Greece: the center of the world
Shadow and blush,
Hazing eyes.
A vision to feel,
A sight divine.
Sun setting over mountains below,
Settling, seeping,
Sky from the heavens
To the earth.
“I bid you goodnight.
The moons hovers above.
To guide you in slumber.
To light you from within.”
So the sun slumbers
And moon awakens,
The stars trailing shortly behind.
How will I know you again?
How can I feel your warmth once more?
“As you say goodbye to the moon,
You will greet me, a new dawn.
And that day, you will ask me
How to follow the moon.”
Delphi, Greece
In preparation for my trip to Greece, I had done research on their bus systems. It seemed confusing from the start. The website was in Greek, of course, and the schedules varied - everyday, twice a week, thrice. I decided it was enough that I knew the bus routes existed and assumed I would figure out the specifics when I got here. I knew for certain that I could take a bus from Athens to Delphi, so I confidently headed towards the station.
It was only upon arrival that I realized how ridiculously hopeful I had been. I got a bus ticket, but I also gave myself a five hour wait for an already long bus ride. I let my frustration with myself subside, got a coffee, and settled in with a book to distract me. I got a couple snacks and enjoyed my downtime until departure later that afternoon. Once on the bus, my discomfort level rose. The bus did not have air conditioning, but again, I accepted my situation. I would make it to Delphi by day’s end, and that was all that mattered.
Delphi, Greece
The closer I got to Delphi, the more diligent I was with watching my GPS location. And, I’m glad I did, for the stop in Delphi was merely a brief pause in the middle of the town - no station, no bench, no sign. I walked the short distance to my hotel, stealing glimpses of the coast in the distance, the mountains behind me. My hotel had the most spectacular view from its small balcony, overlooking the Gulf of Corinth.
After letting my mind fall into the serenity of the moment, my stomach reminded me I was starving. I walked to a nearby restaurant for wine, cheese, and that same breathtaking view. I grabbed a bottle of wine on the way back to my hotel and proceeded to drink the entirety of it. With a mix of fruit, nuts, and sweet nibbles, I sat and watched the sun set and the moon rise. A daily anomaly though it is, that particular night was magical to me.
Delphi is …
The center of the world,
the seat of psychic power,
the home of prophetic ambiguity.
The sacred city of Delphi lies on Mount Parnassus, its ruins designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. From the Temple of Apollo, the oracle of Delphi foretold the fates of Greece and the Athenians and played host to the Pythian Games.
THE HIGHLIGHTS FOR ME WERE:
Archeological Site of Delphi and Museum
“I walk through the ancient ruins and marvel. I look out at the mountains and water in the distance and wonder what it would have been like to do so centuries and centuries before. What it might have looked like then? What memories the land holds? What power the city of Delphi holds? The navel, the center, of the earth. What mystic, prophetic energy remains in the ground below?” - Journal Entry, 8.12.24
Sanctuary of Athena, Delphi
Built as the gateway to Delphi, Athena’s presence served to protect her brother Apollo and his temple. Situated half a mile down the mountain, what remains of the sanctuary juts from the small slip of land, overlooking the sea beyond and buffering the sacred summit above.
FIGS (Culinary highlight)
“…passing fig trees along the way. It is crazy to see the ground beneath the trees littered with overripe and sun-dried figs. They seem to fall when they are too ripe, or to split open on the tree. I can see why figs have a sensual connotation. They also seem slightly alien or supernatural in a way. I pluck one off the tree and eat it. It is delicious.” - Journal Entry, 8.12.24
I had always considered figs to be specialty item, an uncommon fruit, and in most cases, an expensive one. So to walk around and see fig-laden trees loose their fruit on the ground to rot because that is how ubiquitous figs are in Greece was remarkable. I took any chance I had to pick a ripe fig from a tree as I walked past.
Gulf of Corinth
Gulf of Corinth, Delphi
An inlet of the Ionian Sea, the Gulf of Corinth separates mainland Greece from the Pelopponese. After a few days in Delphi, I headed to Patras, a large port city of the other side of the gulf. I had originally planned to take a bus, but after struggling to figure out the schedule and worrying over making the exchanges in time, I decided to hire a car. Although an additional expense, the ride was comfortable and very scenic, following along the coast until crossing the Rion-Antirion Bridge to Patras.
WHAT I WAS WATCHING: Maxton Hall
WHAT I WAS READING: The Cruel Prince, The Wicked King, and The Queen of Nothing by Holly Black,
