got back in the car and set off for far away Meteora.
I expected this ride to be beautiful like the others, but in this part of Greece the infrastructure is more fortified so the highways in some way obstruct the surroundings.
It took 4 hours to get to my destination, my longest drive yet. I had to make a detour when I started getting anxious about the gas level in my tank, and also had no cash on me (gas pumps in Greece don't take credit card). I ended up making a 15km detour to a town back up a mountain I had driven down already, found the bank, then went back down the mountain to a gas station I passed before and filled up the tank. That lobbed off about an hour, but oh well.
Meteora is a fantastic place. I went there on my sister's recommendation and I've never seen anything like it. It's made up of a bunch of cliffs with red-roofed monasteries built on top.
The cliffs themselves remind me of the Flintstones landscape. I went on a minor hike and then found a hotel at the top of the cliffs to stay in for the night. It was called Hotel Arsenis, owned by a man with the considerably largest stomach I've seen in a long time. I ate dinner there and sat at my computer all night sorting out my cluster requirements and classes for Wash U. That took hours until the manager of the hotel told me to go back to my room because it was 4:30AM. End of day four.
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