Friday, April 1, 2011

Delphi 2010

Clearly, I'm becoming a wee bit baby-obsessed! But I don't want to forget our lovely trip to Europe... in part because, with Mike's new job, I've been kissing him goodbye in the morning (during our 7 minutes of quality time) and often not seeing him again until the NEXT morning.

In comparison, the Europe trip was an embarrassment of riches. We had so much time to chat and sight-see. It was really just about the two of us. And as we move forward with the hectic pace of our current schedule, I don't want to forget that. I don't want to forget how important it is to make "just the two of us" time.

So.

I'm going to put up one more post for each of the places we visited. In Greece, we've still got to cover Delphi, Crete, and Naflpio.

Delphi is a definite contender for my favorite spot on the trip. We were only there for one day and night... but every moment was memorable. The Temple of Apollo was amazing... and much less crowded than all the Athens sights. The guidebook really built a picture of how these breathtaking ruins used to function.

The Treasury of the Athenians


Temple of Apollo


Theater (4th century B.C.)



Stadium for the Pythian Games

Next to the ruins was a perfect little museum--not too small, not too big, with a variety of pieces (small finds interspersed with statues and building ornamentation, dishes and jewelry placed next to huge blocks of marble).

After our investigation of the sanctuary and museum, we headed back through the modern town of Delphi. The alleys and streets were gorgeous, with plants growing on balconies and windowsills, then hanging down the warm stone walls. We had beautiful views on our whole walk back to the hotel, where we showered and rested before an awesome dinner.

Everywhere we looked inspired awe.

(Note to future Delphi travelers: the Acropoli Hotel might be a bit expensive, but it's worth it! It was our only Greek room that consistently had both air conditioning and hot water. And did I mention the views from the balcony? Gorgeous, as you'll see below.)

Dinner at the Taverna Vakchos: some of the best food on our trip. The salads consisted primarily of incredible olives. For an appetizer, we had fried local cheese with lime juice. And Mike is still dreaming of his entree--rooster with wine sauce on a bed of bucatini pasta. Our appetites were primed from all the hill-hiking, and the view was, again, truly awesome. We ate on a covered patio, surrounded by clean air and grapevines. Who could ask for a prettier dining experience?