DELPHI

The day starts with an unwelcomed ringing of the phone, many thinking that it was someone calling and going as far as saying "hello," too tired to register that is is only the alarm. The nights sleep went down a treat. out the door at 7 the first sight is a Greek smoker on his firstr pack of the day - the culture is to smoke, and the bus we caught was no exception as it was the first smell to hit you as you climbed up. 2 1\2 hour drive to Delphi, no wait, the local bauxite mine. a thoroughly unwanted detour where we saw the first sign of prohibiting smoking 200m below the surface and yet there was still the faint smell. delphi itself was an impressive scene but still hard to imagine in its antiquity, a skill which will develope soon enough. the identification of a bit of "talent" kept Eddie, Jerome and myself all on our toes. Sadly no laurel trees were in sight and there was no afternoon "pick me up." We were so high (altitude wise), and the sight had the cameras snapping away. The main show - temple of apollo where the oracle Pythia used to chew on theses laurel leaves and get herself into a "trance"- consisted of 4 huge free standing pillars, and as you went higher up, an altar could be seen. A ramp was at the entrance to the temple, not for wheel chair acces, but for animals. Following this we saw the thaetre the arena, sanctury of athena and the museum where personally the highlight was located - the charioteer. This had amazing detail of drapery and hair that stretched right down to the toes. Cold and wet from the drizzle, the bus ride was warmly welcomed at the end of the day.
 
Ben