The Oracle Pupper (Greek Adventures Vacation Journal, Day 12)

I took about 132 pictures today.  😆  So today we are up and at 'em to be at the ancient site of Delphi as SOON AS THEY OPEN.  Then traveling to Olympia, a biggie location.  And then ending the day in Pylos, which is right on the water.

Picture taken from cozy bed.  Found a warm blanket to keep me warm.  Cold up here in the mountains.

 morning view from balcony

morning view from balcony

So, I wasn't present for this next tidbit of Greek Goodness.  I think the boys went out early hunting for breakfast and came across a man in a work uniform and Brent told him he liked his hat.  The man then pointed at his own hat and pointed at Brent's hat and indicated that they should switch hats.  And so they did.  (And, hmmmmm....I'm not ENTIRELY sure that Brent didn't actually steal this man's hat. haha!  Because not only did he not speak English.  He didn't, as I understand it, speak at all, because he was only producing clicking sounds with his mouth.  But he seemed very adamant about switching hats, so Brent obliged.  Whatta story!)    So we go about our day, Brent thrilled about his new hat, thinking I wonder what Brent's hat says....well Brent discovers the very same greek letters on a trash can later, and we figure out that the hat says Municipality of Delphi, and that the man was in fact a city worker.  And he's going to have to explain to his boss how he lost his hat........  😂  I wouldn't be surprised if Brent isn't sleeping in that hat now.

photo credit: Brent

Onward to Delphi, one of my favorite places.  And I have to insert a picture of my favorite archaeologist, because we are spending the next several days looking at tons of old archaeological stuff!!!!

Delphi was considered the center of the known world, the place where heaven and earth met.  Man was closest to God when they were in Delphi.  It was also known as the center of worship for the God Apollo, son of Zeus who embodied moral discipline and spiritual clarity.  Many people who visit Delphi claim to feel "something" spiritual when they are here.  I can't say I disagree.  It was a gorgeous and peaceful place.  First thing in the morning, we beat the crowds.  And we had a sweet pupper that followed us through the site.  It was quite the hike, as this city was built into the side of a mountain.

Also to be noted, the role of the Oracle of Delphi:

The Pythia (/ˈpɪθiə/,^[1] Ancient Greek: Πῡθίᾱ [pyːˈtʰi.aː]) was the name of the high priestess of the Temple of Apollo at Delphi who also served as the oracle, commonly known as the Oracle of Delphi.

The name Pythia is derived from Pytho, which in myth was the original name of Delphi. In etymology, the Greeks derived this place name from the verb, πύθειν(púthein) "to rot", which refers to the sickly sweet smell of the decomposition of the body of the monstrous Python after she was slain by Apollo.^[2]

The Pythia was established at the latest in the 8th century BC,^[3] and was widely credited for her prophecies inspired by being filled by the spirit of the god (or enthusiasmos), in this case Apollo. The Pythian priestess emerged pre-eminent by the end of 7th century BC and would continue to be consulted until the 4th century AD.^[4] During this period the Delphic Oracle was the most prestigious and authoritative oracle among the Greeks, and she was without doubt the most powerful woman of the classical world. The oracle is one of the best-documented religious institutions of the classical Greeks. Authors who mention the oracle include Aeschylus, Aristotle, Clement of Alexandria, Diodorus, Diogenes, Euripides, Herodotus, Julian, Justin, Livy, Lucan, Nepos, Ovid, Pausanias, Pindar, Plato,  Plutarch, Sophocles, Strabo, Thucydides and Xenophon.

(from wikipedia.  More info can be found here:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pythia)

I choose to believe that the Oracle of Delphi is now inside that cute little lady pupper that followed us around the whole way.  The most powerful woman of the classical world.  

photo credit: Brent

Photo credit: Brent

Photo credit: Brent 

photo credit: Chris

photo credit: Chris

The Oracle of Delphi

I mean, she was galavanting all over the place with her floppy ears practically panting "Hello! I am the Oracle of Delphi!  Welcome!  Come Please!"

photo credit: Chris

The center of the universe??????

Or is this the Oracle of Delphi?

After the tremendously gorgeous hike thru Delphi, we sat for a few minutes.  I drank some water.  And we anxiously waited for the museum to open.  We dashed quickly thru this museum though, because we still had the massively popular and important Olympia to visit today!!

Diarama!!

So, bye-bye to the center of the universe and the Oracle Pupper and hopped in the car.  We stopped outside of Olympia for lunch, and found a DELICIOUS lunch place.  I don't even know where.  But their bread was basically pizza dough, and I ate my weight in this yummy doughy bread dipped in olive oil.  I also had my first authentic greek gyro.  Potatoes!!!  The potatoes in Greece were so tasty and I think it was because it was fried in olive oil.  Chris and I watched My Big Fat Greek Wedding the other day, and John Corbett's character commented on the greek restaurant's amazing potatoes.  What spices do you put on this?  And I exclaimed, "SEE, IT'S A THING.  THE GREEKS HAVE AMAZING FRIED POTATOES!"

Gyro!  w/ potatoes.  Best addition ever.

Photo credit: Chris

And then we made it to Olympia.  Massively popular and important, obviously.  And people.  People, everywhere.....

My research notes:  

Olympia is one of the most popular destinations for tourists in all of Greece.  The games began "officially" in 776 BC and were held every 4 years.  The most impressive thing is the massive columns scattered around the temple of Zeus.  Olympia is shaded by tall trees and walking through the ruins can be a peaceful and profound experience.  

I found it to be overwhelming, repetitive, and hot in the dead heat of the day, personally.  I was definitely getting a little too much sun, at this point in the trip.  Olympia was not one of my favorite things.  But, of course, it was a worthy activity and massively important.

photo credit: Chris

Photo credit: Chris

photo credit: Chris

Then we hit up the Olympia Museum.  I actually mostly sat down and chilled while the others looked through the museum.  I was overly saturated, and at capacity for seeing things.  But I did walk thru and snap a couple shots.  

photo credit: Chris

Then we hopped in the car again.  I conked out for the entire drive to Pylos.  Then I was thankful for the little bit of chill time in the hotel room before heading to dinner.

 my socks drying in the window

photo credit: Chris

Photo credit: Chris

BIG YACHT.  Somebody important was in Pylos today.  Any guesses?  Maybe Tom Hanks?  

Photo credit: Chris

Dinner in Pylos was not our favorite meal.  But the view was beautiful.  And I ordered an appetizer that was basically a fancy toaster strudel filled with feta and topped with fig marmalade.  It was so good!!

Fig Feta Toaster Strudel!

photo credit: Chris

squeaky cheese.  You mouth squeaks when you chew it!

Photo credit: Chris

The toaster strudel filled with feta, topped with fig marmalade.  If I were the Oracle of Delphi, a.k.a. the most powerful woman in the world, I would have this brought to me everyday for breakfast.

Off to bed!!