Delphi

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Geo: 38.4708, 22.5659

Saturday morning we were up early and off to find the car rental. We had reserved a van so we could drive to Delphi to see the ruins where the Oracle once spoke her wisdom. After a short drive we were out of the city and on our way to Delphi. We had to drive through the mountains and on the way the weather changed from light rain to snowing in the mountains. As we drove through the small town of Arachova it was apparent that around four inches of snow had fallen in a short period of time. Arachova is a ski resort city as well as a charming little town with many restaurants and shops on the side of this large mountain. The town was so busy with skiers and tourists it took almost an hour to drive though and on to Delphi. When we got to Delphi .....well you could say things are not well marked. We drove past the ruins and into town. When we found someone who spoke English they informed us we needed to go back the way we came. We made it to the site of The Temple of Apollo where the Oracle would receive messages from Apollo and was then translated by a priest and told to the waiting people in the theater. It was a trill to walk among these ancient sights. We then crossed the street and walked down to the ruins of the gymnasium and the temple to Athena. While walking around this site we came across a local pig who was finding all kinds of food to eat. After we left Delphi we headed back into Arachova for lunch and some shopping. After a great lunch we strolled around the town. After looking in three other countries Beth found some Ski gloves in Arachova. I found some Formaella cheese. This cheese is made from a blend of goat's milk and sheep's milk. It is only sold in Arachova and is served grilled with a little pepper and lemon juice. It is wonderful and reminds me of Halloumi cheese from Cyprus. Kim took the opportunity to visit a sweet shop and get a box of assorted Baklavas. Kim and I also found a wonderful Greek rug to bring back to the UK. Time had slipped away from us and before we knew it we were late to head back to Athens to drop off the van. If we did not get it back to the car rental by 8 pm we would have to keep it all night long and return it in the morning. Having a big van in Athens all night was the last thing we wanted. So we raced back to Athens and dropped the van off just in time. After a few beers at the apartment and a few at the pub we had a rather forgettable meal at a restaurant that was close by and headed off to sleep.

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