6/13/2011 Delphi/Amalia, Delphi Archaeological Museum, Delphi ancient site, dinner at Vahkos

Breakfast buffet.  I have an egg/cheese omelet, toast, grapefruit juice, coffee.  We go out on the terrace that overlooks the pool to take in the early morning view.  So pretty.

DELPHI ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM.  I had read we should do the museum first.  Surprise-free admission!  We spent one hour here.  Many important finds from the site dating back to the 8th century BC.  Kouri/statues of youths from the 7th century BC.  Egyptian inspired Naxos sphinx.  Omphalos/navel stone-shaped like a beehive-not the original Delphi omphalos.  Very nice exhibits with the last piece being the statue of a 474 BC Pythian Games winner-the bronze Charioteer of Delphi-as you exit.

Entrance

Zeus intervenes to settle the quarrel between Apollo and Hercules for the possession of the  prophetic  tripod.   Hercules, furious with Pythia who denied him an oracle because he had not expiated for the murder of Iphitos, has already snatched the tripod, whereas Apollo is trying to take the symbol back.

Naxos sphinx

Kouri/stylized statue of youths

Column of the dancers

Omphalos

Outside the exit

Exiting the museum

DELPHI ANCIENT SITE.  Free admission here too!  Worship of the god Apollo after he slew the python-serpent guarding the navel of the earth.  Place of Apollo's oracle.  Pythian games.  4th century BC ruins.  Sanctuary of Apollo.  On the marble sacred way, past remains of Roman stoas to Athenian Treasury Temple of Apollo-climb uphill to the stadium and theater.  In order to get to the Sanctuary of Athens we have a long walk.  Past the spring where people are filling up their water bottles with the cold, crisp water.  We actually leave the township of Delphi!  At the site finally we see the Tholos of the Temple of Athena, the gymnasium.  I bought some postcards.

          Sanctuary of Apollo

Map of archaeological site

Sanctuary of Apollo

Postcard-aerial site of site

Sacred way

Treasury of the Athenians

Reconstrutured Treasury of Athenians-to commermorate victory Battle of Marathon

Athenian Treasury on the left and Stoa of the Athenians on the right

Temple of Apollo

Theater

Stadium

Stadium

Stadium

Stadium

Views from the stadium

Me and my knee brace!

Castalian Spring

          Sanctuary of Athena

Long walk to Sanctuary of Athena

Sanctuary of Athena-Tholos at the base of Mount Parnassus-3 of 20 Doric columns

Postcard-Tholos of the Temple of Athena

Postcard

Before heading back to our hotel we stop in town and get drinks-water, coke.  And ice cream cones.  Cost 5.90€.  Stop by the flags again.  Back at the hotel it's sunny and warm.  Pool time.   Then we get ready for dinner in Delphi town.  In town I withdraw 300€ from my debit account.

Our room is on the 2nd floor in this building

VAHKOS.  Dinner.  I had read about the rabbit stew here so I try it.  The rabbit tastes like chicken in a stew with onions, carrots.  The gravy is a tomato base.  Delicious.  I get coffee.  Richard does not order Greek salad!  He gets the moussaka and Mythos beer and said it was all good.  Cost without tip 22.40€.

View from our table