Walk with Sandra: Delphi, Meteora, Thermopile, Corinth Canal (Greece): 23-26 December 2006

Wednesday, January 3, 2007

Delphi, Meteora, Thermopile, Corinth Canal (Greece): 23-26 December 2006

After picking up our rental car, Rodney and I left Athens in the early hours of the morning and drove northwest toward central Greece. With the sun coming up, the roads were quiet, and the drive was smooth. Our first stop was Delphi, where we began at the circular Tholos in the Sanctuary of Athena Pronaia. From there, we explored the Temple of Apollo, climbed to the ancient theatre built into the hillside, and finished at the Stadium of Delphi, once used for athletic contests.

From Delphi, we continued on toward Kalambaka, a small town nestled at the base of Meteora's towering rock formations in central Greece. The town serves as a gateway for visitors exploring Meteora, offering accommodations and restaurants. Before checking into our hotel, we stopped to photograph the dramatic cliffside monasteries at dusk. The scene was breathtaking - some of the best light for photos really does come at the edges of the day.

The next morning, after breakfast, we returned to the monasteries and explored three of the six in person. Each belongs to the Eastern Orthodox tradition and was originally built between the 14th and 16th centuries by monks seeking solitude and spiritual elevation. In 1988, Meteora was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site, recognized for its extraordinary blend of natural wonder and religious devotion.

I had an embarrassing encounter at the Great Meteoron Monastery. As I approached the small bridge leading to the entrance, I heard a woman shouting something in Greek to those nearby. Not understanding her warning, I kept walking - until, bam! I stepped on a patch of ice, slipped, and was suddenly airborne. In that split second, I knew the landing was going to hurt. And it did. I lay there stunned and told those around me not to touch me. Eventually, I managed to get up. Only then did I understand what the woman had been trying to say: Watch out for the ice!

Before returning to Athens, we made two final stops: Thermopile and Corinth. At Thermopile, we visited the steaming hot springs that gave the place its name - “Hot Gates.” The pools are rustic and natural, with mineral-rich water flowing over rugged stone ledges, surrounded by rising steam. In Corinth, we stopped at the man-made canal that cuts through the narrow isthmus, connecting the Aegean and Ionian Seas. It’s a dramatic sight - steep limestone walls and a narrow waterway that’s been in use since 1893.

Our next stop is Santorini!

Above: The Tholos of Delphi in the Sanctuary of Athena Pronaia - a circular temple built around 380 BCE, renowned for its elegant symmetry and originally encircled by 20 Doric columns.

(Above) Photo credit: Rodney

Above: Another view of the Tholos of Delphi from a higher elevation

Above: The Temple of Apollo complex, where the Oracle of Delphi delivered Apollo's cryptic messages to pilgrims, kings, and emissaries from across the ancient world.

Above right: The columns of the Temple of Apollo

Above right: The ancient Greek theatre of Delphi, carved into the slope of Mount Parnassus, was built in the 4th century BCE for drama, music, and ritual performances honoring Apollo, god of music and prophecy.