DelphiLast Tuesday, we began our road trip through the Greek mainland and the Peloponnese. We drove two hours north to Delphi, a 2,800-year-old sanctuary where ancient city-states from mainland Greece, the islands, and beyond dedicated monuments to Athena and Apollo. Before visiting the ruins, we had tomatoes stuffed with rice and herbs, chicken souvlaki, Greek salad, tzatziki, grilled pita, and lukumades (fresh Greek donuts with syrup) at Taverna Dion. According to legend, Zeus sent two eagles to Earth around 500 BC, and they crossed paths at Delphi, which was considered the center of the earth. Contradictory myths state that the site was already revered as the location of an oracle in the pre-classical Greek world (1400 BC). Either way, Delphi became the location for the Pythian Games, one of the inspirations for the modern Olympics, in which athletes convened from various surrounding city-states to compete once every four years. Delphi was also home to an oracle – an old woman through whom the god Apollo allegedly spoke. We spent the afternoon visiting the ruins and the accompanying museum of antiquities. MeteoraWe drove another three hours through winding mountain roads with expansive vistas to Meteora, a stunning rocky landscape that reminded us a bit of Zhangjiajie in China. Meteora is famous for its collection of precipitous monasteries built beginning in the 11th century (though most were constructed during the medieval period). We arrived in time for a late dinner at Skaros Tavern, a lively terrace without a menu serving lamb and chicken grilled over hot coals and homemade cheeses. After stuffing ourselves with grilled chicken, fried potatoes, Greek salad (we have it with nearly every meal), cheese “salad” (feta mashed with pimiento peppers), the restaurant brought dessert and after-dinner ouzo (licorice-flavored Greek digestif) on the house. We spent the next morning climbing up to one of the precipitously located monasteries located atop a sheer, rocky outpost. Though not quite as unbelievable as the hanging monastery we visited in China (this one was located entirely on top of the rock rather than hanging over the side on stilts), it was impressive nonetheless. It rained in the afternoon, so we returned to our cozy B&B to watch a movie, then went to Ουζερί Ρακαριό (we couldn’t find the English translation), which we noticed the previous night was packed with locals, for wine and snacks.
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September 2018
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